This campaign is closed

Reclaiming the Historic Wally Schmidt Tavern

This storied old tavern is our launchpad to reclaim Milwaukee. One building at a time. Together.

Caret Left
Caret Right
Closed
Closed
Closed
Closed
Closed

Reclaiming the Historic Wally Schmidt Tavern

Reclaiming the Historic Wally Schmidt Tavern

Reclaiming the Historic Wally Schmidt Tavern

Reclaiming the Historic Wally Schmidt Tavern

Reclaiming the Historic Wally Schmidt Tavern

This storied old tavern is our launchpad to reclaim Milwaukee. One building at a time. Together.

This storied old tavern is our launchpad to reclaim Milwaukee. One building at a time. Together.

This storied old tavern is our launchpad to reclaim Milwaukee. One building at a time. Together.

This storied old tavern is our launchpad to reclaim Milwaukee. One building at a time. Together.

Juli Kaufmann
Juli Kaufmann
Juli Kaufmann
Juli Kaufmann
3 Campaigns |
Milwaukee, United States
$37,571 USD by 170 backers
$36,366 USD by 159 backers on Jan 8, 2016
Highlights
Mountain Filled 3 Projects Mountain Filled 3 Projects

WE ARE STILL RAISING FUNDS!

**UPDATE :  We need more than our initial goal! Any dollar raised beyond the first goal helps us reduce our loan of $150,000- and we really need to do that.  And, any funds beyond that (let's be crazy optimists!  Why not?) would go to actually equip the kitchen!  So - let's blow right past our goal with this final momentum!

The Historic Walter Schmidt Tavern was built in 1893 and is located at 1848 W. Fond du Lac Ave. in Milwaukee’s Lindsay Heights neighborhood. Wally and Belle Schmidt ran the joint from 1935 to 1968. The tavern was famous for its steak sandwiches and fish fries. It was also a favorite hangout spot for Milwaukee's politicians and ballplayers alike -  famous Braves baseball player Warren Spahn held his son's birthday parties here (For more read about it in the newpaper story posted under the Gallery tab).  In 1968, the McCarthy family leased the tavern and renamed it Max & Mildred’s (Later M & M Lounge).  The lounge closed in 2010 and has been vacant since.

Much of the tavern’s original historic features are still in place, including a patterned hex-tile floor, finished wood molding and millwork, the historic bar, wrought ironwork, and embossed glass in the tavern’s entry door. Exterior features include a terra cotta roof, leaded glass windows, and decorative Mission Revival style piers. 

Juli Kaufmann (www.fixdevelopment.com) and Jeremy Davis have joined as partners to reclaim the building for a new sit-down restaurant on the first floor and offices on the second floor.  Juli has developed lots of local real estate recognized for its social and environmental impact.  She has also co-founded a pioneering crowdfundng vehicle called Fund Milwaukee where regular Milwaukeeans invest in local businesses and real estate.  Jeremy is a Lindsay Heights resident and works for Walnut Way Conservation Corp (www.walnutway.org), bringing extensive experience in community development both locally and globally. 

Duh.  This is an abandoned, foreclosed building that has suffered fire damage and vandalism.  It's located in Milwaukee's lowest income neighborhood. Overcoming these challenges will make success so much sweeter.  

We are bringing back the Wally Schmidt Tavern so that it can catalyze economic investment in the neighborhood, support three new small businesses, create local jobs, and make positive change.

In the Lindsay Heights neighborhood, systematic disinvestment has created a downward economic spiral - leaving a neighborhood that traditional investors and financial instutions now ignore.  Where homes and businesses once created a vibrant community, foreclosures have now reached a crisis level and more than half of commercial properties currently stand vacant.   

While these statistics evidence complex challenges, there is also tremendous potential. Many residents, businesses and partners are now successfully working together to begin transforming the community. 

  • Mentorship:  An experienced developer (Juli) partners with a local resident (Jeremy) to enable skill transfer and capacity building through hands-on learning embedded right in the neighborhood.

  • Community-identified economic development needs:  The Lindsay Heights neighborhood residents have identified this building and the proposed uses as high priorities to have catalytic impact on the neighborhood.

  • Direct investment by community residents, and sustained community ownership: Local residents will participate as investors using a crowdfunding ownership model and local businesses are sought as tenants to ensure local wealth-building, local job creation, and local economic impact.  

If you'd like this model explained in more detail, just ask us because we'd love to tell you.  This is our secret sauce!   


This project will cost $500,000 and here's some good news. We've already raised much of it!  We have a loan, we have some investors, we have some grants, and we have our own real money and sweat equity.  We also have lease commitments for three of the four tenant spaces. So, if we build it - they will come and pay rent!  We are working on the final space - the restaurant- and conversations are exciting, but not yet official.  We really need help getting the kitchen transformed and our current funding is not enough.  

So check out our perks to the right.  Every dollar raised will go toward renovating the building into something special.  Minimally, we need $31,000 to fill a gap in our construction budget.  Any dollar raised beyond our goal would help us reduce our loan of $150,000- and we really need to do that.  And, any funds beyond that (let's be crazy optimists!  Why not?) would go to actually equip the kitchen!  And then you can come visit!

Well, the obvious impact will be a super cool restored building that is home to a fabulous restaurant where new memories can be made.  But, its about a lot more than that.  

The historic Wally Schmidt Tavern has been identified as an ideal project that fits the goals of the neighborhood with a high probability of success and an ability to have significant economic impact on Lindsay Heights because it will:

  1. Locate on Fond Du Lac Avenue, a key commercial corridor near the critical intersection at North Avenue;
  2. Eliminate blight by redeveloping a vacant and foreclosed commercial property;
  3. Be developed and owned by partners willing to serve as active citizens in the local business community;
  4. Enable local wealth building through local ownership as well as local hiring practices;
  5. Attract occupants that are entrepreneurs and locally-owned micro-businesses committed to social, environmental and economic returns (a triple bottom line);
  6. Create new jobs;
  7. Add tax-paying commercial uses and contribute property tax value to the business improvement district; and,
  8. Provide healthy products and services accessible to the local community that add to the local quality of life.

Even if you, personally, can't donate...we are sure you know someone who can. Won't you please share this with your social media world? Link to us on Facebook or Twitter. Become an advocate for our work, if you aren't already. You'll be amazed at what's possible when people put their minds to something.



Looking for more information? Check the project FAQ
Need more information
Let us know if you think this campaign contains prohibited content.

Choose your Perk

DONATE NOW -CHOOSE YOUR AMOUNT

$1 USD
WE ARE CONTINUING TO ACCEPT DONATIONS VIA IN DEMAND!!! CLICK "GET THIS PERK" TO DONATE $1 AND YOU MAY ADD ANY AMOUNT TO THE $1 ONCE YOU CLICK ON THE LINK FOR THIS PERK!!
2 claimed

Handwritten Thank You Notecard

$25 USD
Fund one hour of wages and benefits for local labor and get a handwritten note printed on a replica postcard of the Historic Wally Schmidt Tavern.
27 claimed
Ships worldwide.

Notecard and Juice or Jam

$100 USD
Get our historic replica notecard plus a gift certificate for a fresh, organic juice from The Juice Kitchen. Delicious and healthy proof that a small entrepreneur can be successful in the Lindsay Heights neighborhood. If you are not based in Milwaukee, we instead will send a jar of locally sourced jam.
Estimated Shipping
January 2016
24 claimed
Ships worldwide.

Notecard, Hug and VIP Invite

$250 USD
Get an invite to the grand opening party- including a behind the scenes tour - plus a hug from the co-developers, along with a thank you notecard.
19 out of 50 of claimed
Ships worldwide.

Story Hill BKC Gift Card

$350 USD
Enjoy delicious food and drink at one of Milwaukee's most unique and delicious eateries, Story Hill BKC. Located on Milwaukee's west side, BKC features seasonal American fare, craft brews, and a great selection of wines. Gift card entitles you to $100 at the restaurant, bar, and bottle shop.
Estimated Shipping
January 2016
1 out of 3 of claimed
Ships worldwide.

BKC Card plus One-Hour Massage

$450 USD
Enjoy a great dining experience at Story Hill BKC, then book your one-hour massage appointment with professional massage therapist, Angeline Wilke.
Estimated Shipping
January 2016
0 out of 1 of claimed
Ships worldwide.

BKC Card + Sacred Home Consult

$500 USD
Enjoy a great dining experience at Story Hill BKC. Desire to bring the chic and comfort into your own home? Receive one Living in a Sacred Home Consultation from Angela Smith, Life Coach and Holistic Practitioner at Zen Dragonfly. https://www.instagram.com/p/99gn2LwtNG/ http://www.thezendragonfly.com/about.html
Estimated Shipping
January 2016
0 out of 1 of claimed
Ships worldwide.

Founders Dinner

$1,000 USD
Be treated to homemade dinner with two of the coolest people in the world, Walnut Way founders Larry and Sharon Adams while Wally Schmidt co-developers Jeremy and Juli serve at your beck and call.
Estimated Shipping
June 2016
5 claimed
Ships worldwide.

Your Throne

$5,000 USD
We'll name one of the public bathrooms after you or, if you prefer, another spot can be named in your honor.
0 out of 3 of claimed
Ships worldwide.

Kitchen Naming Rights

$50,000 USD
If we can exceed our target and reach a stretch goal, we can build the kitchen for our operator, ensuring strong success. Make it so, and we'll name it whatever you'd like.
0 claimed
Ships worldwide.
Up Caret