Beginning this May, local entrpreneurs Sam and Alyssa Wisneski, the operators behind the local online gifting and candle supply company Sweet Little Box Co., will take on a new gig as the new faces behind Milwaukee’s popular popsicle vendor, Chillwaukee.
The Wisneskis, who recently purchased the company, hope to not only provide a seamless experience for current Chillwaukee fans, while dedicating time to broadening the reach for the popsicle brand.
“We love Milwaukee,” notes Sam Wisneski. “And what’s really exciting for us is to really be able to connect with the community with more face to face interaction.”
Alyssa Wisneski, who works as a public school ESL teacher, agrees, noting that she’s excited to be able to dedicate herself full-time to the popsicle business during the summer months.
“From making our popsicles with fruit from local farms, to paying our local employees a great wage and celebrating events with our customers,” she says, “We’re so excited that we are able to contribute to the community we love so much.”
Keeping things green
Founded by Colin Wallace and Danielle Dahl in 2017, the mobile popsicle company made a name for itself with its creative popsicle flavors along with a mission to operate with as little impact on the environment as possible.
The Wisneskis intend to maintain those same values moving forward, taking time to reexamine current practices, including the use of recyclable materials, and improve on them whenever possible. The couple will also continue to offer popsicles that are both vegan and gluten-free.
“Collin and Danielle built an amazing company with a great following,” says Sam Wisneski. “They are both awesome, and they bring so much expertise to the table. So we’re thrilled that they will be consulting with us as Chillwaukee moves into this exciting new chapter.”
New offerings, events & more
Guests can look forward to a rotating selection of over 30 popsicles, including Chillwaukee favorites like lavender lemonade, strawberry mango and chocolate covered peanut butter banana. But the Wisneskis also have some new ideas they hope to launch as time moves forward.
“We’re excited about exploring flavors like sweet cream cold brew, maybe a spicy margarita, wedding cake or other flavors,” says Alyssa Wisneski. “We’re definitely trying to think outside the box a bit.”
Fans will continue to find Chillwaukee at weekly farmers markets (including Riverwest and West Allis markets) along with festivals, concert series’ and various public events throughout the city. The couple also hopes to expand their retail presence, which currently includes pops at the Riverwest Co-op, to additional venues around town.
Currently, they are booking onsite popsicle catering for weddings, corporate events, graduations, block parties and more. Events to take place May through September can be booked online at chillwaukee.com/contact.
For more information, visit chillwaukeepops.com, or follow Chillwaukee on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
