A Midwestern man spent years as an international banker in London, and then he moved to Wisconsin and opened an ice cream shop. Veronica Rueckert and Rob Ferrett learn about his love of Wisconsin, small towns, and ice cream. They also discuss the charges facing cell service provider T-Mobile, and check in on the latest happenings in Congress.
Featured in this Show
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Why A Lawyer In London Decided To Become A Wisconsin Ice Cream Vendor
In 2005, attorney Jeff Miller had just been promoted in his high-powered job at a London bank. By 2006, however, he had quit, moved to Hayward, Wis., and bought the local ice cream shop.
Miller, who tells the story of his drastic life change in his new book, “Scoop,” grew up in Minnesota before leaving the Midwest behind for a life in the corporate world. He and his partner Dean, however, became dissatisfied with their jobs and big city life, and on a trip to northern Wisconsin, made an impulsive decision while visiting West’s Hayward Dairy.
“We saw a ‘for sale’ sign in the window,” he said. “So, we asked ourselves, ‘Well, why couldn’t we do this?’ A few months later, we had sold our home in London.”
While he was novice in the world of ice cream making, Miller said he caught on quickly with a crash course in ice making before he left the United Kingdom, which he took secretly so his bank colleagues didn’t know what was going on. The previous owner of the ice cream shop also trained him in the art of ice cream making.
Miller said the region reminded him of home, and he and Dean quickly fell in love with it.
“We didn’t really know Hayward very well, but we had visited the areas and it was beautiful,” he said. “The lakes were amazing, and we knew that especially in the summer there were crowds of people, and the ice cream shop was a local institution.”
Miller said he enjoys playing a role in a small town, though he still sometimes feels like observer a decade in.
“While I may not feel part of the community all the time, it is certainly part of me,” he said. “So, now when I go away, I’m always thinking about my life in Hayward.”
Here’s a sample of some of the ice cream Miller has made at West’s Hayward Dairy:
Coconut Magic Bar: Coconut dulce de leche ice cream with walnuts, graham cracker, butterscotch and chocolate chips. Miller said, “(It) reminds me of my youth and my favorite treat, a seven-layer magic bar.”
Agave Maria: Agave nectar and a hint of raspberry on a vanilla base — a favorite experiment of Miller’s that didn’t catch on with customers.
Amazon Treat: Acai berry ice cream with dark chocolate chunks and salted cashews.
Mint Chocolate Chip: The top seller, a favorite in northern Wisconsin.
Almost Sinful: Vanilla ice cream with a fudge swirl, chocolate covered peanuts and walnuts — a long-time classic at West’s.
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T-Mobile Faces Charges Of Adding 'Bogus' Fees To Customers' Bills
Cell service provider T-Mobile is being charged with overbilling their customers by adding ‘bogus’ fees to customers’ bills. A reporter discusses the charges against the company, and what changes could be coming.
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This Week In Congress – July 2, 2014
USA Today Politics and Congress Editor Paul Singer joins Central Time for his weekly update on happenings in Congress.
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Notes From A Wisconsin Ice Cream Shop
A Midwestern man spent years as an international banker in London…then returned to his roots and bought an ice cream shop in Hayward, Wisconsin. He tells the story of this love of small towns, the Midwest, and ice cream.
Episode Credits
- Rob Ferrett Host
- Veronica Rueckert Host
- Jeff Miller Guest
- Brendan Sasso Guest
- Paul Singer Guest
- Chris Malina Producer
- Galen Druke Producer
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