[strumming acoustic guitar]
- Angela Fitzgerald: This Dutch-style windmill
is an icon of pop culture in the Northwoods.
- Pat Berg: It is a landmark for sure.
The history of the building is fantastic.
We hear a lot of stories.
- Russell Berg: It was part of Phil's Resort on Lake Nokomis.
The building goes back to 1939,
and it was originally built as a Sinclair gas station.
- Russell Berg is the family historian.
- Russell: Over the years, it's been a candy shop.
There was an information booth,
and sometime in the mid to late 70s,
it became an ice cream shop,
and it has been ever since.
- The Berg family built its own history with the Windmill
and can serve up stories and ice cream
all in one scoop.
- Russell: In 1993, my parents bought it,
Pat and Charlie Berg.
Mom was getting close to retirement
as a fourth-grade teacher down in Athens, Wisconsin.
- Pat Berg: And I said going past here,
"Someday, we're going to own this."
Never giving it another thought at all.
Can I help you, sir?
[twangy country guitar]
Pat: When we bought it, I said, "We're buying it for the kids
and for the young at heart."
Oh, here comes the kids.
[fun, swinging jazz]
- Ice cream is what put this tourist attraction on the map.
[bouncy jazz]
- Russ: We like to think we're at the intersection
of Wisconsin's dairy industry and tourism industry,
offering the best of what
the state of Wisconsin has to offer.
- Customer: Thank you so much.
- For more than 32 years,
the Bergs have hand-scooped, served, and created smiles.
- Rodney Berg: The biggest surprise for me was
just how happy it makes people feel.
No one ever comes into an ice cream shop crying.
- Pat: Hello, come on in.
Don't be shy.
And I love when they come in as a family,
and all the kids are smiling
and looking already what they're going to order.
- Child: I'm going to, ahh... - Adult: Okay.
- Pat: Even the little babies, I always say,
"Oh, Baby came for a treat."
- Russ Berg: It's become a tradition.
People reminiscing to where their grandparents brought 'em,
and now they're bringing their kids or their grandkids.
[lively swing music] - Mother: All right, guys.
Smile! - So fun!
- For several generations,
the Windmill has also become a Berg family tradition.
- Rodney: Spending 30 years working alongside my mom,
seeing how it grew throughout all those years.
- Pat: Two scoops on that?
Chocolate on top, hot fudge.
- Rodney: And then, as I got married and had children,
when they got old enough, I was working alongside them, too.
- Meagan Berg: I grew up here, so it's a special place for me.
Meagan: When I was really little,
I would come and help clean up in the morning.
And then, when I was old enough,
I started scooping ice cream.
I got to hang out with her
and I became super close with her.
Just watching her own her business
inspired me to just follow my dreams.
- Customer: I'm gonna get a single scoop in a bowl.
- I have very good grandchildren,
and they're very helpful, and they're very good.
They learn fast.
- Angela: With more than 100 flavors in rotation,
there's always a favorite in store.
- Russ: You always have to have vanilla, chocolate, strawberry.
- Teen: Here's strawberry.
- Russ: Okay, we have a blueberry cheesecake to go in next,
along with bubble gum
and cake and ice cream.
Okay? - Pat: Yep.
- Flavor after flavor, year after year,
the Windmill made a name for itself.
- Child: Yay! - Adult: The birthday cake.
- If it's a holiday, it's lines out the door all day long.
[sentimental acoustic]
July 4th is our Super Bowl week or weekend.
It's the biggest holiday here in the Northwoods.
- Pat: Oh, we're gonna need a new one.
- Russ: There are times where we will go through
70 to 80 tubs of ice cream.
- Meagan: You get to see all these people coming in on boats,
[boat blows horn]
you know, enjoying their summer.
- Family in unison: Bye!
- Meagan: You get to see people,
you know, connect with one another
and have a smile on their face.
- Pat: Sometimes, I think, "Wow, this is fabulous!
"The lines of people that come
and good people, nice people."
- You want the chocolate one,
or do you want the one with chocolate chunks?
- I love the Windmill, and I always did.
- Place... I have so many memories here, like countless. [laughs]
So, it's just a special place for me.
A million funny stories.
- Charlie: It's kind of humbling to have so many people come
and love and comment on their experiences here.
The biggest compliment we can get is when a family says,
"We'll be back tomorrow."
[acoustic guitar riff]