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- By Brian Edwards
- Real Estate
A new tribally owned convenience store in Slinger, Wis., reflects more than a business expansion for the Forest County Potawatomi Community. It’s a showcase of how the tribe’s holding company, Potawatomi Ventures, is using its corporate operations and network of subsidiaries to build, finance, and operate businesses that diversify the tribe’s economy.
The C-store project drew on Potawatomi Ventures’ corporate HR, finance and marketing teams, along with several of its portfolio companies: Sagewind Development led site acquisition and real estate development, Greenfire managed construction, and Fireside MARKET developed and now operates the retail and food concept.
“It tells a great story about what Potawatomi Ventures is capable of,” CEO Kip Ritchie told Tribal Business News in a conversation this summer.
The new 9,700-square-foot Fireside MARKET in Slinger marks the first of several planned stores in southeastern Wisconsin. Located at the entrance to the Merchant Village development, it combines a kitchen and market with fuel pumps, EV chargers, and indoor and outdoor seating. The market operates 24 hours a day, while the kitchen runs from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“As a new concept in Wisconsin, this is not your typical convenience stop,” said David Lloveras, executive vice president of Fireside MARKET. The store was designed to function as more than a convenience stop, combining fresh food and modern amenities with space for the community to gather, he said.
Fireside MARKET’s Slinger store is the third in the company’s growing network. Two existing locations in northern Wisconsin primarily serve tribal members and the region’s tourism market.
“What’s unique about Slinger is the made-to-order food piece—rotisserie meats, brisket, ribs, salmon—a bit of a higher-end retail offering,” Ritchie said. “We think there’s a demand for this.” He compared the concept to major regional convenience chains such as Wawa or Sheetz, but said Fireside MARKET takes “a little bit different approach,” focused on fire-roasted foods and community gathering spaces.
The made-to-order Fireside KITCHEN serves rotisserie meats, brisket, ribs, and salmon—"a bit of a higher-end retail offering," according to Potawatomi Ventures CEO Kip Ritchie. (Photo: Potawatomi Ventures)
The project was developed by Sagewind Development and built by Greenfire, both subsidiaries of Potawatomi Ventures. Fireside MARKET, also part of the company’s portfolio, will operate the store and manage its food program, which features locally sourced ingredients and daily-made gelato.
The market also serves as a pilot site for Potawatomi Ventures’ sustainability initiatives. It includes EV charging stations and diesel service along the I-41 corridor, part of a broader effort to modernize tribal infrastructure investments across Wisconsin.
Fireside MARKET’s rewards program lets customers convert loyalty points into cash donations for local causes, including Theresa’s Closet and the Slinger High School DECA team. The store plans to sponsor community events such as the Kiwanis 5K and Hootie Fest.
Potawatomi Ventures has also secured a site in Brown Deer for the next market, with additional Milwaukee-area locations under consideration, according to Ritchie. He said the Brown Deer location carries extra cultural meaning for the tribe.
“There used to be Potawatomi villages there a couple hundred years ago,” he said. “It feels like bringing things full circle — our story was interrupted, and now we have the chance to tell it again.”
