Top Wausau business stories and trends of 2025
Plus, not every business made it in 2025.
Correction: The original version of this post inaccurately framed the reason for The Lounge’s closure. It has been updated to more accurately reflect the original announcement. The Wausonian apologizes for the error.
One thing I learned when I first came back to Wausau to work at City Pages full-time is that people really love stories on new businesses.
So much, in fact, that Tammy put them on the inside back page — prime real estate for any publication. (Almost as many people read magazines and periodicals back to front as do front to back.)
I really enjoy sitting down with new business owners to talk about the businesses they’re building in the community. For readers, they can learn about a new option available to them and get a little glimpse of the entrepreneurs behind those offerings.
I decided to look through the top businesses of 2025, based on Substack’s metrics for what resonated with readers the most:
The Story Cellar is bringing back the idea of a used book store to Wausau: Books became big again with the younger set during COVID, and The Story Cellar provides an in-person space for younger folks and everyone else to find used books. Plus with a little coffee on tap and some reading nooks, The Book Cellar is quite the space. And now Shelves of Aeaea offers books along with yoga and herbs, and a new bookstore called Room of Words is slated to open in Schofield. It was supposed to open in December but is now eyeing a late January opening.
The Tower Cafe has a pretty unique idea, in a pretty unique place: What was unique about it? The owner, a finance executive, approached building a cafe in the spot that was briefly the Venado Cafe, from first principles. So he didn’t just get any bagels - he found the best he could from New York City. (As this reporter can attest to, having now tried them, that indeed he chose well.) All in a building many probably don’t go to since otherwise the Dudley Tower is an office building. Besides affordable bagel sandwiches and coffee, smoothies are among the other items on the menu.
Mumble Wrap is trying a new concept in the Malarkey’s Pub/Townies space: A new group bought the Malarkey’s Pub/Townies combo last year. And while Malarkey’s Pub remains largely the same, the real changes came on the restaurant side. Mumble Wrap (a nod to an obscure form of rap music — who knew?) decided to change things up quite a bit. A little more self-serve, the wraps are made to each on site or take to go, and quick ordering - whether at the counter or online through an app — is made to be low-maintenance and breezy. I personally really enjoyed the wrap I had there.
But there are plenty more things to talk about when it comes to Wausau area business in 2025. Including some very surprising trends.
