Rooted in Oshkosh - Our Cafe Story

In 1915, Ferdinand ‘Fred’ Reichenberger, along with his 20-year-old son Ferdinand ‘Fernie’ Reichenberger established a meat market in Oshkosh’s Sixth Ward neighborhood. Fernie was drafted into World War I in 1917 and served through the Armistice into late 1918. When he returned, he took over the meat business from his father and it grew to become known as F. R. Reichenberger Meats. In 1921, he married Anna Kalous and the couple had seven children who lived in the family’s apartment above the store.

In the late 1950’s the store became “Reichenberger’s Food Market” when four of the Reichenberger sons Ralph, Joseph, Ferdinand (Vern), and Richard (Ticker) invested into the family business by enlarging the store and adding grocery items. Fernie officially retired in 1960 and passed away in 1965, and brother Vern passed away in 1964. Ralph, Joe, and Ticker continued the business into the mid 1970’s. Reichenberger’s Market was a neighborhood staple for over 60 years and is remembered fondly by many Oshkosh residents.

The building was then sold to Richard Hurkman, who used the space for his vending business called Take-A-Break.  Anna Reichenberger and her son Donald lived in the same upstairs apartment until her death in 1987 at the age of 92.

Coincidentally, Hurkman resided on the west side of Oshkosh just a few doors down from a young Elizabeth Redman who would later purchase the building from him in late 2022.

Redman had returned to Oshkosh in 2017 with her husband Trent Wester, whom she met while living in New Mexico.  A self-taught baker, Trent began selling sourdough bread and galettes at the Oshkosh Farmers Market in 2018, baking in a wood fired oven he had built in their driveway.

Elizabeth “Lizz” and Trent built out their commercial kitchen space south of Oshkosh in late 2019 and grew their wholesale business through the COVID pandemic.  Using Trent’s skills as a craftsman, renovations on this building took place throughout 2023, with doors opening in March of 2024.

The Thunderbird Bakery is named after a piece of property in the Manzano Mountains of New Mexico.  Purchased in 1938 by Trent’s great-grandfather Fred Connelly Wester, we strive to bring the beauty, simplicity and simple pleasures of that place with you here in Oshkosh.