Vickie Wagner Purchases the VFW Club, Still A Home for Vets

he vets are remaining at Vicki’s.

Vickie Wagner, who has operated Vickie and the Vets at the Antigo VFW Clubhouse for several years, quietly purchased the clubhouse building from Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2653 earlier this month. She had been leasing the kitchen and portions of the building since 2011.

The veterans still have their charter at Vickie and the Vets, Wagner said. They and their Auxiliary unit will continue to hold their monthly meetings here and we are planning celebration for them in the near future.

Wagner originally began leasing the commercial kitchen VFW Clubhouse in 2011 to prepare her popular salsa recipe, which sells in a variety of regional markets.

With the help of family and friends, she soon put her entrepreneur and cooking skills to work, expanding to Friday fish fries, rib nights, a summer food truck, and chicken and burgers on Wednesday, and among other offerings.

Watch for more to come, she said.

Wagner stressed that the entire business process would not have been helpful without the assistance and encouragement of Veterans of Foreign Wars and Auxiliary members.

I want to thank the veterans, the community, and especially my customers, she said. They have helped me to purchase my dream.

Members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2653 and the Wagner family gathered for a signing ceremony. From left are (front row) Austin Wagner, John Wagner, Casey Wagner, Vickie Wagner, Jim Diestler, Mike Piller, (back row) Joel Wagner, Tom Lukowicz, Jack Csuy, John Krajewski, Alex Seifert, Leonard Fleischman, George Chrudimsky, Stephanie Powell and Ken Hardin. VFW members not pictured are Pete Higgins, Glenn Remington, Steve Bradley and Kevin Kamps.

Source: Antigo Daily Journal