Laurie Runyan, of Merton, started her adventure with food about a year ago, taking her products to local farmers’ markets in Dousman, Stone Bank, Oconomowoc and Cedarburg.

“We started getting a lot of positive responses at the markets,” Runyan said.

So her son, Bryan Wade, of Waukesha, stepped in to help and the mother-son team decided to open RiverMill Foods in downtown Waukesha. They had their first day of business with the Carl Zach Cycling Classic and officially opened Tuesday.

During the bike race, Runyan said she was approached by people who told her they felt like they were waiting forever for RiverMill Foods to open, which features breads, soups, salads and cheesecakes.

“How do you think we feel,” Runyan said about her response to them.

They were drawn to open the business, which is located in the storefront that previously was occupied by Tha Shop, because of the activity and community atmosphere that exists in the downtown area.

“It is a very neighborhood feel down here,” Wade explained.

RiverMill Foods, 290 W. Main St., currently offers dining options to go and outdoor seating, but there is not indoor seating at this time. The business is closed Sundays and Mondays.

Here are the rest of their hours:

Tuesdays to Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Fridays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturdays, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.