Ten years ago, Cherri Hollis needed something to do.

"I was working as a medical assistant, but I physically couldn't do it anymore," she said. "After leaving that job, I got bored, and I needed a hobby." She turned to her kitchen. Today, her store, Cherri's Savor The Flavor, thrives.

Cherri's Savor The Flavor offers a wide variety of kitchen utensils, as well as spices and mixes. Hollis says her most popular product is also the first one she developed with her husband, a spice rub for cooks to make "Beer Can Chicken". Her husband, a food chemist who works for a company in Chicago, helps create the mixes in his spare time and on weekends, so that Cherri's Savor The Flavor is stocked with exclusive blends with their own trademark lable. But it doesn't stop there.

"We want to stock our shelves with as many Wisconsin products as possible," Hollis said. "But, I have tested everything in this store – it needs to be good. We also stock lots of cookie decorations and hard-to-get extracts and oils, as well as our private label merchandise like butters and salad dressings."

The store also carries a large selection of wines. One of Hollis' most popular products is "Lucky Charms" marshmallows. She said that this is one of their most-requested items, and has shipped these bags all over the country.

Hollis says her typical customer can be a seasoned cook looking for a quick meal to throw together, or a younger cook who wants to get a decent meal on the table in a short amount of time. In either case, "we don't assume that you know everything," she said. "There is a lot of kitchen experience among us [who work here], so we are able to help anyone put together a meal or a party."

If a party is what you are after, Hollis says the store does hold private parties for free. A deposit is required and refunded after the party. The staff will host the party and provide food free of charge, and give party attendees a 15% discount on anything they purchase that night. Hollis says these parties are part of the customer service policy that keeps her store busy and successful.

"My favorite part of working in Greendale is the people," Hollis said. We want to make them feel better when they walk in – that's why we go out of our way to say 'hello' to everyone. We want them to know that we recognize them and appreciate them when they come here."

To see the wide variety of kitchen gadgets and taste a few free samples of what's cooking, visit Cherri's Savor The Flavor at 5668 Broad St., or visit them online at http://www.cherris-savortheflavor.com.