Wedding-Focused Event Hall Planned for Vliet Street Near Washington Park
Industry veterans to open Denizen MKE, among a wave of new developments planned for Near West Side.
Denizen MKE, 4227 W. Vliet St. Rendering courtesy of Jessamy Tsoris.
Amber Bricco and her partner Rachael Flood spent years dreaming of opening their own wedding venue. The whole time, the perfect space was lying in wait just steps away from their Near West Side home.
The couple, who are residents of the Martin Drive neighborhood, often walked their dog past the vacant, boarded-up building at 4227 W. Vliet St. On a whim, Bricco reached out to the property owner to share her vision for the building. He was on board.
“It must have been meant to be, that the building was supposed to fall into our laps,” she said.
The upcoming venue, called Denizen MKE, is expected to host its first events later this fall.
Bricco started off in the industry at Trocadero (now Tauro Cocina). She went on to launch the events program for Lowlands Group‘s Grand Cafés, and is now private events director at River Club of Mequon. In all, she brings more than 15 years of wedding and event experience to the new venture.
Flood’s culinary background has led her to a position as executive sous chef at St Kate The Arts Hotel. At Denizen, her role will be focused on behind-the-scenes operations and accounting.
When Denizen is up and running Bricco will be the main contact for guests, collaborating on planning and design from the time of booking up until the event day, she said.
For now, the partners are focused on repairing and renovating the 1933 building, In addition to necessary updates including a new water line, Bricco is working with Jessamy Tsoris of Color Zen to reimagine the interior design of the building, which was previously home to Milwaukee Nut Company for more than 60 years.
“The building actually looks worse than when we started,” Bricco said with a laugh. “It’s a learning curve for us, a little bit.”
The finished space will combine elements of bohemian and modern styles for a polished space that Bricco said captures her personality. Denizen will offer various decor options for a customizable vibe, but Bricco emphasized that clients won’t have to start with a blank slate.
“It’s really sharp, it’s super modern, but it still has that little bit of bohemian flair hidden in it,” she said.
Like its decor, the venue’s name is intentionally unique, Bricco said. The word denizen is defined as an inhabitant or occupant of a particular place. “That just felt so right to us. We wanted a venue that people would be able to come into and feel that it’s designed more like a residence instead of a commercial space, and really be able to occupy the entire space through our decor and through our planning and all the things we offer.”
The one-story, 3,100-square-foot building contains a dining area, built-in bar and space for a dance floor. The indoor area will be able to accommodate up to 150 guests. An outdoor space for corporate events will bring the total up to around 300 during the milder months, according to Bricco.
The venue will need common council approval for liquor and entertainment licenses before opening.
For more information, or for booking inquiries, visit Denizen MKE online.
Prior to Milwaukee Nut Company, the W. Vliet Street building operated as a corner grocery store. At the time of the business’s opening, the Milwaukee County Zoo was still located across the street in Washington Park.
Bricco said that the venue will host mostly weddings to start, but anticipates a higher volume of corporate events as the surrounding neighborhood continues to develop. Recent nearby developments include locations for Pete’s Pops and Triciclo Peru.
A few blocks east of Denizen, a new food truck park is proposed to open later this year.
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