Business Grant Program Rejuvenated With $200,000

Business district leaders say the program was so effective in the first phase that they want to continue the grant program to fill the remaining vacancies on the street.

Business Grant Program Rejuvenated With $200,000

Business district leaders say the program was so effective in the first phase that they want to continue the grant program to fill the remaining vacancies on the street.

After spending all of the funds in its business grant program, the Whitefish Bay Business Improvement District is rejuvenating the program with the hope of filling additional vacancies on Silver Spring Drive. Whitefish Bay's retail incentive grant program was launched in 2009 with a pot of $200,000 that was to last through 2014. After three years, the money has already been spent. "We wanted to get new businesses on the street as soon as we could," said Sendik's Food Markets co-owner Ted Balistreri, a member of the BID board.  Here's a brief history of the retail incentive grant program: On Monday night, the Village Board agreed to lend another $200,000 to extend the program for another five years past the 2014 expiration date. In effect, …

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Sendik's Headquarters Moving Out of Whitefish Bay

The fate of the office building on Lake Drive is unknown, but the grocery store will stay in place.

Balistreri owned and operated Sendik's Food Markets has always been based in Whitefish Bay, ever since its first grocery store opened on Silver Spring Drive in 1949.  Now, the 40 to 45 employees who work at Sendik's corporate headquarters could move as early as this year to a 208,000-square-foot building at 7225 W. Marcia Road on the northwest side of Milwaukee. Sendik's spokesman Nick Bandoch said the company hasn't made a decision as to what will be done with the current corporate office building at 5623 North Lake Drive, just east of the Whitefish Bay grocery store. The new corporate building in Milwaukee will have 173,000 square feet of warehouse space and 35,000 square feet of office space, according to Biz Times. Currently, Sendik's …

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The Bay Opens Softly Thursday

Whitefish Bay's new dinner spot prioritizes fresh, approachable and unique food options in its remodeled space at 342 E. Silver Spring Drive.

James McMahon knows how to do three things particularly well: write music, maintain a handlebar mustache and open restaurants. The first two might be irrelevant for the point of this article, but his experience opening restaurants is anything but. After opening six Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants in the last 15 years, and helping out with other restaurants in the area, McMahon knows that a good restauranteur listens closely to their customers in the beginning weeks. McMahon and co-owner Paul Berlin are off to a good start by opening up a community-focused eatery at 342 E. Silver Spring Drive, which has been a constant target for redevelopment ever since El Guapo's Mexican restaurant left in December 2010.  But McMahon also hopes to continue…

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Cupcake Shop to Sweeten Silver Spring Drive

With five stores in Florida, the owners of Grace & Shelly's Cupcakes plan to open in Whitefish Bay on Aug. 1.

Whitefish Bay's business district will get a little sweeter come Aug. 1, when Florida-based Grace & Shelly's Cupcakes plan to open in the former Think Toys storefront at 308 E. Silver Spring Drive.  Shelly Stayer and Grace Bolen have made quite a name for themselves in Naples, FL, where they have opened five cupcake shops. In addition to gourmet cupcakes, the Whitefish Bay shop will also be offering Wisconsin-made ice cream and gourmet popcorn. Stayer said the two first met three years ago at Bolen's cupcake shop in Naples. They soon became friends and decided to open their first Grace & Shelly's Cupcakes store in the summer of 2011. Stayer, a Wisconsin native, moved from Fond du Lac to Naples four years ago and spends her summers in …

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Been there done that

10:52 am on Sunday, April 21, 2013

I have a great idea Bob, why don't we open a combination food/coffee establishment that is also a fitness center? It would be less overhead and essentially would fill a big need since after customers fill their face you wouldn't have to drive down the street, find parking, deal with inclement weather, etc. to go burn it off at the gym.   more ›

Orange Shoe Fitness Up and Running on Silver Spring

Whitefish Bay's newest personal fitness studio opened this week, offering personal training, TRX, yoga, and other exercises tailored to an individual's fitness goals.

Those looking to get in shape for the summer months have a new local fitness option in Orange Shoe Personal Fitness at 121 E. Silver Spring Drive. Orange Shoe was started in 2004 by Joshua Martin, and now the company boasts seven locations: three in the Madison area; one a piece in Brookfield, Chicago and Houston; and now, the Whitefish Bay location.   The Whitefish Bay studio is owned by Tina Martin – no relation to Joshua. She says she chose to open in the former Honquest Furniture building because of its size, visibility and close proximity to her existing personal training clients. "I felt the area was lacking something like this. It's a little bit different than most fitness places," she said. "Whitefish Bay is a great community, and …

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20 Years of Breadsmith: Whitefish Bay Company Shares Recipe for Success

What started as a small bakery has expanded to a $22 million operation with 34 stores across the country.

Twenty years ago, a small bakery opened its doors on Downer Avenue, making a name for itself with high quality European breads. Today, Breadsmith still bakes fresh bread daily on Downer Avenue. But with insight from its headquarters in Whitefish Bay, the company has expanded to a total of 34 stores in 15 states. What started as a $300,000 operation now brings in an estimated $22 million per year in sales. Breadsmith President Tim Malouf started as a retail clerk and has had experience with nearly every facet of the business over the last 20 years. Malouf said Breadsmith's recipe for success includes top-shelf ingredients, knowledgable and passionate franchisees, and a corporate philosophy that prioritizes quality over quantity. "We're …

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AWD

5:50 pm on Tuesday, April 16, 2013

I agree, great company.   more ›

The Bay Restaurant Expects Late April Opening

The incoming Whitefish Bay restaurant will serve a variety of entrees, sandwiches, salads, pizza and burgers.

The Bay, Whitefish Bay's newest restaurant, will open in the former El Guapo's space later this month, according to Carol Deptolla's dining blog on Tap Milwaukee. The restaurant coming to 342 E. Silver Spring Drive expects to serve a variety of six entrees, several salads, soups, sandwiches, pizza and burgers. The restaurant will serve beer and cocktails, and the owners even hope to have a rickshaw available for customers that are not able to drive, according to Deptolla. The Bay is co-owned by Whitefish Bay resident Paul Berlin and Paul McMahon, who both held executive positions at a company that owned Sabor and several Buffalo Wild Wings franchises. The Bay's chef will be Erik Hansen, who previously worked at Distil, according to …

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9Round Hits Silver Spring Drive

The 30-minute total-body kickboxing fitness center will open its doors Wednesday morning.

The owner of a new kickboxing fitness center hopes its unique workout format will be a hit with the North Shore community when he opens the doors to 9Round Whitefish Bay Wednesday morning. 9Round, which already has locations in Oak Creek, Waukesha and Brookfield, will open at 8 a.m. Wednesday at 318 E. Silver Spring Drive. 9Round is a specialized fitness center that brings boxing and kickboxing fitness training in a 30-minute, full-body circuit format.  Members circulate through nine different workout stations, spending two minutes and 30 seconds at each. Between the stations, they take a 30-second active break that consists of burpees, wall sits or jumping jacks. Whitefish Bay franchisee Ryan Thomson said he uses the equipment at each …

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The Making of an Easter Lamb Cake

Patch goes behind the scenes of Regina's Bay Bakery to show how a little buttercream frosting can transform a simple yellow cake into a decorative Easter lamb.

Patch goes behind the scenes of Regina's Bay Bakery to show how they use buttercream frosting to transform a simple yellow pound cake into a lamb.

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