Family-run business 'disappointed' to be working last of 70 years at state fair

After 70 years of selling fair food favorites, one family-owned business will wrap up its last year at the Wisconsin State Fair this summer.

Ted Derynda is the co-owner of Derynda's Dairy Land and Adeline's. He has been working the stands since he was 8 years old. Now, his oldest grandchild is 8 and will celebrate his 9th birthday at the fair next weekend.

The stands sell popular dishes such as roasted corn and ice cream cones. After decades of family tradition, this is the last year they will be at the fair.

Despite his offers to rebuild on the same site, Derynda said they are being forced out to be replaced by an expansion to the dairy building.

"My biggest hurt is the fact that in the 70 years we've been here, we felt that we were partners with the state fair," Derynda said. "And we feel kind of insulted because they say our businesses aren't working."

But the state fair doesn't see it that way.

"We worked closely with all of the vendors along the east side of the building. They all had discussed relocations options before ultimately making a decision," Marisa Mertins, Social Media and Public Relations Coordinator said in an email statement. "Ultimately the vendors made decisions on how to proceed."

It wasn't clear what, if any, relocation options the state fair offered the family. Martins did not immediately respond to a follow up call and email from the Journal Sentinel.

In any event, this is the last year for the family.

Joining Derynda at the stand are members of his family. His daughters, nieces and even his granddaughter's schoolteacher pitch in to make the summer a success.

Alyssa Gralla, his middle daughter, has been driving all the way from Stevens Point for 15 years to help out at Adeline's.

In honor of her family's business, Gralla named her daughter Adeline.

"It's something special," Gralla said. "It's what we do."

Derynda said his business has a good reputation and they have never had a health code violation. He said he and his brother intended to hand the business down to their children one day.

"They'll still have the memories," Derynda said. "But they haven't really worked here at all, so they don't know the experience of the family bonding."

A question left on their minds is: what next?

"I'm not going to know what to do with my August," Gralla said.

The family members aren't the only ones saddened by the news.

One customer, who has been working at the fair for years, said she was surprised to learn her favorite snack stop was closing down.

"Thats really sad," Dawn Ragonese said. "It was my favorite thing to get, I always got the corn."

Ragonese worked at a nearby vendor selling t-shirts. On her breaks, she would stop to get the roasted corn. She noticed she wasn't the only customer who enjoyed the stand.

"It was always so busy," Ragonese said. "Both the customers and the people working there always seemed so happy."

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Family-run business 'disappointed' to be working last of 70 years at state fair