Klement’s Sausage Outlet Closing
Last chance to stock up: Bay View store will remain open through April 27 with limited hours.
Site of Klement’s Sausage Factory, 2650 S. Chase Ave., Photo taken April 17, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
Klement’s Sausage Co. will close its Bay View outlet store at the end of the month, marking the end of an era for bargain meats. The final day to stock up on summer sausage, snack links, bratwurst and more will be Thursday, April 27.
The unassuming store — dimly lit and containing a handful of coolers stocked with Milwaukee-made meats — is co-located with the Klement’s factory, 2650 S. Chase Ave.
The meat purveyors announced the upcoming closure in a Facebook post last week.
“Due to manufacturing demands and the need for more space for our growing business, we have decided to use this space to meet these demands,” the company wrote. “We thank all of our loyal consumers for countless years of continued support!”
The company itself has been in business for more than six decades, but has seen major changes over that time, particularly in the past several years.
It’s E. Lincoln Ave. Bay View plant was the first location for Klement’s, when brothers John, George and Ronald purchased the then-Badger Sausage Co. factory in 1956. The company remained family-owned until 2014, when it was acquired by Tall Tree Foods, a portfolio company of San Francisco-based private equity firm Altamont Capital Partners. The new owners consolidated operations at the Chase Ave. facility.
For 25 years, Klement’s was the official sausage and hot dog provider of the Milwaukee Brewers. The long-time sponsorship came to an end in 2018, when Johnsonville succeeded the company.
And though the hot dog vendors at American Family Field are longer be slinging Klement’s, the bratzooka at Fiserv Forum is fully stocked. Klement’s remains the “official and exclusive” sausage of the Milwaukee Bucks, with a unique Pico Brat that is only available at the arena.
In 2022, the company found itself in hot water when Milwaukee World Festival Inc. filed a lawsuit — which was later withdrawn — in a dispute over sponsorship fees. The two entities have “amicably” parted ways heading into the 2023 festival season, the Milwaukee Business Journal reported.
The outlet store will be open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. through April 27.
After that, Klement’s products will still be available — albeit at a higher price — at numerous retailers throughout the state. A full list is available online.
