New Owners Open G. Groppi Food Market
Ryan and Casey Foltz officially took over the market on Monday. They hope to carry on its legacy as a Bay View cornerstone.
G. Groppi Food Market. Photo taken March 20th, 2021 by Cari Taylor-Carlson.
Brothers Ryan and Casey Foltz picked up the keys to G. Groppi Food Market on Monday, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the historic grocery store and bar.
Opened in 1913, the market, 1441 E. Russell Ave., has remained a staple of the Bay View neighborhood for more than a century — first under the ownership of the Groppi family and later under John and Anne Nehring, who purchased the business in 2003.
Through the years, Groppi’s has expanded with a deli, fresh meat market, on-site bar and more. But all the while, the market has maintained its original character. The Foltz brothers plan to continue that tradition.
“It’s a grocery store that definitely has a neighborhood feel to it,” Casey said. “If you’re a regular customer, the employees know your name and have probably interacted with you outside of the store.”
The brothers have a history with the market, having utilized the kitchen to prep products for their other business, Foltz Family Market (located inside the Milwaukee Public Market). Casey also owns the nearby Puddler’s Hall, 2461 S. St. Clair St., which shares many of its customers with the market.
Going forward, Casey said he hopes to strengthen the connections between all three businesses, creating a symbiotic relationship that spans from the Historic Third Ward to Bay View.
Prior to taking over at G. Groppi, the brothers took time to meet with prior owner Tom Groppi.
“We had a chance to sit down with him and his daughter to talk about our plans for the store and how we really see it as a piece of Bay View history,” Casey said, noting that he sought Groppi’s blessing to continue using the family name.
“I think he was excited to see that it was my brother and I … that we’re trying to continue on a little bit of their family legacy.”
The brothers officially took ownership of the market on Jan. 22. The months leading up to the transition were carefully orchestrated to avoid having to close the store for any period, Casey said.
“I think our first step is to figure out all the nuances of the business, because it’s definitely different than the businesses that we’re used to.”
As the brothers settle into their new role, however, they plan to implement a number of upgrades to the market. “We definitely want to continue to improve on providing quality product and making sure that our customers in the neighborhood see us as somewhere that they can get a quality product,” Casey said.
Customers can also look forward to future wine and beer events at the market, which is one of a scarce few in the city featuring its own bar.
Until then, the store will continue to offer its usual variety of fresh produce, meat, bakery, pantry staples, cheese, pastas, wine and more.
The market is open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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Please don’t change the butchery! It is fabulous and the guys are really helpful.
Thank you.
Good Wishes, Gentlemen. I live in Whitefish Bay and I drive to your market especially for meat and poultry products that are hard to find up here.