HoneyBee Sage Plans November Grand Opening on King Drive

HoneyBee Sage, a wellness-focused business at 9141 W. Lisbon Ave., will soon add a new location in Bronzeville.

The new HoneyBee Sage Apothecary & Herbal Beverage Lounge, 1819 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., has been generating a buzz since early 2022, but encountered difficulties with construction permitting that delayed its opening.

Owner Angela Mallett is now in the final stages of preparation for a Nov. 3 grand opening.

Mallett, a certified massage therapist, reiki healer, full circle doula and yoni steam practitioner, founded the business in 2018 at Sherman Phoenix with the intention of making alternative healing methods more accessible to underserved communities.

As the business grew, Mallett relocated to the larger space on Lisbon Avenue, where many of her housemade products, like elderberry syrup and sea moss gel, are prepared today.

Similar to the flagship location, the new HoneyBee Sage will have a retail area where customers can browse medicinal herbs, supplements, herbal tea, metaphysical supplies and body care products.

The counter-service apothecary allows guests to choose their herbs from wall-to-wall shelves lined with neat rows of glass jars. Employees will measure out just the amount needed, so nothing goes to waste.

Opposite the apothecary, a copper-topped bar runs along the building’s south wall, offering a selection of non-alcoholic herbal drinks made with Seedlip and other alcohol-free spirits. Guests, or as Mallett affectionately calls them, ‘honeybees,’ can grab a seat at the bar or settle into a couch or armchair in the lounge area at the front of the business.

The lounge area would double as an event space for workshops, informational sessions and one-on-one health consultations.

The new location will be a full circle moment for Mallett, who said in 2020 she initially wanted to launch the business on King Drive.

The business is sprinkled with honey bee and hive-themed details — matte black honeycombs suspended from the ceiling, hive-shaped pendant lighting and more. The focal point of the decor is a large, wooden hexagon featuring the HoneyBee Sage logo, a regal silhouette of a bee embossed with the ankh symbol. The decoration is a focal point, and though it’s mounted on the back wall of the business, it’s striking even when viewed from the front door.

Though not yet open for business, HoneyBee Sage welcomed a few visitors last month during Historic Milwaukee’s Doors Open event.

The 4,920-square-foot, three-story building was built in 1880. It was most recently an office space for the vehicle rental service OMW Logistics. The property is owned by a limited liability company that lists Clifton Phelps as its registered agent.

More information about hours will be announced closer to the opening date. Updates are posted to the Honeybee Sage website and Facebook page.