Rib River renewal
Popular county wedding landmark gets a new owner
A new generation has taken the helm at the Rib River Ballroom, a Marathon County landmark.
Marathon native Bill Fischer purchased the popular wedding hall located just west Marathon City on May 16 from Jack Kramer, who operated the ballroom for 42 years.
Fischer said the structure, built from blueprints drawn-up in 1933, will get a major facelift but he will retain Kramer’s recipes for wedding food, including fried chicken, ham, beef tips, cole slaw and stuffing. Kramer himself will postpone retirement for a few months to oversee kitchen operations during a transition.
Currently, Scherrer Construction, Wausau, is busy as a general contractor taking on the first phase of a remodeling project. The ballroom’s ceiling has been removed, exposing original trusses and arched wooden roof supports. A new roof will be built on top of the current roof.
“It’ll be pretty nice,” said Fischer about the remodeling project, adding that he is undecided whether to paint the ceiling trusses or leave the natural wood.
Fischer said it will take two years to complete the full ballroom remodeling plan. He said he plans to move the ballroom kitchen to the back of the building, its restrooms to the front and to add windows. A house on the property will be used as a bridal suite and a 25 foot patio will be built facing the Big Rib River. A second bar may be built.
The remodeled ballroom will seat 300 people on round tables. Four hundred and twenty-five people will be able to be fed at a banquet.
Hundreds of local couples have celebrated their weddings at a Rib River Ballroom dinner and dance. Bill Fischer and his wife, Desiree, were one of those.
“My wife and I got married here,” said Fischer. “We went to Marathon High School and were high school sweethearts. I was in the Class of 1999. She was in the Class of 2001.”
Fischer said he plans to remove the current bandstand, but he will save the 100 to 200 signatures on ther bandstand of bands who played the ballroom over the years.
He said he will retain some of Kramer’s employees, including Maria Graveen, who has made pies for the ballroom.
Kramer himself said he is happy to see the Rib River Ballroom get an update.
“I am excited about what is going on,” he said. “It will be a big plus.”
Kramer said he purchased the ballroom from his father, Daniel Kramer. His father bought the hall from Verna and Charlie Prihoda.
