TOWN OF BROOKFIELD, Wis. — Oscar's Frozen Custard in Brookfield has reopened more than a year and a half after a fire destroyed the building in November 2024.
The new building is taller than the original and features a larger outdoor patio and a double drive-through — an upgrade owners say customers had long been requesting.
On Monday, Oscar's held a friends, family and rebuild crew reopening event.
Among those invited was the fire department, and Fire Chief John-Paul Schilling received the first cone of the day. Owners Susie and Jim Taylor said he was with them the day the restaurant was destroyed.
"I can remember you watching," Susie Taylor said. "The winds were so strong that the flames were going from one end of the roof to the other."
For many employees, the reopening is a homecoming. Several have worked at the Brookfield location for decades.
"I started 33 years ago," said Laurie Linstead, an administrative assistant at Oscar's Frozen Custard.
"I have been here about 20 years," said Margie Paczesny, a trainer at Oscar's Frozen Custard.
Managers Zach Taylor and Jimmy Taylor also have deep roots at the location.
"We both started working here as teenagers," Zach Taylor said. "There is something special about coming right here."
The short commute back to the Brookfield location is also a welcome change for the two managers.
"It is nice having a 12-minute commute," Zach Taylor said.
"Seven minutes for me," Jimmy Taylor said.
Employees say they are also looking forward to reconnecting with the regulars who have been coming in for years.
"We have seen some of them come in here for decades," Linstead said.
"Looking forward to seeing old friends. That's how it feels," Paczesny said.
Oscar's Frozen Custard opens to the public at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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