North Avenue Market Reopens Drive-Thru
Plus: Riverwest Co-op turns 22, MPM's custard exhibit and two new restaurants for Harbor District.
Site of North Avenue Market, 5900 W. North Ave. Photo taken Sept. 11, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
North Avenue Market is reviving its drive-thru service after a brief hiatus. The drive-thru, with access to two food hall vendors, officially reopened on Oct. 26.
On-the-go visitors can choose from a selection of coffee and tea, frozen drinks and ice cream from 4 Corners Cafe, or opt for a heartier meal from the B.T.W., a new vendor at the food hall serving smash burgers, tater tots, chicken wings and chili.
The market, 5900 W. North Ave., has seen a series of changes since early 2023, amid an ongoing effort to better meet the needs of the community, founder Chris Harris Morse told Urban Milwaukee in August.
Along with tweaks to the vendor lineup, the market added an entertainment lounge on its lower level, which regularly plays host to musicians and other performers.
The market has also shared plans to launch a library space for visitors to browse, borrow and donate books.
Riverwest Co-op Celebrates 22 Years
There’s no denying it’s been a precarious couple of years for Riverwest Co-op & Cafe, which has on several occasions shared that it’s in danger of closing.
For the neighborhood grocery store, 733 E. Clarke St., that’s all the more reason to celebrate its latest milestone — 22 years in business.
All are invited to the co-op’s neighborhood bash, set for Nov. 3 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. A block party will be held outside of the co-op space, with vegan sausages for sale.
Attendees are encouraged to bring a dish to pass.
Infused-Cocktail Bar and Cafe Opening In Walker’s Point
While Milwaukee’s beer and liquor scene continues to thrive, new alternatives to alcohol are on the rise across the city, as bars round out their menus with zero-proof cocktails, Delta-8 THC tinctures and other N/A infusions.
Canni, a specialty store in Walker’s Point, has been on the forefront of the growing trend since its 2018 opening. Originally a destination for hemp and CBD, the business has since expanded its offerings to include additional “mind-altering” botanicals such as kava and adaptogenic mushrooms.
Starting next week, the retail store, 810 S. 5th St., will debut its newest addition — an in-house bar. Canni Infusion Bar & Cafe opens to the public on Friday, Nov. 3., serving cocktails, coffee and tea infused with cannabinoids, fungi and more, along with traditional cocktails, beer and wine.
The new concept comes as more people are reflecting on and even shifting their relationship to alcohol, said owner Colin Plant.
Starbucks Closing, County Seeks New Vendor For Red Arrow Park
Milwaukee County Parks is seeking a new vendor to operate at Red Arrow Park, a year-round “hotspot” for ice skating, live music and community events in the heart of downtown. Starbucks will shutter its cafe at the park later this year.
A request for proposals (RFP) was issued Thursday morning for a business that would offer services to park-goers starting in April 2024.
“With this prime location becoming available at Red Arrow Park, we are excited for the potential for a new collaboration that will continue to benefit our Park visitors for years to come,” said Joe Mrozinski, assistant director of recreation and business services.
Takeout Restaurant Planned for Bay View
A new, casual spot serving Korean fried chicken, cheese curds and Japanese takoyaki is planning a November opening in Bay View.
The restaurant’s playful menu, evoking both state fair and street food favorites, has a name to match: Todd I Believe I Can Fry.
Owner Paphitchaya Liotrakun, who is Thai, said the title comes from the Thai word for fry, which is pronounced “todd.” The rest of the name is a play on the well-known ’90s pop song, “I Believe I Can Fly.”
“It’s kind of long, but I love it,” she said, referring to the restaurant’s name.
Dia Bom Opens For Takeout in Harbor District
With more than two decades of experience in the Milwaukee restaurant industry, Ramsés Alvaréz has all the ingredients for culinary success. The technique is there, along with immense knowledge of global cuisines, flavor and presentation.
His newest venture will draw on that strong foundation while leaving room for his imagination to run free.
“It allows me to be creative in the most beautiful way, because I don’t have any restrictions,” he said.
Alvarez plans to open a brick-and-mortar location for his popular Latin-Asian fusion concept, Dia Bom, early next year at Lincoln Warehouse, 2018 S. 1st St. The future restaurant space is currently occupied by MOR Bakery & Cafe, which will continue operations through December.
Punch Bowl Social Has Closed
Punch Bowl Social‘s troubled run in the Deer District has come to an end. The bar, restaurant and entertainment venue is permanently closed, a Deer District representative confirmed Tuesday afternoon.
Punch Bowl Social, a national chain founded in 2012, operates 14 locations across the country. The company expanded to Milwaukee in March of 2019, offering a 360-degree bar, eight bowling lanes, three karaoke rooms, billiards, ping pong and other games — plus TVs throughout — all within a 24,000-square-foot, two-story space at 1122 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave.
Despite its grand entrance, the location was forced to close one year later at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. But even as neighboring businesses made a slow return to service, Punch Bowl remained dark for nearly two additional years.
Robert Cornog, Jr., chairman, CEO and co-founder of Punch Bowl Social, revealed the cause of the delay in a press release, citing a number of internal issues such as the loss of a main investor and a legal dispute between former and new owners.
Sentry Foods Opens on Northwest Side
Sentry Foods is now open on Milwaukee’s Northwest Side, providing fresh fruits, vegetables and meats to nearby residents for the first time in several years.
The new store, 6350 W. Silver Spring Dr., is centrally located within a former fresh food desert. It’s the first grocer to open in the area since its predecessor closed in late 2019.
“Everyone should have access to fresh and healthy food within their neighborhood,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said at an Oct. 20 opening event. “The addition of Sentry Foods to the Northwest Side is a major development for the residents of the area, and it will help continue the transformation that is happening with new housing, businesses, and neighborhood improvements.”
The Northwest Side’s Sentry Foods, one of nine locations for the chain throughout the state, is just one of several revitalization efforts planned for the area that includes Westlawn Gardens, Silver Spring, Havenwoods and other nearby neighborhoods. Additional projects include a new pharmacy, restaurant and a soon-to-open taproom and beer garden, according to a news release.
Walker’s Point Has a New Bakery
Lucy Walsh lights up when she talks about Grandma Cake. The combination of white cake, lemon curd filling, raspberry jam and buttercream is a family recipe and a staple for birthdays and other get-togethers.
Grandma cake is not just delicious, it also honors Walsh’s great-grandmother, a wedding cake baker and major source of inspiration for Walsh’s Walker’s Point bakery, Lucy Bakes, which opened in August at 133 W. Pittsburgh Ave.
“I grew up learning how to do all this,” said Walsh, who spends weekdays prepping a wide variety of cupcakes, cookies and other treats to sell on Fridays and Saturdays.
She also offers baking classes, custom-made cookies and cakes — though her decorative approach to the latter is different than her great-grandmother’s “crazy technical” creations. “She mostly did full, intricate wedding cakes and she did a lot of work with royal icing,” Walsh said. “I don’t do it quite like that.”
Culver’s Donates $1 Million for Frozen Custard Exhibit
The owners of Culver’s donated $1 million to the new Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM) project for a frozen custard exhibit.
In April, MPM officials announced a new gallery called “Milwaukee Revealed” that will give visitors an immersive tour of a Milwaukee streetscape. Included in the new gallery will be a frozen custard shop explaining the historic connection between Wisconsin’s dairy industry and the popular custard shops of Milwaukee.
“Visitors will be able to enter the exhibit, where they’ll smell the sweet scent of freshly baked waffle cones and find a mix of vibrant graphics and historic photographs that give an overview of the creation of frozen custard,” the museum said in a statement. “They’ll even be able to take their turn operating a custard machine that serves an endless loop of faux custard.”
The exhibit was made possible by donation from the Culver’s and the Culver’s family, according to MPM. Theirs is the latest donation announced by MPM, which is attempting to raise approximately $150 million in private donations for the new $240 million, 200,000-square-foot museum planned for the corner of N. 6th Street and W. McKinley Avenue in Downtown. Milwaukee County and the State of Wisconsin have already contributed $45 and $40 million to the project, respectively.
Thelma Carol Closed After Car Hits Store
A Walker’s Point wine, spirit and tobacco shop is closed “until further notice” after a car smashed through the north wall of the store early Saturday morning.
The driver fled the scene, leaving the vehicle — and thousands of dollars worth of damage, behind.
Owners Jerel Hall and Rebecca Button shared the news on social media over the weekend, calling the incident “a heartbreaking, infuriating, absolutely unbelievable nightmare.”
Upon their arrival to the store, 605 W. Virginia St., the couple was met with piles of shattered glass, splintered wood and a pool of deep, burgundy wine spreading across the floor. That included nearly all of the store’s “irreplaceable, high-end Italian wines.” Though the owners later found two intact bottles.
Happy Dough Lucky Coming To Bay View
What’s in a name? Andrew Swofford‘s entire business, for one.
The veteran baker launched his doughnut business nearly a decade ago, vending seasonally at the South Shore Farmers Market. The concept later grew to a brick-and-mortar location in Mequon — now closed — and will soon include a new storefront in Bay View.
But before all that, Swofford thought of a name: Happy Dough Lucky.
“I was not into doughnuts before I started Happy Dough Lucky,” he said. “I actually thought of the name first and then kind of built the concept around that.”
Fiserv Forum Unveils Food and Drink Offerings For 2023-24
A giant Bavarian pretzel, bacon-loaded burger and state fair-style cream puffs are among the new food and beverage offerings at Fiserv Forum for the Milwaukee Bucks‘ 2023-2024 season.
The Bucks debuted the full selection at a Monday morning press conference, filling the main concourse with the smell of fried foods, baked goods and — of course — Johnsonville meats; the Sheboygan Falls-based company was named the official sausage of the Bucks earlier this month.
“Here in the Midwest, people love good modest comfort,” said Keith Luce, senior executive chef for Fiserv Forum and Deer District. “And that’s really what we’re trying to begin with here.”
Luce highlighted several of the new additions including a bacon bomb burger, brisket sandwich and an “amazing” andouille sausage with caramelized onions and roasted peppers.
New Cafe and Bakery For Harbor District
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.
Sprecher Brewery Aims To Be National Soft Drink Leader
There is a photograph in the visitor center of Sprecher Brewing Co. depicting three men hoisting beers and smiling broadly. It was taken in February, 2020, and features Randal Sprecher flanked by Sharad Chadha and Andy Nunemaker as they celebrated the sale of the business Sprecher founded in 1985 as Wisconsin’s first new Post-Prohibition era brewery.
Mere weeks later, as COVID-19 ravaged the planet, shuttering taverns and restaurants and obliging millions to live in isolation, only Sprecher remained smiling. He sold out just in time. For CEO Chadha, the largest shareholder and Nunemaker, his principal investor, a large portion of their business model went down the drain, along with kegs of unsold beer.
Chadha, 51, came to Milwaukee from his native India at the suggestion of Dr. Dilip Kohli, Professor and Chair of the Mechanical engineering department at UW-Milwaukee, a cousin of Chadha’s schoolteacher mother.
Soul Food Restaurant For Villard Avenue
When discussing options for quick and convenient meals the gas station at 3709 W. Villard Ave. is likely not the first place that comes to mind. Nevertheless, Fiyahside Jamaican Cuisine has amassed a loyal following — particularly during the lunchtime hours — throughout its nearly seven-year tenure in the Old North Milwaukee neighborhood building.
Now, a new restaurateur is looking to continue the tradition. William Green recently submitted a license application to open Smoke-N-Bones, a soul food and barbeque restaurant, in the space.
The business, which aims to open later this month, would operate as a quick-service establishment for takeout only.
Fiyahside closed its Villard Avenue location on Sept. 18, according to the license application. The restaurant is now operating at 7434 W. Capitol Dr., the former home of Stella J’s Soul Food.
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