Law office in King Building

Katherine Depies recently moved into Suite 101 of the King Building, 2534 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Depies has almost 20 years of experience and specializes in Social Security disability law. (414) 238-2323.

“Eco-friendly” lunchboxes at local retailer

Half Price Kid Stuff, 2675 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., announced Jan. 16 it will sell Obentec’s line of sustainable and BPA Free lunchboxes. More info: Traci Sherman at info@halfpricekidstuff.com.

Kinnickinnic Avenue BID nominates board

Mine board nominees for the newly formed Kinnickinnic Avenue Business Improvement District (BID #44) were selected Jan. 20. About 35 people attended the BID meeting conducted by 14th District Alderman Tony Zielinski at the George Washington Legion Post 180.

After asking for a show of hands by those who wished to be appointed to the board, 10 people introduced themselves and noted the property they owned in the BID area-along Kinnickinnic Avenue between Becher Street and Morgan Avenue. A voice vote was conducted after each presentation.  »Read more

Hub Super Market applies for beer license

Hub Super Market, 2277 S. Howell Ave., applied for a new Class “A” Liquor and Malt license Jan. 25.

Last year, AK Food Mart, 2305 S. Howell Ave., applied for the same type of license and was rejected. AK is the convenient store just across Lincoln Avenue from Hub. AK’s rejected license became the focal point of criticism about 14th District Alderman Tony Zielinski’s use of aldermanic privilege and raised the question of inconsistent standards regarding the licensing of alcohol sales.

Zielinski justified his opposition to AK’s license on grounds of “overconcentration,” the idea that too many venues are offering alcohol in too small an area. But critics pointed out he supported a liquor license for nearby Tonic Tavern, 2335 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.

The city’s Licenses Committee is next scheduled to meet Feb. 17. Zielinski sits on the Licenses Committee. At press time it was not known at which meeting the Hub application will come before the committee.

Kinnickinnic Avenue BID #44 selects board nominees

Nine board nominees for the newly formed Kinnickinnic Avenue Business Improvement District #44 (BID) were selected tonight at the George Washington Legion Post 180. About 35 people attended the meeting conducted by 14th District Alderman Tony Zielinski.

Zielinski asked for a show of hands by those who wished to be appointed to the board. Ten of these individuals introduced themselves and nine noted the business and/or property they own in the BID area—Kinnickinnic Avenue between Becher Street and Morgan Avenue. A voice vote was conducted after each introduction.

The board nominees are Jason Wedesky, owner of Actaea Works, 2173 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.; Mike Krolick, Branch Manager, M&I Bank, 2701 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.; Tim Dertz, owner of Fifth Ward Development, 347 E. Lincoln Ave, and owner of a number of properties including 2663 South Kinnickinnic that houses Hair Architects; Steve Ste. Marie, owner of the Maytag Coin Laundry, 2510 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.; Joyce Parker, owner of Joyce Parker Productions, 2685 S. Kinnickinnic and the Joyce Skylight Court building, 2685 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.; Bill Doyle, owner of the Eschweiler House, 2445 S. Kinnickinnic Ave, and numerous residential properties in Bay View; Ken Yandell, owner of Third Coast Investors, LLC, and the buildings that house Jimmy John’s and BYO Studio, 2242 and 2246 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.; Mike Marx, King building and Just Add Soap owner, 2534 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.; and Ron Romero, owner of a number of buildings on Kinnickinnic including 2640 S. Kinnickinnic that houses Hi-Fi Café.

Jennifer Volz, a manager at Actaea, but not a property owner in the BID, who also indicated she wished to be considered for the board, was disqualified.

According to the BID Handbook distributed at the meeting, “members of the area business association, community development corporation or a community-based organization are appropriate BID board members” and “a majority of the board members must own or occupy property within the BID district.”

Rhonda Manuel, Neighborhood & Business Development manager at the Dept. of City Development informed the newly elected nominees that they must submit their BID appointment letter and resume to Mayor Barrett. She stated that no board nominee will be appointed to the BID board if their property taxes are delinquent.

Executive officers will be elected at the first BID meeting from those board members approved by Mayor Barrett.

Future BID meetings will be announced by the city clerk’s office two weeks prior to the meeting date.

Alderman Zielinski designated Jason Wedesky as the BID’s contact person.

Property owners in the designated geographic areas—the BID—agree to an annual tax assessment that the BID spends on projects to enhance and improve the business environment, including the streetscape, marketing efforts, business recruitment, and security programs.

KK BID No. 44 Meeting Jan. 20

KK BID DISTRICT MEETING

Wednesday, January 20th at 6 PM
2860 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
The BID (Business Improvement District) is located on both sides of KK from E. Becher St. to E. Morgan Ave. Businesses located off of KK but that are connected to the buildings on KK will be included. Also, businesses located at the intersection of S. Howell Ave. and E. Lincoln Ave. will be included. The purpose of BID No. 44 is to allow businesses within to develop, to manage and promote Bay View and to establish an assessment method to fund these activities.

The continued vitality of the commercial business district is necessary to retain existing businesses and attract new businesses.

A decline in public revenues emphasizes the importance of assembling viable public-private partnerships to undertake revitalization.

The establishment of a BID system can benefit the health, safety, welfare, and prosperity of our district.
The objective of the BID is to serve as a way for property owners, business owners and the government to work cohesively to the benefit of Bay View’s economic development.

For more information please contact: Jason Wedesky, President BVBA at 414-881-2829 or bayviewbusiness@gmail.com

Source: Jason C. Wedesky
President
Bay View Business Association
(c) 414.881.2829
bayviewbusiness@gmail.com

Pastiche Bistro to open at KK & Rusk

Michael Engel started in the restaurant business as a dishwasher. That was some 30 years go. In early 2010, he plans to open Pastiche Bistro & Wine Bar at 3001 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.

The 47-year-old chef boasts wide-ranging culinary experience-from Hotel Metro and Bartolotta Catering Company to Quad/Graphics and numerous Lang restaurants in Delafield-and is bringing his passion for fine dining to an 1,800-square-foot vacant Bay View storefront on the corner of KK & Rusk.

“I was getting farther and farther away from cooking, which was why I became a chef,” Engel said. Opening up his own neighborhood restaurant is the realization of a lifelong dream.

According to Pastiche’s website, the menu will vary seasonally, inspired by Mediterranean dishes. Engel said the menu will include fish and seafood. One selection he was excited to describe was a sautéed duck dish, garnished with fresh orange slices. He will offer traditional bistro fare including steak frites and osso buco and praised the incredible flavor of the Heritage Berkshire pork he gets from a Missouri farm. Engel will also make his own desserts.

“Whenever possible, we’ll use locally sourced, locally produced ingredients to support Wisconsin farmers and artisans, focusing on quality and a passion for authenticity,” Engel wrote on the website.

He’ll be joined in the kitchen by sons Andrew, Nick, and Bobby Engel, 21, 19, and 15 respectively. Engel plans to employ an additional nine or 10 staff. At press time, he had not yet obtained the licenses necessary to open. Engel plans to be open for dinner every evening except Sunday, serving lunch for special parties of up to 30.

Engel currently lives in Wauwatosa, but he hopes to sell his house and move to Bay View to be closer to the restaurant. In the process of investigating the area, he discovered that his father actually grew up in Bay View, and his father’s uncle owned a butcher shop almost next door on KK. So opening Pastiche will be a sort of homecoming.

“Truly in my heart I want to have a neighborhood restaurant and that’s the way I’ve been approaching it.”

pastichebistro.com

Future Green’s Cafe Tarragon

Bay View eco-retailer Future Green, 2352 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., will soon add a small café to its premises.

Café Tarragon was expected to open around Thanksgiving in the store’s old building supply area in the back of the first floor. Café Tarragon will offer gluten-free, vegan, veggie, raw, and natural organic food selections-including baked goods like muffins, scones, cookies, pies, and pastries. Processed ingredients will not be used and most items will be made from scratch.

“This will be a wholesome café that is both refreshing for you palate and your soul,” according to Future Green’s Swee Sim, who owns the store with his wife Lisa Sim. There will be seating areas and takeout for those on the go.

Scraps from the café will go to the Sims’ vermicomposting efforts and the compost will go to their rooftop garden next spring.

Future Green will still sell American Pride paint, but tinting will take place in the basement. Recycled countertops and cork flooring will still be available for sale.

Adonai Arts Center upstairs at Brew Haus

Adonai Arts Center opened September 2009 on the top floor of the Bay View Brew Haus building, 2535 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., where dance instructor Emily Bennett rents space two days a week. It is the first business for Bennett, who is also an instructor at the Milwaukee Ballet School in Brookfield. She has been dancing since she was 9.

Bennett said the center offers ballet dance lessons for teens and adults of all levels. Creative movement classes are also held for children age 3-5. Bennett described creative movement as a building block to ballet, where children can learn basic movement. Hip-hop/modern dance classes, taught by Karen Zakrzewski, are also available. Zakrzewski is en route to earning her bachelor’s degree in fine arts.

In addition to the dance emphasis, Bennett said photography is being integrated into the center and a gallery night is planned for Monday, Dec. 21. Mixed media works will be on display, followed by dance performance. She also hopes to offer a mother-and-baby dance class.

Bennett previously taught at Encore Studio of Dance in South Milwaukee, and said the space at the Bay View Brew Haus building accommodates her South Milwaukee and Cudahy students.

For more info, contact Adonai Arts Center at (262) 527-6058 or adonaiartscenter.com.

Bikinis contribute toward tavern license suspension

Women in bikinis washing motorcycles on Howell Avenue in July contributed to the suspension of a local tavern license.

At its Nov. 17 meeting, the city’s Licenses Committee voted 3-2 to renew the Class “B” Tavern, Tavern Dance, and Video Game Center license of Jerseys Sports Pub and Grill, 4014-24 S. Howell Ave. (including 4014 Lounge), but with a 45-day suspension due to neighborhood complaints.

After withdrawing a motion to deny Jerseys’ permanent license extension on its patio and volleyball court, 14th District Alderman Tony Zielinski moved to renew the tavern’s license with the 45-day suspension. Alderpersons Jim Bohl and Milele Coggs voted “no.”  »Read more

Sassy Cow milk now at Anodyne

In an example of how greater attention is being paid-with the pocketbook-to food that is deemed local, healthy, and ethical, a local business recently shifted its milk supply.

Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. started using Sassy Cow Dairy for milk at its 2920 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. café in mid-November, said owner Matt McClutchy.

Besides having the advantage of a good name, Sassy Cow is a third-generation Wisconsin family farmstead owned by the Baerwolf family north of Sun Prairie, Wis. It includes two dairy farms and a creamery. “They treat the cows right and it tastes great,” McClutchy said.  »Read more

Chartreuse moving from BV to Brady Street

Sarah Szymanski’s retail apparel business Chartreuse has moved from 2227 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. to 1224 E. Brady St. (414) 747-8434.

Despite a valiant effort at the Bay View Bash, Dann Danowski’s Magic Dann’s Jazz & Blues Restaurant, 2691 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., closed in October, with a sign on its window attributing the closure to the economy.

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