We are in the midst of a movement that is different than any other from the past, according to Vaun L. Mayes, a local activist in Milwaukee. People are organizing communities and marching on the streets to demonstrate the unequal opportunities that people of color have had in this country and to demand that our governmental systems change. “I think people’s involvement and enthusiasm about changing things is different this time. And this is one of the only times in history I think that most people agree that change needs to happen or that what we all saw was wrong,” says Mayes referencing George Floyd.
Dr. Robert Fox Sets Example for Helping in the Face of COVID-19
Shalem Healing, a nonprofit health clinic that provides services to the underinsured, is setting an example of how to treat COVID-19 patients in Milwaukee. Dr. Robert Fox, Shalem Healing’s owner, treats patients with nutritional counseling and natural remedies before resorting to medicine. Using the latest research on the disease, he has been prescribing patients supplements and antivirals that strengthen the body to fight against the disease.
Fyxation Bicycle Company
Those of you that have strolled into the Fyxation bicycle shop in Riverwest, may not know the whole story behind the company that designs their own bicycles and parts. The concept for the brand and their original product first came to light in 2009 when owners Nick and Jessica Ginster were living in Taiwan. An idea popped into Nick Ginster's head to design a bicycle tire for fixed gear bikes that had both sturdy tread and was available in multiple colors; a niche in the market. He was originally contracted by a company to make the tire, but they backed out. So, with the encouragement from his wife Jessica, they decided to invest in the brand and take the tire to market. At the same time, Nick's brother Ben Ginster came on the team to run the accounting and logistical side of the business. With a perfectly balanced group of people driven to succeed, the company was born.
Originally from Milwaukee, Nick and Jessica first met over 20 years ago while working together at a bike shop. Nick worked as a mechanic and Jessica was the store manager. They were brought together by their love for bicycling, health and spreading adventure. Nick was always mechanically inclined and an avid biker since a child, and at the age of 13, he disassembled a snow blower engine to create a gas-powered bicycle. His mom looked at his dad and said "engineer." The rest is history. Jessica, however, has a background in health, science and community engagement. She has a natural talent of adapting to rapidly changing circumstances and understanding the needs of Fyxation’s customers.
Before moving back to Milwaukee in 2009 to start Fyxation, the couple lived in Taiwan for five years because of Nick’s job that involved overseas production of bicycle products. He later took that knowledge to start his own company (still in Taiwan), doing product design and product sourcing overseas for U.S. companies. When Nick and Jessica came back to the United States, they first presented their fixed gear tire with Ben at the world’s largest bicycle trade show. “Fyxation has always been a Milwaukee company and Milwaukee is our home,” says Nick.
The business took off when they found distributers to sell their product through bike shops around the U.S. and globally, but this did not happen by luck. It was a "very tactical approach," explains Jessica. Their well laid-out plan combined with years of experience allowed the company to grow quickly. Soon after their tire was on the market, other companies began making competitive tires so Fyxation started diversifying their products to include pedals, parts, accessories, frames, and then bikes.
“That has developed into the product line that you see today," says Nick. "We are quick to change when we need to. But from the beginning of our brand, we always made quality affordable products and we still do that.”
The time came when they needed a local warehouse. The natural choice was to use the Pedal Milwaukee building in the Silver City neighborhood. The building was formerly owned by Tom Schuler of Team Sports but Fyxation just bought the space. Until that point, Fyxation only sold their products through other bike shops, but when people started knocking on the door of the warehouse looking for a Fyxation store, the team decided it was time to open a public storefront, so they could better connect with their Milwaukee customers. “We had never been very good at telling our story locally," explains Nick, "and when we opened the store, we had a public front and decided to change that.” So, in 2014, the company opened the store you now know in Riverwest.
Fyxation has continued to grow over the years, both in their production and community outreach. One of their first local projects was designing a custom bike for Colectivo and have since expanded that by designing custom bikes for Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee County Parks, Wisconsin Bike Fed, Goose Island, Nike and many other partners. Nick's favorite project they've done recently is their custom-designed bike for the Milwaukee people's flag. The bike was in such high demand that they decided to do a limited run of 40 bikes, which sold out in under a year. “We really believe in cycling and trying to help out in our communities as much as we can," says Nick. It's impossible to list all of the ways Fyxation gives back in a short blog post, but to name a few, they host and support local organizations like DRAFT Milwaukee and Black Girls Do Bike. Fyxation also donates to organizations outside of biking like Lymphoma & Cancer Society, Progressive Community Health Centers and Feeding America.
Everything they do as a company comes back to their core mission: to deliver adventure. Fyxation wants to be a place where people of all ethnicities, backgrounds and experience levels feel comfortable to get on a bike and ask questions. “One of the strongest suits that I bring is the fact that I am a female in a male-dominated industry and I’m also a woman of color," states Jessica. "For me, it’s all about empowering the consumer, empowering the community. Knowledge is power so let’s share the knowledge I’ve gained with people who are intimidated." Biking is for everyone, whether you're the urban commuter, the mountain bike adventurer or the person that occasionally wants a little wind in your hair. Stop by their shop so they can find the perfect bike to fit your style and help you discover your adventure.
Visit Fyxation's website to get in touch or see their product line.
Urban Guesthouses and B&Bs: A New Way to Experience Milwaukee
I recently wrote an article for the Shepherd Express about Milwaukee's guesthouses and B&Bs, highlighting the uniqueness of these businesses and why people would want to stay at this type of accommodation. You can read the article here or see it on the Shepherd Express website.
The accommodation industry is shifting toward small cozy guesthouses and Milwaukee is picking up on the trend. When most of us imagine a bed and breakfast (B&B), we think of a remote cottage in the countryside, but Milwaukee has urban guesthouses and B&Bs that offer easy access to the city and a comfortable, welcoming place to rest your head at night. With the rise of the “sharing economy” through sites like Airbnb and Couchsurfing, people in the industry are realizing that travelers are looking for a “home away from home.”
Imagine for a moment that you are visiting a new city for a few days, and when you first arrive to your accommodation, you are greeted by a friendly face—the owner of the house. Rather than walking into a generic lobby, you enter what feels like home, with a personalized touch. You sit down in the common room with a warm cup of tea to have genuine conversation with the other guests, and suddenly this city doesn’t feel so strange.
As travelers, we are drawn to these small, unique businesses when looking for accommodations because we want a story. The structure and design of a guesthouse tells the story of its neighborhood, just as much as its owner does. By staying in a family-run guesthouse or B&B, you get the chance to meet the people who run it and see Milwaukee through their eyes. Not only will they reveal the hidden corners of Milwaukee, but they take the time to learn about you and your interests before suggesting the perfect outing. When traveling, the place where you stay should be as much a part of the experience as the rest of the city.
Milwaukee has six small, family-run guesthouses or B&Bs that are all notably unique. From Victorian-style bed and breakfasts to a guesthouse in the midst of flourishing gardens and a cozy gallery space, each place adds a unique accent to the urban neighborhoods of this city.
Here they are in alphabetical order:
The Brumder Mansion
The Brumder Mansion brings a different experience to the Concordia neighborhood. Built on Wisconsin Avenue in 1910 by George Brumder (1839-1910), the building has a theater in the basement and five bedrooms, most of which have a Jacuzzi and fireplace. Nine years ago, Tom and Julie Carr came from California, bought the Brumder Mansion and rebuilt the basement theater. Some guests come for romantic escapes in the bed and breakfast, while others come specifically for the theater.
“This isn’t a bed and breakfast; it’s a Hollywood set,” says Tom Carr. Stay a night during one of the performances, and you will be taken away into another world of fantasy and imaginary characters. The Brumder’s theater puts on four to five shows per year, made possible by production manager Amanda Hull, artistic director Tom Marks and Milwaukee Entertainment Group. Whether you are trying to solve a murder mystery or you are being swept up into the madness of the Hatter in Alice’s Wonderland, you won’t be bored. Don’t miss their upcoming shows including Dancing with Hamlet.
Kinn Guesthouse
Originally from Chicago, Charles and Connie Bailey moved their family to Milwaukee in 2015 when they bought the Cream City brick building on Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View. After a year-and-a-half of restoring the building, the couple opened Kinn Guesthouse in March of 2017. The name Kinn comes from Charles’ father and grandfather who ran the Drake hotels in Chicago and passed the trade down to him. The eight-room guesthouse has a chic modern feel with large windows in every room, making the rooms seem twice their actual size. All but one of the rooms and the spacious common area are on the second floor of the building, above the restaurant, Kindred.
Before you get to your room, you will be stopped by the stunning kitchen and living room space that is free for all the guests to use. Along with the deep-cushioned couch, gallery wall and fully outfitted kitchen, the Baileys have a Nespresso machine, bottle of wine and popcorn waiting for their guests. “People care to live in a different way,” says Charles. “They want something that’s more cozy and comfortable and feels more like home than the big hotels.” If you stay at Kinn, you will most likely meet the charming couple and be treated to the Honey Pie pastries that they offer every weekend.
Manderley Bed & Breakfast
For the last 17 years, Marie and Andrew Parker have been running Manderley Bed and Breakfast, making it the oldest running B&B in Milwaukee. Originally from the Milwaukee area, the couple decided to open the bed and breakfast once they discovered the elaborate mansion on Wells Street in the Concordia neighborhood. “Even in its dilapidated condition, it had charm and appeal,” explains Andrew. After seven years of rebuilding the structure and designing the interior with hand-made stencils and hand-painted art, they finally opened their dream business. Because there were no other Milwaukee B&Bs at the time, the couple helped the city write the laws pertaining to bed and breakfasts, making Concordia the official Bed and Breakfast District of Milwaukee.
When you first walk up to the Manderley mansion, you will most likely be greeted by one of the friendly cats waiting for you on the porch. As you pass through the door into the house, you will be taken back in time to a Victorian era filled with old books, ornate wall décor and a warm fireplace. Andrew and Marie will make you feel right at home with friendly conversation over fresh breakfast from their backyard chicken coop and vegetable garden. There is no doubt these two are dedicated to their guests and to Milwaukee.
Muse Gallery Guesthouse
When you choose to stay at the Muse Gallery Guesthouse in the heart of Bay View, you may spend hours sitting and talking with Mary Ellen Hermann and Andrew Meechan—the owners of the place. The novelty of this guesthouse comes from the Milwaukee art hanging on its walls and the dedication the couple has for the local artists. All of the art changes quarterly, thanks to the curating of Renée “Luna” Bebeau. To see the work on display, stop in during one of their gallery events or during the Bay View Gallery Night.
As experienced travelers, Hermann and Meechan see the value in bed and breakfasts because of the well-traveled people they often meet in such places. “When you have breakfast with them, you learn so many things, particularly the next two dozen places you want to go visit,” explains Mary Ellen. The guesthouse is meant to be an experience and a welcoming place for travelers to relax and feel like they are part of the city.
Sanger House Gardens
While walking up the front stairs to the Sanger House Gardens through the lush greenery, you can look over the vast array of plants at the beautiful cityscape of Milwaukee. If you continue on the winding pathways through the arching branches and multitude of colors, you will reach the carriage house in the back of the garden. There is only one bedroom in this urban getaway, but it is a luxury space with two floors, kitchen, laundry machines and double doors that open to the gardens. Steve Bialk and Angela Duckert bought the Brewer’s Hill property in 1985 and have been enhancing the gardens ever since.
About five years ago, they decided to start a wedding and event business in the space. Along with formal events, the couple has also hosted neighborhood garden clubs and participated in Doors Open Milwaukee 2017. After getting repeated requests for a guesthouse, Bialk and Duckert finally renovated the carriage house and opened the guesthouse last April. There is no breakfast included with your stay, but when you arrive, you’ll get a personal tour of the gardens and personal suggestions for your Milwaukee stay. One of the best things about Sanger is that pets are allowed. It’s a place where you get the best of both worlds: close proximity to the city and a hideaway amidst blooming flowers.
Schuster Mansion Bed & Breakfast
In that same Concordia neighborhood, you will find Schuster Mansion Bed and Breakfast, run by Rick and Laura Sue Mosier. They’re known for their Victorian-style high tea and exceptional hospitality. If you want coffee or tea delivered to your room in the morning, a choice of breakfast from their menu that has not changed in 10 years and freshly-ironed sheets every night, then the Schuster Mansion is the place for you. As you wander through the halls of the mansion, you get lost in the relics adorning the walls and the hand-made decorations throughout the house. The attention to detail is unreal, even down to the shower curtain rings covered in fabric so they don’t make a sound.
The moment you meet Rick and Laura Sue Mosier, you already feel like old friends. “It is so fun to meet people and learn about their lives and why they’re here. We’re part of people’s lives,” says Laura Sue. After talking with the couple for what could be hours, they will give you customized suggestions about the city based on your interests and their own secrets spots in Milwaukee.
Moxxy Group
If you need a kick-ass marketing strategy and someone to tell you the truth about your business, then call Katherine Juergens and Alice Stephens of Moxxy Group. Katherine met Alice after working together at Aurora and after deciding to start her own business, Katherine founded Moxxy Group in February 2017. These two complement each other's skill sets perfectly. While Katherine is the creative big picture thinker with grand ideas and ambitious goals for the future, Alice keeps clients grounded by focusing on building long term marketing strategies that best align business objectives and the road map for getting there. "What we can bring together is a really cool combination," says Juergens, "plus we happen to represent two industries that are massively underrepresented by women.” Katherine brings more than 15 years of health care industry experience to the table while Alice is equally as knowledgeable about the financial services industry.
Having worked in corporate companies for most of their careers, the two women offer a different perspective to marketing, which is the opposite of corporate America. Juergens and Stephens know first-hand that corporations spend millions of dollars on research trying to find out who their consumer market is, when "it's really quite simple," states Alice. "It’s just not simple to the people who are cutting the checks in leadership positions for a lot of these corporations. And that is a huge problem. A lot of what we do is bringing that customer voice to the forefront.” Moxxy Group works with senior leadership teams to develop a marketing plan that is actually relevant to the consumers, who in these industries are majority women. When proposing necessary improvements, they don't hold back and explain the reality of the company's product. Katherine attests, "My reputation was the girl in the room who is going to say what everybody is thinking but nobody says." And that was the driving idea that motivated her to start this business.
This dynamic partnership works with an array of companies internationally but many of their clients are also based in Milwaukee. Both women have lived in Milwaukee for over 20 years and in that time, they have seen the increasing development of small entrepreneurs. From their perspective, the Milwaukee entrepreneur is unique because they are more vested in developing an idea versus using it as a financial element. They are seeing all kinds of extraordinary ideas pop up around Milwaukee but these inventors don't know where to start and "that's where we come in and help," says Alice. The Moxxy Group feels they are among these start-ups, looking at things in a fresh new way.
A large motivator for Alice and Katherine is girl power and they want to share that message. "We have both lived and grown up in industries where there just is not enough girl power," says Alice. Applying that experience, they make sure to keep a balance in their marketing strategies to ensure all potential clients are being reached. These two have a passion for Milwaukee and are using their unique point of view and no-nonsense attitude to make big changes in this city.
To connect with Katherine and Alice, visit their website: www.MoxxyGroup.com
Kinn Guesthouse
As you walk into the entrance way of the Kinn Guesthouse, you’ll find a beautiful open kitchen that faces a large couch, conveniently placed next to a cozy fireplace. As you enter, you instantly feel as though you’ve walked into a close friend’s home. Decorating the wall behind the couch is a broad collection of art displayed in a gallery style. If you look close enough, you’ll find two black and white portraits of men hidden among the colorful bustle of art. These men are the grandfather and father of Charles Bailey, the same men that ran The Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago and The Drake in Oakbrook, respectively. Now that Charles has opened his own guesthouse with his wife Connie Bailey, they thought it fitting to name their business Kinn (adding the extra “n” because the building is on Kinnickinnic Avenue in Bay View).
Originally from Chicago, Charles was a floor trader for years. But as the industry changed, he started looking at other career options. “I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of hotels because I’ve been around them my entire life. I never thought I’d be in the business but it always intrigued me,” says Charles. The couple lived in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood until they decided it was time to move as their son, Quinn was getting older. The family moved their life to Milwaukee and soon after that, found a beautiful brick building in Bay View for sale.
“The building presented itself and our dream started to take shape,” Connie explains. “The concept was all Charles, but we did work together to perfect the idea and execution.” The couple put in a great deal of work to get the building to where it is now. It started out as a masonic lodge then a series of bars and restaurants that didn’t take care of the space. Connie and Charles gutted the entire thing and brought the building back to life, while keeping the original flooring (110-year-old maple) and exposing the cream city brick walls.
Charles was always interested in the idea behind Airbnb and foresees the company changing the hotel industry. “To me, the success of Airbnb means that people care to live in a different way. They want something that feels more like home than the big hotels,” he says. Charles found the perfect mix between that homey concept and the luxury feel of hotels: comfy but not too personal. “Usually you just want to live like you do at home [when traveling],” says Charles. “I didn’t have to prove that concept, I just had to build it.” The idea was to keep overhead low by making the building totally self-sufficient so that Charles and Connie could focus on enriching the rooms as much as possible. When you book a room with Kinn Guesthouse, you receive a code for your room that becomes active the day you check in. When you arrive, your room is ready, there’s community wine in the common room, and if you happen to be there on a Saturday morning, Charles is most likely there to greet you with fresh muffins from Honey Pie (the bakery next door).
Kinn Guesthouse opened in March of this year but it is already very involved with theMilwaukee community. On all the walls in the guesthouse, you will find artwork from local Milwaukee artists that Connie handpicked herself. The exception is the gallery wall in the common room, which is part of Charles and Connie’s personal art collection. Connie plans on swapping the artwork in the rooms to display more local artists. On the Kinn website, you can find links to these artists. Kinn is also working with the restaurant Kindred, located on the first floor of the building. “We are starting to create events that bring local vendors in for conceptual dining experiences,” explains Connie.
Kinn makes it easy for travelers to instantly connect with Milwaukee. Guests can enjoy the luxurious day-lit rooms while feeling like they’re at home with access to a kitchen and a bottle of wine waiting for them on the counter. And the best part is that Charles and Connie take the time to get to know their guests. View their website and take a peek into the Kinn Guesthouse.
View the full blog at www.MKEinFocus.com
Milwaukee Talks Green
“The partnership works perfectly because we get to engage the community and broaden our reach by working together.” That’s Jessy Ortiz, Outpost’s Sustainability Manager talking about how she and Anastasia Kraft created Milwaukee Talks Green. Jessy and Ana started this group this past January because they wanted to inform our community about sustainability. The group meets roughly once a month to host events with guest speakers, tour local facilities, clean up rivers and more. “The whole idea of MKE Talks Green is to educate our community so people will know more and can make better decisions in their everyday life,” explains Ana Kraft.
But lets back up a moment because these two ambitious women didn’t even know each other until November 2016. Ana, originally from Germany, saw things differently than many Americans because she grew up in a country with small cars, renewable energy, extensive waste management and elaborate recycling. “Instead of complaining, I wanted to meet people. I’m sure there are many people out there that care about the environment and want to learn something,” she says. Inspired by TED Talks, she decided to make a Meet Up group where speakers could present to the community and everyone could discuss the topic afterwards.
Enter Jessy Ortiz and Outpost Natural Foods. At about the same time, Jessy and the company were discussing how to better engage the community in sustainability. The original idea was to start a group only for owners of the Outpost co-op, but when Ana showed up at the Bay View location asking if Outpost would host the Meet Up group, it made more sense to include the whole community.
Ana and Jessy plan out the events with themes based on the time of year or relevant holidays. For instance, in March their theme was water for World Water Day and they invited speakers from Milwaukee River Keeper, Feed Mouths Filling Minds and water expert Dr. Moe Mukiibi. In April they focused on local farming, hosting speakers from the Young Farmers Program and Victory Garden Initiative. In the summer months, they organized outside events like a tour of Milwaukee recycling facilities and of the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. August’s theme will be sustainable grazing and later in the fall they will be focussing on energy efficiency.
The two women emphasize that the group is meant to inform people of what’s already going on in their community and hopefully inspire them to get involved. “The idea is think global, act local,” says Jessy. “This is one way for Outpost to extend their mission: to provide owners a healthy, diverse and sustainable community.”
“Education is the most powerful tool we can use to change the world,” Ana passionately states. “Hopefully we will create a community where people see their impact.”
To join these two inspiring women at their next event, visit their Facebook page and learn more about how Milwaukee is becoming a sustainable city.
View the full blog at www.MKEinFocus.com
Springdale Farm
Located just Southwest of Plymouth and alongside the Northern Kettle Moraine State Forrest, Springdale Farm sits peacefully in a valley. In the fall of 1987, Peter and Bernadette Seely moved to Wisconsin to start their farm with a business model that was new to the midwest: Community Supported Agriculture. When their farm first opened in 1988, they had 45 members that subscribed to the farm in order to receive fresh produce every week of the growing season based on which crops were available. “It seemed like a good idea to build a better economy based on good food,” says Peter Seely.
Raised in a suburb of New York City, Peter didn't know much about farming but when a movement for organic food started in the 70s and early 80s Peter states, "the role of food and health became pretty obvious to me.” So he apprenticed at an organic vegetable farm in Maine for a summer, which first made him consider farming full time. A few years later, Peter taught high school math at a school in Iowa where he first met his soon-to be-wife Bernadette. The school had a garden that was part of a program to teach kids about farming that Bernadette and Peter managed together. In 1986, the couple spent a season touring farms, and among them were the first CSAs in the country. After learning how these farms functioned, the couple thought: “Let’s see if that idea could take route here in Wisconsin.”
That idea took off. For the first 20 years, they had a waiting list for their CSA, which serves Sheboygan, Ozaukee and Milwaukee counties. Springdale is now one of about 12 farms in Southeast Wisconsin that follow the Community Supported Agriculture model. The farmers are in the process of creating a group called CSA Farms of Southeast Wisconsin, in which they help each other with advice and outreach about CSAs.
"So how does Springdale Farm benefit the Milwaukee community?", I asked Peter Seely. As a CSA member, Peter explains, people "know they are directly supporting a local farm dedicated to keeping the soil and the environment safe to pass it on to future generations.” Additionally, people know exactly where their food comes from and can have it delivered the day after it was picked from the field.
Now 29 years later, Peter and Bernadette Seely have 750 CSA members, 13 greenhouses, electric tractors powered by solar panels and a continued mission to provide healthy food and a sustainable future for our environment. And in case you're wondering, their favorite thing to cook this time of year is pesto.
Learn more about the farm on their website: www.SpringdaleFarmCSA.org
View the full blog at www.MKEinFocus.com