Rich’s Sausage Shak Opens

The Thorp Courier (Thorp, WI)
July 21, 2010
Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Turning a hobby that one loves into a business is ‘a dream comes true’ for many people – just ask Rich Lawcewicz, owner and operator of the newly established Rich’s Sausages Shak in Lublin. After ten years of playing with recipes for sausages and snack sticks in his home with friend, James Martin, Rich decided to turn his hobby into a business.
 
With ten years of forming recipes under his belt, Rich didn’t have a problem with creating a variety of meats to sell.  Offering Polish sausages, brats, wieners, five different varieties of summer sausage, and ten flavors of snack sticks, Rich has been putting his creative recipes into full motion.  On top of his extensive menu, Rich prides his products on being lean.  “We sell meat that tastes good without a mouth full of grease,” he commented.
 
Kicking off his business this past November, Rich took in 85 deer to process, which helped lead his business into opening a fully functioning store beside his home at W14709 Diamond Drive in Lublin in May.
 
Out of the many things found in his coolers, perhaps the items that Rich’s Sausage Shak is becoming known for is the adventurous and surprisingly tasty flavors of snack sticks that Rich has created.  His list of snack stick flavors, including honey ham and Swiss, bacon cheddar, garlic cheddar, and hot wing chicken and blue cheese, is always expanding. “I’m planning on adding probably five more flavors,” Rich said.  “We hope to have from 15 to 20 flavors.”  Because of the success of the extensive snack stick menu, Rich has also begun creating specialty brats, offering smoking services, and even now offers seven flavors of cheeses.
 
With such a wide variety of recipes offered, Rich’s Sausage Shak helps its customers find the flavor that suits them the best.  “We have such unique flavors, we go with the ‘try before you buy’ motto,” Rich mentioned.  “We want our customers to always leave happy.”
 
Even though his business has only been open a few weeks, Rich’s Sausage Shak has already entered his products into a contest in Gilman.  Out of 14 entries, Rich’s products took second and third place.  With word of his victory spreading and customers already returning to try more and more flavors, business has begun to pick up for the local meat market.  Having between six and eight specials a week on his ever-expanding menu, rich’s Sausage Shak has found a way to keep its customers’ taste buds tingling and their pocketbooks full.  “We have unique, lean meats at very fair prices,” said Kathy Lawcewicz, Rich’s wife and co-operator of Rich’s Sausage Shak.
 
On top of selling packages of individual items, Rich’s Sausage Shak offers party platters, fill with customers’ choice of sliced meats, snack sticks, and cheeses.
 
A real family-run and locally operated business, Rich’s Sausage Shak is a hidden treasure for the people of Thorp.  Located eleven miles north on Highway 73 and right on Diamond Drive, this local meat market brings some “spice” to the area.  “We encourage people to come by and try the products,” added Rich.