Market On River Slated to Open in Downtown C.F. in September
renovated building will include food hall, community event space, Farmers Union HQ, and apartments
The large, 120-year-old brick building on the corner of Island and West River streets is about to become the hub for local activity when the Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU) opens its long-awaited new state headquarters in the Market on River. The 45,000-square-foot, three-story building will also include an event space, dining options, and residential living.
Currently under heavy construction, MOR is slated to open in September at 128 W. River St., with the apartments on the third floor now being leased for an October move-in. Wisconsin Farmers Union Facilities Director Jackie Boos says the project – currently priced at $9 million – is in great shape to open by the fall.
Major renovations are being completed on the inside and outside of the building, including a new roof, a new patio area outside, large ADA ramps, a monumental stairwell going from the first floor to the second, restoration of the original wood flooring, rooftop seating, and much more.
The project has definitely been a community effort, with partners including the City of Chippewa Falls, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., Royal Credit Union, and more. As a part of its mission, WFU has also aimed to keep the project’s labor local, and have used B&B Electric Inc., MASE Construction, Tweet/Garot Mechanical, and others.
FIRST FLOOR
The first floor “Food Hall” still has a couple of vacancies, while a few beloved local eateries have confirmed they will have locations onsite including Whirlybird Coffee Co., Ne-Ne’s Tacos, and TemptAsians. While Big Papa BBQ and Wildflour Bakery were slated to open in MOR too, both decided to pull out of the agreement due to their own business changes. Boos said the goal of the Food Hall is to have a wide range of options for all who visit, so they won’t be doubling up on cuisine varieties.
Near the Food Hall will be a full commercial kitchen where community members can use the space to make their products on-site. You won’t have to be a business owner within the MOR building to use the kitchen.
There are retail spots located near the front entrance – currently unclaimed – and towards the back of the first floor, which will house Captain Coop’s Trading Co., specializing in beard care, body lotions, and CBD and Delta products. For shorter-term retail options, there are three separate 12-by-12-foot retail kiosks on the first floor, with spaces the organization has dubbed the “horse stables” due to their closeness and shape, which will offer three-month, six-month, or one-year leases.
“Our hope is that we can create a real turnaround,” Boos said about the kiosks. “So when you come in, the experience is always kind of different.”
In keeping with their mission statement, all businesses that are part of MOR must become Wisconsin Farmers Union members and must purchase at least 15% of their ingredients and materials from Wisconsin farms.
SECOND FLOOR
The second floor of the building will house the WFU state headquarters, with enough space for their 24-person staff, including office space, locations for educational programming, and a room for the organization’s podcast.
Directly across from their headquarters is an empty area that could house up to four other businesses. The construction on that section of the second floor is dependent on interest in the space and likely won’t be worked on until the vision is clearer. Next to it, in its own alcove, will be Organix By Melissa, a one-chair hair salon.
The other half of the second floor will be a 320- to 2,400-square-foot customizable commercial event space, fit for weddings, family reunions, conferences, conventions, fundraisers, and more. The space will have an attached warming kitchen for caterers (booking an on-site catering will get you a discount on the space rental), state-of-the-art AV systems throughout the whole building, and can fit approximately 175 to 200 people, all overlooking the Chippewa River. WFU is now booking events in this space for 2025.
THIRD FLOOR
The top floor of the building will feature nine apartments, ranging from 750 to 1,500 square feet. Each apartment will have state-of-the-art amenities, including brand new appliances, a washer and dryer in every unit, a new water system, new HVAC, marble countertops, storage space, and a reserved parking spot.
The one- and two-bedroom units feature exposed brick and stunning views of downtown Chippewa Falls and the Chippewa River. Locations are being leased now, with move-in dates beginning in October. Rent prices fall at about $2.11 per square foot.
One of the nine units will be used as an Airbnb location for out-of-town or community guests. With 2,300 square feet, the space will be able to house up to 10 people comfortably. This is a great option for those using the event space on the second floor to stay on-site for a night or two.
“We’re making sure that we’re talking to people we need to talk to about getting in here and being a part of the community, but also then being that vibration that says, ‘more can happen in Chippewa Falls,’ ” Boos said. “It spearheads people to think of other ideas and new concepts for businesses. So our hope is that we just continue down the path that we have, which is very inclusive to the city and the conversations with local businesses.”
Anyone interested in renting a space – either residential or commercial – in Market On River (128 W. River St., Chippewa Falls) can reach out to Jackie Boos at jboos@wisconsinfarmersunion.com.
