Yuengling Beer Comes to Wisconsin

Yuengling lagers. Photo by Adam Romani.

It was one cold one after another at Wolski’s Tavern this week. Not the weather, the order.

Fresh, chilled Yuengling poured through taps at the historic bar at 1836 N. Pulaski St. for the first time on Tuesday as the Pottsville, Pennsylvania-based brewery made its Wisconsin debut.

“For years Wisconsinites have been asking when they’d finally be able to enjoy a cold Yuengling close to home — often smuggling our beer back from eastern states and sharing their excitement with us on social media,” said Debbie Yuengling, a sixth-generation family member and brewery employee, in a statement. “That day is finally here.”

Yuengling Lager and FLIGHT are now available on tap at bars and restaurants across Wisconsin. Packaged beer, including Yuengling Lager, Light Lager, Golden Pilsner, Black & Tan and FLIGHT, will be available statewide beginning March 2, the brewery shared in a news release.

After the rollout, stores carrying Yuengling beers can be located using the brewery’s Find Yuengling Beer tool.

“As a sixth-generation family brewer, our family has always believed that great beer brings people together,” said Wendy Yuengling, the brewery’s chief administrative officer. “Wisconsin has a rich beer history and a deep appreciation for quality brews, and we’re proud to finally be part of that tradition.”

Committee Endorses New Riverwest Market

A proposal to bring a convenience store and carryout restaurant to the former Dollar General space at 1300 E. Locust St. advanced Tuesday with approval from the Licenses Committee.

Metro Pantry, which aims to fill a neighborhood gap with fresh produce and other necessities, now awaits a final vote from the Milwaukee Common Council.

In addition to several varieties of fruits and vegetables, the store plans to sell cigarettes, tobacco and vape products, but not alcohol or THC, a representative confirmed. A BirdShack Fried Chicken restaurant would occupy a portion of the 8,729-square-foot building.

The store’s inventory was one of several concerns neighbors raised when the proposal was first introduced, with some objectors citing issues with the previous tenant.

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Sweet Connie’s Cafe is Closed

Sweet Connie’s Cafe has permanently closed its Downtown Milwaukee location at 1031 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., less than a year after opening.

The Tuesday morning announcement followed a challenging run for co-owners Shelley Wiley and Consuela Towns, who faced a series of delays—logistical, financial and personal—following the cafe’s initial proposal in 2023.

The partners financed the project out of pocket, working multiple jobs to fund the buildout and launching a catering service while waiting for the brick-and-mortar space to be complete.

“It’s been nothing but stress the last three years,” Wiley told Urban Milwaukee in March 2025. “I’ve basically sunk my entire life savings into this building, and [Towns] sunk the last three years and everything that she could spare.”

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Riverwest Sports Bar Wins Key Approval

After weeks of back-and-forth between Riverwest residents, elected officials and business owners, Diaspora Sports Bar and Lounge is one step closer to opening.

On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Common Council‘s Licenses Committee moved to support the business’s amended application, which removed a co-owner who is currently employed by the Milwaukee Police Department.

Pending full council approval, Diaspora is on track to make its neighborhood debut later this winter in the former Company Brewing space at 735 E. Center St.

First proposed in September 2025, Diaspora’s application advanced without widespread controversy until its initial license hearing Jan. 6, when committee members raised questions about one of its partners, Phil Pullium, an MPD employee.

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Small Change Coffee Shop Opening Next Week

In 2025, Nora Hartzell and Danielle Zingale shuttered their Walker’s Point salon, Folia, with plans to start fresh in a new location.

That big change gave way to Small Change, which began salon operations in the Bay View Hide House complex last fall and is now expanding with an in-house coffee bar.

Following a soft opening over the weekend, the public-facing cafe at 2625 S. Greeley St. will officially debut next Tuesday, Feb. 2, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The current menu includes Anodyne coffee and espresso, chai, matcha and canned beverages including Olipop and sparkling Rishi Tea. Drinks can be customized with alternative milks and syrups such as French lavender, miso salted caramel and maple black sesame.

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Mexican Seafood Restaurant Proposed for South Side

A former convenience store could get new life as a Mexican restaurant under a proposal currently pending before the City of Milwaukee.

El Viejon, a mobile business known for its seafood dishes, plans to open at 2121 S. 16th St. in the northeast corner of Milwaukee’s Forest Home Hills neighborhood, according to a license application.

The building has long operated as a corner store, with previous tenants including Eddy’s Foods, Family Mini Mart and Allah Amin Food Mart. In 2024, Bryan Winters moved to open 5 Loaves & 2 Fish Mini Mart, but the licenses committee denied his application based on an overconcentration of establishments selling liquor in the area.

Last July, building owner Serge Amelyan listed the 1,345-square-foot storefront for lease. It is now poised to shift from retail to full-service restaurant under the leadership of Martin Cecena Zavala, who plans to use the location as a brick-and-mortar site for El Viejon.

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New Tenant For Southside Tavern Building

A new business, M&M Lounge and Events, is slated to fill the former Money Pit Bar and Grill at 2691 S. 7th St.

Michelé Bogan submitted a proposal for the tavern and venue last fall, and her application is now pending before the Milwaukee Common Council.

The southside location would serve as an extension of Bogan’s existing company, M&M Creative Designs LLC, which offers decor rentals and a northside event venue, 7320 W. Florist Ave., for up to 75 guests.

While the upcoming venture would be available for rentals, Bogan described it as a tavern in her application, projecting alcohol to account for 70% of sales; cigarettes, vapes and tobacco products, 20%; and entertainment, 10%. She has not yet applied for a food dealer’s license but plans to do so, according to the application.

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Phobruary Returns To Silver City With High Stakes

Two southside restaurants, Vientiane Noodle Shop and Thai Bar-B-Que, will participate in the 13th annual Phobruary. The month-long dining initiative celebrates Vietnamese cuisine and culture while uplifting family-owned businesses.

This year’s event, running Feb. 2 through the 28, carries added significance as it comes just months before the scheduled start of a multi-phase rebuilding of National Avenue, and thus carries extra significance for participants, said JoAnna Bautch, executive director of VIA CDC, the nonprofit organizer of Phobruary.

“During times of disruption, small businesses feel it first,” Bautch said in a statement. “Choosing to dine locally during this time is a simple but meaningful way to show up for the family-owned restaurants that give our neighborhoods their character and keep our local economy strong.”

One business, Shalom Puerto Rican Restaurant, has already exited its National Avenue location, anticipating challenges related to upcoming construction. La Chinampa, a Mexican restaurant, is slated to fill the space.

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Beans & Barley Items Headed to Auction

Even after Beans & Barley shuts down Jan. 31, you can still grab something to go. The restaurant, which also includes a cafe, deli and market, will auction off its remaining equipment in February.

Badger Corporation is hosting the online auction, which begins Feb. 12 at 4 p.m. Bidding will end Feb. 19 at 10:30 a.m., with viewing available Feb. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Checkout will take place Feb. 20 and 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Don’t miss this opportunity to bid on some Milwaukee history!” reads a message from Badger Corporation. The complete catalog is not yet posted, though the auction is expected to include commercial kitchen equipment, fixtures and supplies from the longstanding business.

Updates will be available online in the coming weeks. Badger Corporation specializes in auctioneering, liquidation and appraisals, with an emphasis on industrial, restaurant and commercial equipment. The Lomira-based company has hosted auctions for other Milwaukee-area businesses, including Milwaukee Ale House, Stack’d Burger Bar and José’s Blue Sombrero.

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