The White House In Bay View Is For Sale
Historic building is priced at $1.6 million.
Kneisler’s White House Tavern Building. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Changes could be coming soon to more than one White House.
Milwaukee’s own White House, located at 2900 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., is on the market.
The 4,800-square-foot building has been a presence in Bay View for more than 130 years. Now, owner and proprietor Allison Meinhardt is seeking a new leader to take the helm. The property is listed for $1.6 million.
That price tag includes all commercial restaurant equipment on the premises, including a walk-in cooler, stove, 50 antique chairs, antique sofas, glassware and more, according to the listing.
The development comes less than a year after Meinhardt announced significant changes to the venue, which transitioned to hosting events exclusively in early 2024. The move also brought changes to The White House’s eponymous restaurant, which was remodeled and replaced by SAGE, a modern American concept, in February.
The restaurant, opened in partnership with Alexander Stewart, emphasizes vegetable-forward dishes made with seasonal ingredients and colorful presentation. As of Friday afternoon, SAGE had not announced any upcoming changes to its operation.
In addition to the restaurant, Meinhardt added an exhibition space on the building’s second floor, which is activated for Bay View Gallery Night and other events.
Outdoor spaces, including a patio and garden, are used for dining as well as organized activities such as community yoga. The property also features a 16-space parking lot.
Originally opened as a Schlitz tavern in the 1890s, the White House continued for over a century before closing in 2017. Meinhardt paid $400,000 for the property in 2019, according to city records, and opened a fine dining restaurant, The White House, in partnership with Zachary Byrne.
William Kneisler built the Queen Anne-style structure 1890. Since then, it has served as “an unofficial political headquarters and gathering place for discussion and election day parties; and a Prohibition-era deviant, listed as a ”Soft Drink Parlor” in the directories,” according to the online listing from Keller Williams – Lake Country.
The building, which retains its original 1893 oak bar, was designated as historic in 2018.
Meinhardt did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
For more on the building’s history see a 2015 profile by Michael Horne.
2015 Photos
If you think stories like this are important, become a member of Urban Milwaukee and help support real, independent journalism. Plus you get some cool added benefits.
I takes a few seconds to color correct dark photos!
In iOS photo app just hit edit. Try 100% exposure and 40-50% of either shadows OR brightness, and stop fiddling immediately. Can add granularity, but otherwise content is wasted.