A historic Stoughton building that stood vacant for nearly a decade now invites visitors in to buy and build wood crafts. Dubbed the Doughboy Building because it was once the home of Doughboy Feeds, the century-old building at 501 E. Main St. was last occupied nine years ago by a fleet of milk trucks
In February, following a major renovation, the building reopened as Grand Inspired, a combination woodworking gallery and membership-based workshop designed to celebrate fine handiwork and provide a space where everyone from novices to experts can create.
The business is the brainchild of veteran educator Joanne Grassman, 60, who spent 32 years working as a school psychologist and administrator in Madison schools before retiring in 2021.
As she contemplated her coming retirement, she began looking around Stoughton for a historic building to rehabilitate. The search took nearly a year, but by May 2021, she’d bought one.
“It needed pretty much everything,” Grassman said, including heating and new electrical wiring. The renovations cost about $300,000, of which a grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation covered around $76,000.
[Adapted from: Historic Stoughton building becomes woodworking paradise August 13, 2022 Capital Times]