We lived in Green Bay from 1979 to 1993 and its where we raised our three boys. We hadn't been back since 1993 and thought it would be fun to check out all our old favorite places.
The first stop was the Packer Stadium. Boy, had it changed. It had been expanded over the years and was huge - very impressive. When we owned our business in Green Bay, Associated Bank would invite us to sit in their luxury box seats. I remember getting dressed up for a game in freezing December weather one year. We parked right next to the door to the box seats, walked in, took a warm elevator up and walked out into a beautifully appointed room overlooking the field. The food had been catered in and the seats were plush. I'm not a football fan, but I could easily have become one with this kind of luxury.
After checking out the stadium we had to go to Kroll's for a buttery hamburger and fried cheese curds. It was a staple 20 years ago and nothing had changed. Krolls was still the very same and the food was wonderful!
We drove to our old neighborhood in Oneida Heights near the country club. That area had changed. The homes around our subdivision were large and elegant. Our old saltbox home, however, looked a little dated and had been painted a bright blue.
We headed out to the building where our company had been (with all 100 employees in 1992 when we sold it) and found nothing had changed there either. The company branch office was still there. Our parting with the insurance company who bought our company wasn't cordial, so we didn't go in, but were curious as to whether any of our original employees still worked there. It has been 13 years since we left.
We tried to find Mona Lisa, my favorite Italian restaurant, but it had been converted to a sports bar. Sadly I won't be having the best shrimp scampi ever served again, I guess. We walked around the Ashwaubenon Mall, which was now three times it's size. It was very nice and that part of town looked quite different - new and prosperous.
We stayed a night at what used to be the Embassy Suites downtown. It was now called the Regency Suites. It was okay, but the rooms were showing their age and the quality of the free breakfast had deteriorated.
Before leaving town, we had to have the best frozen custard in the world - Storheim's. It truly is the best and we've tasted them all. Their caramel cashew creation is to die for! It tasted as good as ever!
As we drove out of town, we smiled at each other and agreed that the visit had been fun. We were glad we didn't live there anymore, but knew that it had been a good place to raise our family. September 12, 2006