Midwest SAD Launching Vending Machine, Eyes Expansion Near Downtown

Site of Midwest SAD, 770 N. Jefferson St. Photo by Sophie Bolich.

In the six months since its opening in Downtown Milwaukee, Midwest SAD has established itself as the little bakery that could — expanding its menu, fostering community partnerships and embracing its off-the-beaten-path basement space at 770 N. Jefferson St.

While owner Sam Sandrin acknowledges — and celebrates — these achievements, she sees them as just the beginning.

The bakery, which already serves as a wholesale supplier for restaurants such as Crafty Cow, is planning to further expand its local footprint with an East Side vending machine, set to open in the coming months inside The Washroom, a newly established laundromat at 2706 N. Murray Ave.

The vending machine will be stocked with miniature treats — cookies, brownies, bars — from Midwest SAD, as well as harm-reduction tools such as Narcan (naloxone) and fentanyl test strips, which will be available for one penny, while the treats will be sold at a regular price.

Sandrin is passionate about addressing drug-related harm but sympathizes with those who need an extra push—or rather, the pull of a delectable dessert.

“I just want the thing, but in order to get it, I f***ing need a cookie,” she said with her signature candor.

The vending machine is scheduled to arrive in mid-December, and Sandrin hopes to have it up and running soon after. The Washroom, a coin-operated laundromat, is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Gathering Place Partnership

Midwest SAD has also been tapped to run the kitchen at Gathering Place Brewing Company‘s Wauwatosa taproom, which opened in late 2022 at 7208 W. North Ave.

The location offers a rotating selection of draft beers, which will soon be complemented by a menu of Midwest SAD’s savory soups and “sammies,” as well as a selection of desserts.

That includes spicy garden, veggie and cheese Philly, chicken salad and hot ham and cheese sandwiches, plus a variety of soups and deli-style sides such as chili egg salad, potato salad and Buffalo chicken dip.

Treats like puppy chow, cookies and Oreo brownies will be available a la carte, though Sandrin shared plans to host beer and treats pairings, as well as themed pop-ups throughout the spring and summer.

Gluten-free and vegan options will be available every day, she added.

The partnership is likely to begin in the coming months, as soon as Sandrin secures a license for the premises. Once open Midwest SAD will keep the same hours as Gathering Place, operating Tuesday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.

New Location in the Works

While Midwest SAD is often celebrated as a “hidden gem” due to its below-ground digs in the 770 Building, Sandrin sees the location, which isn’t visible from street level, as a hindrance.

“I think we’ve made the best of this situation,” she said, gesturing to the growing collection of tchotchkes and colorful menu boards that brighten the bakery’s walk-up counter. “People love that it’s a little hidden space you have to come to.”

The bakery gets most of its business from regulars, most of whom Sandrin greets by name, dishing out compliments alongside banana pudding and carrot cake in-a-jar.

“How was your holiday?” she asks the building manager, leaning across the table in her floral-print apron. “You keep working those heels, baby girl,” she calls out to a customer several minutes later. Others drop by to chat throughout the afternoon, picking up a coffee or cake slice in the meantime.

Despite a robust collection of regulars, day-to-day foot-traffic is lacking. “My product’s not the issue, I’m not the issue and staff isn’t the issue,” Sandrin said. “It’s the location.”

She’s now focused on a new building just minutes from Downtown that would better suit the bakery’s needs. While plans are tentatively in motion, she’s holding off on sharing the exact location for now.

However, Sandrin is clear about her goals for the new space, which she envisions as a dual-purpose facility to house both the bakery and a community kitchen for entrepreneurs across the city.

Midwest SAD splits its current commercial kitchen with other businesses including Sweetly Baked. The new location aims to build on that foundation, while also giving customers a homey space to dine-in.

“It would be like stepping into a grandma’s house, but it wouldn’t smell,” Sandrin said, noting plans to outfit the space with “cushions all over everything.”

With big goals for the future, Sandrin is again seeking community support to jumpstart her progress, and recently launched a second investment campaign with Honeycomb Credit. This time, her minimum goal has been bumped up to $40,000.

Meeting that threshold, she said, would unlock the potential for additional funding to cover licensing fees for the Gathering Place kitchen and begin renovations on the bakery’s future location. Meanwhile, Sandrin continues to offer her employees an $18 per hour wage and is working to implement benefits plans.

The latter, she said, is a top priority. “I’m not willing to compromise on things that businesses are usually willing to compromise,” she said. “Labor: not willing to compromise on that. Quality of goods: not willing to compromise on that. There are things that people usually just cut. I’m not willing to do that. If I said I’m hiring you full-time. I’m finding those hours for you.”

“Yes, it’s a lot of money,” she added. “But that way it can help so many more people.”

Those who invest in the business will receive their money in full — plus interest — after the conclusion of the campaign. If Sandrin doesn’t surpass the minimum requirement, each investment will be promptly refunded. For more information on the fundraising company and Midwest SAD’s first round, see Urban Milwaukee’s earlier coverage.

As Sandrin looks to the future, her focus remains on the community—customers, employees, and fellow business owners—with the ultimate goal of reshaping the industry to be safer and more welcoming for all.

Her parting message? “I got you. Let’s do this.”

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