Gretebeck family keeps beloved local food tradition alive with purchase of ‘Hub’s Fries’

Aug. 22, 2026

By Tim Hundt

VIROQUA, Wis. — Just a year after the Hubbard family announced they would retire their legendary mobile food stand, “Hub’s Fries,” a local farming family has purchased the business, ensuring the community’s favorite french fries will return to local fairs this fall.

For local residents, the news brings a sigh of relief. The sight of the vintage trailer and the smell of fresh-cut potatoes will remain a cornerstone of the southwestern Wisconsin autumn.

For Tucker Gretebeck, keeping that atmosphere alive is personal.

“When I think of the Vernon County Fair, I think of Hub’s Fries, Lion Burgers, and the cheese curds,” Tucker Gretebeck said.

Thanks to the Gretebecks, fairgoers can count on having all three on their plates once again this year.

Tucker and Becky Gretebeck, who operate an organic dairy farm and pumpkin patch in neighboring Monroe County, finalized the purchase at the end of July. The acquisition represents a passing of the torch to a new generation committed to keeping the beloved business local and unchanged.

“We took over Hub’s Fries, historic Hub’s,” said Tucker Gretebeck. “We were very lucky to find the [Hubbards]. It’s something we all grew up with and everybody knows in our area. Now we might get to expand the area a little bit, but maybe we can go another 50 years.”

For decades, Hub’s Fries has been a mandatory stop for fairgoers at the Westby Syttende Mai, the Viola Horse & Colt Show, and the Vernon County Fair. The stand’s reputation is so formidable that, according to former co-owner Cyndy Hubbard, some people pay gate admission specifically to buy the fries.

“Oh, the people—it’s so much fun to talk to the people that come to the stand,” Hubbard said. “I shouldn’t say everybody who comes to the fair comes to Hub’s Fries, but boy, a lot of them do.”

Tucker Gretebeck recalled fairgoers purchasing day passes “mainly to make sure that they get some Hub’s fries.”

A Frying Empire Born of a ‘Ketchup Problem’

The origin of Hub’s Fries traces back to 1974 at the Vernon County Fair, sparked by what the family calls a “ketchup problem.”

Lowell “Hub” Hubbard was managing the Liberty Pole United Methodist food stand when he noticed children from a nearby stand, Clinsman’s Fries, using the church’s refillable ketchup bottles without buying anything. Lowell went over to talk to the 73-year-old owner, Mr. Clinsman, who explained he only provided small, single-use packets.

The two men struck up a friendship. When Mr. Clinsman suffered a severe burn at another event, Lowell stepped in to help him sell fries. That temporary assistance turned into a permanent venture when Lowell bought the stand in 1975, much to the surprise of his wife, Carol.

“I think the person most surprised was my mother,” Cyndy Hubbard recalled, noting that Carol eventually grew to love the stand, especially talking with her former second-grade students and successfully coaxing skeptical customers to try vinegar on their fries.

Lowell and Carol initially hoped the stand would help pay college expenses for their three children: Cyndy, Candace, and David. While Cyndy noted the business “definitely helped,” she clarified that all three siblings still took out college loans and worked during school, debunking local rumors that the stand fully funded their educations or bought their father a new car every year.

Keeping the business going for 50 years required relentless work. Operating the heavy 1956 stand—which Lowell and Carol acquired in 1986 along with a used Penske truck to transport it—was a true family affair involving cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

Early years were marked by trial and error. Cyndy remembered her first shift at the 1976 Iowa County Fair in Mineral Point as the longest weekend of her life, characterized by a linoleum floor that grease had turned into a “skating rink.” The family tried using newspapers and cardboard before discovering that heavy rubber mats solved the safety hazard.

Despite the grease and long hours, the Hubbards prioritized quality over profit.

“My parents’ number one goal was never to make the most money they could, but always to serve the best fries they could,” Cyndy said. “They never wanted people to feel cheated or to serve an inferior product.”

Parallel Families and the Handoff

When Cyndy and her siblings realized they were ready to step away, she initially discussed a handoff with her daughter, Joy, representing the third generation of workers. But Joy, currently in college, was not in a position to assume ownership.

“It’s kind of bittersweet,” Joy Hubbard said. “Like, I do like working in it, but I’m not really in the position to take over the business yet. So, yeah, we definitely talked about it. I grew up in it… it’s kind of my home at the fair.”

Joy will still remain connected, planning to help the Gretebecks as backup during the upcoming Vernon County Fair.

The transition revealed striking parallels between the two families. Just as Cyndy’s father used the stand to support his college-bound children, the Gretebecks’ college-aged daughter, Lana, will take a leadership role in the new operation.

Lana Gretebeck and her friend Savannah are currently registering for state food safety management certification.

“At least me or Savannah will always be present and running things,” Lana Gretebeck said, noting that other friends and family members are being registered for basic food handling. “I get my own parking spot now,” she joked about working on the family farm.

Shared Roots and Teaching Connections

While the business transaction was completed quickly, the two families discovered they shared deep local history.

Tucker Gretebeck recalled that during his first year teaching in Viroqua, his primary substitute teacher was Carol Hubbard—Cyndy’s mother—who had retired after teaching second grade in Viroqua for 29 years.

Both families also boast multi-generational roots in Wisconsin. Cyndy Hubbard is a seventh-generation resident of the area, tracing her ancestry back to the Crawford County era and the historic Tainter family. The Gretebecks own the second-oldest homesteaded farm still remaining in the same family in Wisconsin, located on the Rock Prairie near Stoughton and Edgerton.

Cyndy Hubbard’s retirement from the fry stand follows a distinguished military and public service career.

After completing a music education degree, she signed up with Air Force recruiters, drawing her own “pilot” checkbox on a postcard that only listed “nurse” as a career option for women. She went on to pilot military cargo planes, once transporting the president’s limousine, before spending years as a pilot for FedEx.

Since retiring to her childhood home in Viroqua to raise her daughter, Cyndy has been deeply involved in civic life. She currently serves on the Viroqua Common Council and chairs the Viroqua Historic Preservation Commission (that recently received national recognition), has been active in establishing the city’s Mural Walk, the historic bathhouse renovation and recently worked to reactivate the city’s Veterans Memorial Commission.

A New Chapter in Agritourism

For the Gretebecks, the acquisition is a strategic move to bolster their diversified farm. In addition to their organic dairy operation, they run a popular pick-your-own pumpkin patch and host weekend pizza nights featuring wood-fired pizzas.

Previously, their food service during the autumn pumpkin season relied entirely on outside non-profit groups selling food as a fundraiser. Purchasing Hub’s Fries allows the family to bring food service in-house, adding a year-round revenue stream and providing financial stability.

“It adds more depth to our existing operation,” Becky Gretebeck said. “Adds some diversity because we already do a lot of agritourism, and the future of the farm is no longer what it used to be. So, we’re just trying to make sure that we have a revenue stream and still serve the community like we do today.”

To maintain the stand’s legendary quality, the Gretebecks are keeping everything identical, from the vintage 1956 trailer to the Idaho Russet potatoes and the secret frying ingredients.

“We have to do this the same,” Tucker Gretebeck said. “Cause otherwise this won’t work.”

Timeline and the Fall Fair

Because the farm residence is in Monroe County, the Gretebecks had to secure licensing through Monroe County health officials rather than Vernon County, though they own land in both jurisdictions.

With paperwork submitted and cleaning underway, the Gretebecks hope to run a “practice round” at the Cashton Fall Fest in early Sept., pending the arrival of all their paperwork.

Following Cashton, the official debut will take place at the Vernon County Fair in Viroqua and with any luck the fries will also be available on Saturdays and Sundays at the Gretebecks’ pumpkin patch throughout the autumn season.