FOND DU LAC (NBC 26) — On the corner of Main Street and Division Street, the former location of the bar Dillenger's will soon be home to something the City of Fond du Lac calls a "food hall," a building with not one, but seven food vendors.
Neighbors say there's an appetite for more eating options in the city.
- The food hall will feature seven vendors in one space.
- The city's goal is to help food entrepreneurs get their start.
- Neighbors say they're ready for more food options.
"I think it's wonderful, out-of-the-box thinking that I've seen the much bigger cities, but I'm glad that we're giving it a try here," said local Patrick Perkins.
Community Development Director Dyann Benson said the food hall will allow startup restaurants to establish themselves while working toward their own restaurant.
"The purpose of the food hall is to foster food entrepreneurs," Benson said. "So the commercial kitchen, most of the kind of infrastructure, will be there for them and they'll be able to test out their concepts."
Watch: Fond du Lac serving up new dining options with 'food hall' coming in 2025
Benson said the $2.5 million project will be funded using ARPA money and will include indoor and outdoor areas.
Locals say they’re excited about what it will bring to the area.
"It’s a good way to give people that start so that they can, you know, eventually have a downtown business that's more permanent and increase the vibrancy of downtown," said local Alyssa Hallgren.
Benson said the city will be recruiting vendors in early 2025, and they’re looking for a variety.
"In the 2040 Comprehensive Plan, one of the consistent themes that we got in the feedback from our survey was that our community wanted more diverse food options," Benson said.
The community already has some ideas.
"Getting different people in there with different tastes, Mexican, Chinese, whatever it would be, just to give them a start and see if it goes over," said local Pat Klaske.
Benson said construction on 1-5 S Main St. will start in early 2025, and the food hall will be complete in late 2025.
She said vendors will have to pay for a spot, but the city hasn't yet determined how much.
