Every Historic Downer Avenue Storefront Filled for First Time in Years, Continuing Growth of Popular Neighborhood Shopping District

Milwaukee, WI (Dec. 5, 2025) – With the opening of Tropical Smoothie Café (2575 N. Downer Ave) last month, every storefront on the East Side’s Historic Downer Avenue business district now has an operating merchant for the first time in at least 18 years.

Tropical Smoothie took over a vacant part of the former Chancery restaurant, which closed in 2007. That space had been vacant until SereniTea Lounge opened in January 2025 in the other part of the building. The space, which had previously been hard to fill, was due in part to its large size and unusual two-level floor plate.

The latest restaurant follows various new businesses which have opened on Downer in the last few years. Many street improvements have also been made and have been funded by the Downer Avenue Business Improvement District (BID).

“Downer has been an integral and beloved part of Milwaukee for decades,” BID Board President Michael DeMichele said. “New stores and street improvements are making Downer better than ever.”

“Downer Avenue is unique in Milwaukee, a walkable, historic urban village with a large mix of shops, restaurants and more, in just two blocks,” said BID Executive Director Janet Henning. “There’s always a reason to visit Downer.”

Recent street improvements include the BID’s wrapping of 10 harp streetlight poles, for the first time, with festive holiday lights that will stay up through March. The BID recently installed new pedestrian signs in the crosswalks and has invested in enhanced winter plantings and summer flowers along the street. These improvements are in addition to the annual Café Hollander Otto Wenz Downer Classic Cycling event and the Downer Avenue Haunted Halloween.

New stores and ownership on Downer in the last several years include:

• The popular Pizza Man reopened in September 2024 after initially vacating its space and moving to another location in April 2024.
• Milwaukee Film took over the historic Downer Theater in April 2024 after the previous operator closed it in September 2023.
• Downer Wine & Spirits announced in March 2024 that two neighbors had bought the store from the prior owners of 16 years.
• The locally owned GoodLand Home & Goods, emphasizing unique products from local and small producers, opened in September 2022.
• Canela Café opened in August 2021, replacing The Original Pancake House, which closed in January 2021 after 16 years.

Bringing more life and people to the Downer neighborhood is an upscale 55-unit, four-story apartment building, The Fitz, that opened in June 2024 on N. Hackett Street. Also, new housing has been developed on the second floors of Downer commercial buildings, and a 65-unit, seven-story apartment building is expected to be built on a vacant lot on nearby N. Stowell Avenue in the coming year.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.