SHEBOYGAN – A public-private partnership to redevelop the historic Cheese Counter and Dairy Heritage Center in downtown Plymouth concluded in December with the city of Plymouth buying the building at 133 E. Mill St. for $1.
The Cheese Counter was transferred to the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation in 2016 to qualify for historic tax credits that were reinvested in the vacant building. The SCEDC owned the building for five years under an agreement with the city, while the Plymouth Redevelopment Authority directed its restoration.
The SCEDC Foundation was awarded up to $300,000 in state of Wisconsin historical tax credits supporting the project.
“The partnership between SCEDC and the city of Plymouth RDA provided a unique opportunity to fund The Plymouth Cheese Counter and provide a historical reminder of our heritage as the cheese capital of the world,” said Plymouth Mayor Don Pohlman.
In the first year of operation under the partnership, The Plymouth Cheese Counter and Dairy Heritage Center merged a Plymouth-centered dairy museum with a lunch counter and cheese shop. The business has grown to include gift boxes and feature other artisanal foods and products that complement the high-quality Wisconsin cheeses.
“The Plymouth RDA has been thrilled to be aligned with the SCEDC in the development of the Cheese Counter in our downtown,” said Lee Gentine, Chair of the RDA. “This project wouldn’t have been possible without this partnership.”
“The location has become a prime example of how a municipality can leverage local partnerships to accelerate innovative projects,” said Timothy Blakeslee, Plymouth City Administrator. “The city looks forward to future partnerships with the SCEDC to support economic development in Plymouth.”
The success of the project is a blueprint for others.
“We have created a template that has been copied over and over in many communities across the nation,” said Pohlman. “Federal and state tax laws were designed for just this purpose.”
To learn more about the Cheese Counter, visit https://cheesecapitaloftheworld.com. For more information about the Cheese Counter partnership, email Brian Doudna, SCEDC Executive Director doudna@sheboygancountyedc.com.
