TOWN OF BROOKFIELD, Wis. — A beloved Waukesha County custard shop is preparing to reopen more than a year after a devastating fire destroyed the original location.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Owner of beloved Brookfield frozen custard shop excited about plans to rebuild after devastating fire
Oscar's Frozen Custard in the Town of Brookfield was destroyed in a fire in November 2024. Now, owners Jim and Susie Taylor say they are close to reopening their doors.
"You can feel it now. We're very excited," Susie Taylor said.
The road to reopening required a nationwide hunt for the specialized equipment that makes Oscar's custard unique. When the fire destroyed their Brookfield location, it also destroyed their vintage custard machines along with the rest of the building.
Watch: Oscar's Frozen Custard prepares to reopen nearly a year after fire
The Taylors believe old-school equipment is essential for the best-tasting custard. Their double frozen custard freezers, built by Leon's, stopped being produced more than 25 years ago.
"This machine was built in 1984," Jim Taylor said.
Jim Taylor scoured the country to find replacement machines, checking Craigslist nationwide for the vintage equipment.
"I would go on Craigslist nationwide and if I saw a Leon's machine in Texas or Louisiana or Florida I would drive down there with a lift truck," Jim Taylor said.
"It is a very important dinosaur. It is the key to making premium custard in our minds," Susie Taylor said.
After a year of searching, Jim was able to secure two machines for the remodeled Brookfield store.
"Our custard machine magic is over there," Jim Taylor said.
The Taylors are also bringing back familiar faces. About half the staff at the West Allis Oscar's location originally worked at the Brookfield restaurant. They say every beam, board and piece of drywall that goes in brings them one step closer to returning home.
"We are anxiously waiting," said an employee.
Katie Riffle, who works at Oscar's, has a personal connection to the restaurant.
"Me and my husband met working here and we stayed working here because the Taylors are such great families to work for," Riffle said. "We promised we would stick with them until we see this thing through."
Oscar's custard will return to Brookfield in April.
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.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
