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Mullen’s Dairy Bar & Eatery

Founded 1932

210 W Main

210 W Main was early location of Watertown Daily Times

1911 The Mullen Dairy

11 16 Frank Mullen has opened a dairy and milk route in connection with his other farm interests southwest of this city. He is now supplying butter, milk and cream daily to a large number of customers in Watertown, and all say Frank’s butter, milk and cream are the very best to be had. WG

1932 Mullen’s Dairy Bar founded

c1970 Vanished

There was a time when the city had any number of ice cream parlors and among those were the A. E. Baumann ice cream parlor and candy kitchen which was located at 210 West Main Street, E. Herro and Son at 210 Main Street, William Pappas at 417 Main Street, George Spyros at 105 Main Street, Miss Abbie Norton at 614 West Main Street and Mrs. Marie Vick at 107 West Main Street. And of course, there was the Edward M. O’Byrne establishment, also in Main Street, and the O’Bryne and Kuehn Candy Co. There also were others.

The old ice cream parlor was a vital community institution. It afforded a pleasant and relaxing place to meet friends, enjoy ice cream and good homemade candies and it’s too bad that it is now just another part of a vanished era.

1984

08 29 Mrs. Susan Tesch has been named store manager of Mullen's Dairy, 212 West Main Street, Watertown. She has been employed at the dairy since 1977. Operating since 1932, Mullen's Dairy offers a complete menu of ice cream treats, along with soups, sandwiches and salads. The dairy carries a full line of Golden Guernsey dairy products and features their own homemade premium ice cream. The store is open seven days a week. WDT

2001

01 26 Mullen's Dairy Bar & Eatery Lake Mills will open at 134 E. Lake St. across from Commons Park in April, according to Ron and Gloria Luepke, owners of Mullen's Dairy Bar and Eatery in Watertown. Mullen's Dairy Bar and Eatery in Watertown will supply ice cream to the Lake Mills business, which will be operated by other owners. The names of the new owners of the Lake Mills business have not been announced. The Luepkes own the building where the business will be located. WDT

04 05 Mullen’s Dairy Bar and Eatery has opened at 134 E. Lake St., Lake Mills, across from Commons Park. A grand opening celebration is being planned for May. Owner Dean Daubert presides over an authentic soda fountain with shiny fountain heads that people remember from a bygone era. A large rear mirror evokes visions of Richie, Fonzie and his pals of the 1960s. The black-and-white squares of the flooring, ceiling fans, and red-and-white checkered tablecloths bring back memories of old-fashioned ice cream parlors and the simple pleasures of yesterday. WDT

10 04 About 15 former employees of Mullen’s Dairy, with their spouses, gathered Sunday afternoon for their first reunion, with the farthest participant coming from Wautoma. The idea for a reunion came after some past employees began getting together on their own and someone suggested the mini-reunion expand. The group met at Windwood Country Club for brunch with Gerry Mullen welcoming the guests, Bill Mullen discussing his part in the family business and present owners, Ron and Gloria Luepke, explaining their maintenance of the product line. “Everyone had a good time reminiscing,” said event coordinator and past employee Earl Lehmann. “It really was better than I thought it would be. It really turned out very well.” WDT

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Mullen’s Diary

2006

Watertown Daily Times, 08 09 2006

Business has 74-year history

Mullen's Dairy Bar owners Ron and Gloria Luepke have sold the restaurant to Watertown residents Troy and Shannon Milbrath.

Troy Milbrath worked at Mullen's while he attended high school.

Ron and Gloria Luepke owned Mullen's since 1997, when they purchased it from former owners Bill Mullen and his wife, Karla. Bill and Karla Mullen became the sole owners of the then family business in 1976. The restaurant was started by Frank Mullen and his two sons, Frank Jr. and Web, in 1932.

Full WDTimes article:

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Cross-References:

Profile of, WDTimes, 06 14 2000