Historic West Side Mansion For Sale
Schuster Mansion is on the market.
Schuster Mansion at 3209 W. Wells St. Photo taken Aug. 9, 2024 by Jeramey Jannene. All Rights Reserved.
After nearly two decades spent restoring and operating the Schuster Mansion as a bed-and-breakfast, owners Richard and Laura Sue Mosier are ready to hand over the keys to their castle.
The sprawling Schuster Mansion at 3209 W. Wells St. was listed for sale May 8 for $1.9 million.
The 19-room, approximately 9,300-square-foot property, known as the “Red Castle,” has become one of Milwaukee’s most recognizable historic homes. Since 2001, it has welcomed guests in for tea or an overnight stay.
The property is being sold as a turnkey bed-and-breakfast. All fixtures are included.
Built in 1891 for tobacco merchant George Schuster, the mansion was designed by architects Charles Crane and Carl Barkhausen.
The Mosiers purchased the home in 2008 and undertook an extensive restoration effort, investing heavily in repairs and upgrades while converting the property into a bed-and-breakfast. The couple previously said they spent roughly $1 million restoring the mansion, including replacing all the windows and making substantial improvements to the gardens.
The mansion was offered for sale in 2022 through an auction process after first being listed for $2.2 million earlier that year. The property ultimately remained with the Mosiers, who continued operating the inn.
Since that sale attempt, Laura Sue Mosier has also become an active advocate for historic preservation in the surrounding Concordia neighborhood. She has supported efforts to secure historic designations for nearby properties and has frequently spoken in favor of preserving the area’s historic housing stock at public meetings and hearings.
Now, the couple is looking to retire.
They’ve retained broker Sophia Barry of Sophia Barry Group to sell the German Renaissance Revival-styled home.
The Schuster Mansion remained a single-family residence until 1924, when it was sold following the death of Schuster’s widow. Like many of Milwaukee’s grand west-side mansions, it was later subdivided into apartments before restoration-minded owners began converting it back toward its original appearance in the late 20th century.
The current listing markets the property as both a residence and turnkey hospitality business, with furnishings and business assets included as part of the sale.
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