Ripon, WI

Where History Intersects with a Great Lifestyle

Building on Heritage and Growing with Purpose

Ripon, Wisconsin, is a close-knit community known for its historic downtown, welcoming neighborhoods, and strong sense of identity. At the same time, this small Midwestern city is finding new energy as it welcomes growth and invests in amenities that will support a strong community for years to come.

City Administrator Adam Sonntag shares, “Ripon is your quintessential small historic community. We have a uniqueness to us, safe neighborhoods, charm, and a history that makes us a very attractive community and destination. We have a lot of momentum going for us, based on just the past few years.”

Revitalizing a Historic Core

Downtown Ripon, the social and commercial heart of the city, is experiencing a resurgence, resulting from years of planning, collaboration, and steady investment.

“Downtown is one of our main draws as a community,” highlights Sonntag. “We’ve worked very hard over the last few years executing plans for streetscape, economic development, and putting in place programs, whether it’s for business startups or expansions.”

Ripon is a Main Street community with a long history. The city was one of the first in the state to adopt the model, and the approach continues to guide development. “We are committed to planning long term,” Sonntag notes.

“Through a lot of planning, investment, collaboration with our Ripon Main Street and Chamber of Commerce, and in private enterprise and business investment, we’ve seen this resurgence happen over the last five or six years.”

Today, streetscape improvements, beautification projects, and a growing mix of businesses are drawing visitors and residents back to the downtown. At the center of it all is the Village Green, a gathering space that hosts concerts and community events throughout the year.

“In the past couple of years, we’ve seen expansions, significant investment, startups, and small businesses that add to the vibrancy and fill in nicely to get a good mix of downtown shops and retailers,” Sonntag emphasizes. “We’re always promoting and trying to make little enhancements because that’s how it works. It doesn’t just change overnight. It takes time.”

A New Wave of Small Businesses

One example of this entrepreneurial spirit is Knuth Brewing Company, whose expansion into a larger downtown building created new opportunities for nearby storefronts.

“The idea that we had a business move into a bigger space, expand their brewery, put in a bigger restaurant, an upstairs event space that can host weddings and community events downtown, it was just really incredible,” Sonntag says.

The move triggered a ripple effect of new enterprises. Among them are Knuth Book Cellar, the bakery and coffee shop, Ripon Dough Co., and the cocktail lounge, The Crimson Still. “Within a year of the brewery opening their new space, to have these businesses open, it was like the trifecta. We have three new destinations that can keep people’s attention for more than 20 minutes.”

Downtown Ripon also benefits from longstanding restaurants like Roadhouse Pizza and J’s BBQ, vibrant retail shops, and entertainment venues like the historic downtown cinema operated by Marcus Theatres. Local entrepreneurs also continue to bring fresh ideas to the district. Patina Vie is one example, introducing a creative shopping and social experience.

It’s a completely different vibe than anything else in the area,” Sonntag said. “It’s one of the most unique places to grab a drink because they’ve created a full experience. They craft cocktails, and guests can even purchase the glassware and other elements of their drink to take home.”

Housing Growth with a Purpose

For many years, residential construction in Ripon was relatively modest, but housing is now a major focus for the city. “In the last 13 months, we’ve done about 45 new home starts, which is a significant increase from what we were doing from 2012 to 2022,” Sonntag says. The growth has been steady, with smaller builders contributing a few homes at a time.

“Over the past five years, we’ve doubled the amount of single-family home starts annually. We’ve been able to work with a lot of smaller builders and developers to build this momentum that we’re now trying to leverage into the next phase,” he adds.

The city is now preparing for future housing expansion through a newly acquired 15-acre site on the south side of town. Plans include installing a municipal well and extending infrastructure to support future residential development. “We bought the site, it was one big parcel, knowing we could do more with it,” Sonntag says.

“That well needs roadway access and needs water and sewer to it. We want to grow to the south and put in anywhere from 30 to 40 single-family units.”

In addition, Ripon is planning for subdivision growth on the north side and is looking at infill opportunities within existing neighborhoods. “We also have a 64-unit apartment complex starting on the south side of town called SCS Ripon, that will be market rate,” he says.

“We’re just trying to do this wisely. Everything is selling. Developers and homeowners continue to want to invest. There’s that momentum, but we understand that we are a small community and we want to be smart about how we grow.”

Affordability is an advantage in the community, where many new homes are priced between $280,000 and $320,000. “It’ll be hard to find another community in our region of Wisconsin that has those types of houses for sale,” Sonntag asserts. Ripon also supports first-time buyers through a financial assistance program, which offers $5,000 to help them settle in the city.

“We’re trying to tie some of our planning into the values of the community. Home ownership is a value that our community has always held in high regard. It’s been rewarding to see that there remains that strong support for building and growth,” he says.

The overall focus remains on preserving the city’s character. “We are focused on housing development that fits our community, and that starts with aligning projects to our strategic planning and housing study,” Sonntag stresses.

Investing in Civic Life

Ripon is also supporting improvements to community spaces that enhance the quality of life. One example is a $3 million renovation of the city library, funded largely through private donations and a $1.9 million state grant. Youth services have received a major boost with the opening of a new $10 million Boys and Girls Club facility. “From a child care perspective, and for youth activities, that has been an incredible project for our community,” Sonntag acknowledges.

Parks and outdoor amenities are on the agenda, including updates to Selfridge Park with a $1 million investment, which includes a $468,000 WIDNR grant, that will add kayak launches, fishing piers, a pond walk, and new playground equipment. The Village Green, which hosts the weekly Friday concert series downtown, is also receiving site improvements with the addition of a pergola, accessibility improvement, and a new concessions structure due in large part to private donations along with a Vibrant Spaces grant from the WEDC. “Overall, there’s been a lot of public support for investment in the community and in these important amenities,” he said.

“The Boys and Girls Club had millions of dollars of private donations, and similarly, the library. It’s really about leveraging those partnerships as a community to make more impact.”

Building on the Snowball Effect

Moving forward, the focus is on maintaining Ripon’s momentum. “It’s really a snowball effect,” Sonntag said. “In 2025, we saw strong investment across all segments in our community. It’s been a comprehensive approach with results in multiple areas. We want to continue in 2026 to lay the right groundwork to continue to have the snowball get bigger.”

Future priorities include housing development, infrastructure expansion, and strategic commercial growth, particularly along the city’s west side corridor. Recent arrivals there include new retail and food establishments, as well as investment by Theisen’s Home, Farm & Auto.

“The Theisen’s project filled a Kmart store that was vacant for eight years,” Sonntag shares.

“The next step is to leverage that project into further growth on that commercial corridor.” The area is also home to a drive-through coffee concept called Big Top Brew. “It’s an amazing development for us out on the west end. So, it’s just now continuing to grow those areas wisely, with additional development that complements those things,” he continues.

Looking ahead, Ripon continues to strengthen partnerships with major employers such as Alliance Laundry Systems and Ripon College.

“They are our largest employers,” explains Sonntag. “Both are fantastic partners. Working with them to make sure that the community is growing and supporting their workforce and missions is critical.”

The city is also open to new economic opportunities and is ensuring it can support future investment in the city. “2024 and 2025 were two great years for our community, all around,” he concludes.

“In 2026 and 2027, we feel like we can continue to gain and grow from the momentum.”

AT A GLANCE

Who: Ripon, Wisconsin

What: A historic city, embracing growth and opportunity

Where: Fond Du Lac County, Wisconsin

Website: www.cityofripon.com