Fiddleheads Coffee Embraces New Ownership; Local Legacy Lives On

2 JANUARY 2026 – MILWAUKEE, WI – Fiddleheads Coffee, Thiensville WI’s oldest family-owned and operated small-batch roastery, today announced that they are joining FairWave Collective, a collective of specialty coffee brands operating together to drive quality coffee within communities. Now a beloved local brand and community gathering place, Fiddleheads first opened their doors in 1996 against the backdrop of a burgeoning local arts scene as an abundance of craft coffee shops began to pop up across the Greater Milwaukee Area.

Since its founding, Fiddleheads coffee has been a champion for local artists. With 8 distinctly beautiful shops scattered across the Greater Milwaukee area, their legacy as a family-owned coffee retailer has stood the test of time. As Fiddleheads joins FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective, owner Ray Marcy is “thrilled” to have found a partner committed to carrying on his family’s legacy. “Fiddleheads is our family’s baby,” reflected Marcy. “It was really important to us that if we ever did decide to sell, it would be to someone who works in coffee—someone who understands how special Fiddleheads is to us, and how special it has become to the local community here.”

As Fiddleheads’ 29th birthday approached, Marcy and co-owner Mike Wroblewski, began thoughtfully considering what Fiddleheads’ legacy might look like at 40, and the best path to actualizing that vision. “After meeting with Isaac and the incredible FairWave team for over a year, we knew we’d found the right home for our brand,” Marcy continued. “They’re coffee people. They understand the heart and soul of this business and are determined to keep that alive.”

“We took our time getting to know Fiddleheads’ brand, their community, and their people,” commented Isaac Hodges, President of Growth at FairWave. “We wanted to make sure that FairWave and Fiddleheads were a good fit for each other. Central to that exploration was gaining a deep understanding of Fiddleheads’ legacy and place within the community.”

“Across the Collective, everyone deeply cares about growing together as coffee people,” Marcy added. “That shared passion is just going to make Fiddleheads that much better.”

Fiddleheads will become the second FairWave brand in the Milwaukee market, after Anodyne joined the collective in June 2023.

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.