Buck Wild

When Doreen Whiteside first opened the doors to Buck Wild Kitchen & Coffee on July 25th, she expected a few curious neighbors to drop by. Instead, she found a line stretching down Main Street and out of the building. It was a moment that still brings her to tears.

"I’m in a happy cry thinking about it right now," Whiteside said, looking around the busy cafe. "The other business owners brought gifts and plants. Seeing that the town really needed this makes me so happy."

The shop’s name might sound like a coincidence, but it actually tells the story of Whiteside’s family farm in La Valle, Buck Wild Ranch. Before moving to Main Street, Whiteside was known around Reedsburg for her "Buck Wild Honey"—a unique blend named for the buckwheat they plant for the bees and the wildflowers that grow naturally on the ranch.

In fact, many customers still visit the shop looking for the farm’s original products. "I was doing a ton of pickles and relishes," Whiteside said. "We still have people calling to order pickles. I didn't want to lose that following, so we kept the name Buck Wild for the shop."

Turning the building into a cafe was the biggest challenge. It used to be a flower shop, which meant Whiteside and her son, Jake, started with what she called an "empty shell." They had to build everything from the ground up to get it ready for food service. For Whiteside, it was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream after decades spent working in sales for other food companies. "It would be great if I was just doing this for myself instead of somebody else," she remembered thinking.

The "Kitchen" side of the business is a partnership with her son, Jake, who has spent ten years managing coffee shops. He creates all the recipes, including the shop's best-seller: the "Buckshot." It’s so popular that Buck Wild teamed up with Busy Bee Bakery down the street to create a "Buckshot Bun" that tastes just like the drink. For Whiteside, her personal favorite is the "Wild Dog," a cherry mocha that tastes like a cherry cordial, paired with a spinach and mushroom croissant.

Beyond the menu, the shop is filled with Wisconsin pride. The coffee comes from Rusty Dog in Madison, the tea from Rishi in Milwaukee, and even the potholders and aprons are handmade by local artists.

For students at RAHS who want to start their own business or get into cooking, Whiteside said the secret is to not wait for the "perfect" moment. "Master the basics, and then go wild. Think outside the box," she said. "If I would have waited till I was really ready... it would never have happened. Just do it."

As Buck Wild moves into its second year, Whiteside is already working on adding more seating so the shop can be a staple hangout spot. "It’s a real community," she said of her relationship with both customers and other supportive Main Street business owners. "I’m just so glad we chose Reedsburg. It’s a great place."