New Plant and Gift Shop Planned for Bay View By Honeypie Owner

Valeri Lucks is no stranger to the Milwaukee food scene. In fact, the successful restaurateur has spent her career cultivating some of the city’s most notable establishments. In her next venture, however, Lucks will quite literally branch out.

Lucks, who heads up a number of restaurants including Comet Cafe, Honeypie, Palomino and SmallPie, is planning to open a flower, plant and gift shop at 2509 E. Oklahoma Ave., on the border of the Fernwood and Bay View neighborhoods.

The store, Buttercup Gardens, would double as an event space, with plans to sell alcohol as well as gifts and novelty items.

Marilyn Mundt would be co-owner of the business, which is expected to open March 1. A license application notes that the building has been leased through February of the following year, but it’s unclear whether the store would be open year-round or seasonally. The business is guaranteed occupancy at the site for at least 10 years.

Buttercup Gardens expects to generate 98% of its profits from the sale of plants and gifts, with another 2% of revenue from alcohol sales.

The store is planned for a 1,100-square-foot building, most recently the site of Swift Roofing. The structure sits on the corner of a 7,740-square-foot, paved parcel of land — leaving plenty of outdoor space for a garden or patio.

The building, sporting a fresh coat of matte black paint, has two large, retractable garage doors, which could be raised during the warmer months for a seamless transition between the indoor and outdoor space. A mural of superheroes on the east side, painted by Shawn DeKay, was covered. The property is owned by an investment group connected with developer Scott Genke. The developer explored the potential to redevelop the Buttercup site earlier this year before listing it for lease. Lucks rents space from Genke for two of her restaurants.

Come March, the store plans to be open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Neither Lucks not Mundt responded to a request for comment by the time of publication.