New Cafe and Bakery For Harbor District
Serving breakfast, lunch and bakery, and slated to open in mid-2024 at River One.
Karen and George Herrera. Photo submitted.
A new bakery and cafe is preparing to open next year at River One (or R1VER), bringing handmade food, beverages and a “homey” atmosphere to the growing Harbor District development.
The upcoming business, a project of industry veterans George and Karen Herrera, will occupy a 4,200-square-foot retail space at the northwest corner of S. 1st and E. Becher streets, below the Tribute Apartments.
The Herreras, a married couple, bring more than two decades of experience to the new venture; they also operate Sugar & Flour Bakery Cafe in Greendale, which opened in 2001 and expanded in 2019.
Though they have not yet announced a name for the concept, the Herreras have a clear idea of what they hope to offer the community.
“It will be a place we’d want to go eat if we were in the neighborhood,” George Herrera said in a statement. “We want customers to feel welcome and leave feeling like they’ve had something truly special, worth the time and effort.”
The Herreras each have unique backgrounds in the industry — he as an executive chef for Hyatt Hotels and she as a self-taught baker whose wholesome treats earned her a stellar reputation among family and friends.
The couple will leverage their combined experience for the new cafe, promising a curated menu that embodies their “love and hard work,” complete with extra-mile efforts such as homemade pastries and hand-sliced bread.
That philosophy is a perfect match for River One, said Michelle Herro, director of real estate finance and project management for Becher Development, which developed and leases River One.
“We are thrilled to welcome George and Karen to the R1VER development and the neighborhood,” she said. “We were looking for a unique, high-quality, neighborhood cafe for this ideal corner anchor location in the development, and the Herreras and their vision is the exact fit.”
The new business will serve breakfast and lunch, operating as a casual counterpart to The Bridgewater Modern Grill, a Benson’s Group restaurant located nearby.
RINKA will design the interior cafe space. The architecture firm also designed The Bridgewater and Tribute Apartments. The construction buildout for the new cafe is expected to begin early next year.
Additional details, including the name of the business and an expected opening date, will be announced at a later time.
Changes are also in the works at Lincoln Warehouse, located across S. 1st Street from River One. MOR Bakery, which has occupied the building since 2018, plans to relocate. In its place, Milwaukee chef Ramsés Alvaréz will open an upscale, Asian-Latin fusion restaurant.
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