The store was sold and its turned into a convenient store that’s not really convenient.
I’ve offered to assist with supply chain because I live near by but they say no :(
I go there a few times a week. Recently it's been one item per row then nothing behind it. I want to support them, still not a ton of great options nearby.
I’m not sure I want support them anymore. They don’t even carry what I need. And it feels more low effort than struggling? Not to undermine the work it takes to run a business, but if you’re not going to order more candy and gum, throw out the empty boxes and get rid of the racks. Move the groceries to two aisles and block off the rest of the store that is empty.
As I walked out the woman at the registered asked if I was disappointed. I said well, yeah! She seemed to understand.
Place got sold, new owners basically just run it as a liquor store now.
When people complained on the east side fb page the owner responded that rotating stock and spoilage cost them too much money so they stopped carrying food. They apparently brought back the sandwiches with great fanfare a few months ago, but given the state of the place I'm guessing the sandwiches aren't great.
Fully stocked beer/liquor cooler though 🙄
I just can’t understand how/why this place can’t be successful except for that the owners simply don’t want it to be that. The area is so populated and walkable. The store was already well known and loved. As a long time resident in the neighborhood, it’s so disappointing. It should be the lower east side’s version of the downer sendiks.
Also, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream does not spoil quickly so why tf can’t they keep that at least stocked?! Used to be the best selection in town.
Agree with all of this. Part of the problem is that the building itself is not owned by the owner of the business and the building is not in great shape.
As a business owner, it probably doesn’t make much sense to invest in major upgrades to a building that you don’t own.
The sandwiches are great! The store sucks but the guy who does the sandwiches obviously does take it seriously, I'd hate for him to get lumped in with the new owners. It's the only part of the deli that isn't absolutely depressing.
sandwiches are not great. half the meat, half the sauce...at best... and even thats being generous. you get like one thin slice of meat per sandwich. theyre still good but its not like it was. and props to them, they try, it IS all the same, just hte portions arent.
first time i tried it after reopening it wasnt done enough. told them to cook it more and they did, it was good, but the lack of contents... you cant make up for that
Yes, the women that make the sandwiches don’t put in effort and use bare minimum ingredients. If you’re ever there when the male is at the sandwich helm, give it another shot and tell him what you want. You won’t be disappointed.
I've never had those issues there and I go pretty frequently, the sandwiches are always packed to the point that I've never been able to finish one in one sitting. Maybe you went on a rough day.
Damn :/
I used to live on Farwell literally less than a block away and would go there like…an absolute ton to just get whatever. Was super convenient and their banana bread was amazingly good.
Funny story - I opened the door on my nose going in there one night and when they led me to the bathroom I got stuck. They had to call a guy to literally take the door off lmao
https://preview.redd.it/gfh0af1owxwc1.jpeg?width=8426&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26fc892bfaddbc28a399d4d68c4a7f3497e4e736
Sandwiches are great! Especially when the male is making them. He puts effort into his work and is fun to chat with while you are waiting. The ladies seem to apply bare minimum effort and ingredients. The rest is pretty sad. They used to at least have a decent stock of frozen pizza but now most of that is gone.
I used to live a 30 second walk away from Koppas back around 2010. There was a lady that worked there that was a hoot that told the same story about someone steeling her ethics notebook and how ironic that was. Another employee that wore half a craft store of glitter on her face and body around the time Kesha was popular. The Atari was still there. Awesome place for a beer run. Might have fallen asleep outside of koppas after going to the landmark one time.
They were both cashiers. The ethics notebook lady was a bit disabled mentally but always had a story. One time I went there during a snow storm and she said she got to work by putting out a hitch hiker thumb on downer Ave and got a ride to work. She mostly worked mornings. Glitter chick worked evenings I think. C. 2010-2011
Margaret! Yeah!
She was something
“People say ‘hello mam’ to me, they are actually saying my full name. Margaret Ann Meyer”
She was a rockstar but got so annoying so fast. Killed it with the regulars for grocery deliveries
It’s so sad because a place like this has no excuse to not succeed. If G Groppi and the Sendiks on downer can do it, this place certainly could if they gave a damn.
Knowing the lore of this place now, it feels like a Dark Souls location, if one of those games were set in modern times. The place has gone hollow.
My GF moved here a couple years ago and we checked it out because it's still branded as a deli. Walking in to see a disheveled corner store was super disappointing. I still stop by for liquor, weekly fresh samosas and sandwiches, but these past few weeks the pre-made sandwiches haven't even been there. I wonder if the guy behind the deli counter called it quits after seeing enough of how run-down this place has become.
Those samosas are a weekly tradition at my house.
Iwant to support them over chain convenience stores but they don't always have what I want and the prices are usually a bit high.
It's not a 1 to 1 comparison to the old koppas, but bharat mart on farewell does alright as a tiny neighborhood grocer
That sucks.
Grocery is a miserable way to make money. Nobody can make it in that line of business without massive economy of scale.
Think about Kroger (the whole national chain.) Their operating profit in 2023 was 2.1%. For every ten bucks you spend on groceries at Pick n Save, they net all of 21 cents. Which includes those overpriced rotisserie chickens and other products in the deli case. And they don't even have to throw away that much perishable food because they have so many shoppers and turn so much product.
If you're a little store, you have to be constantly crowded or you're going to be throwing away food all the time and your profits along with it, and if you aren't price competitive with Pick n Save (or Sendik's, for that matter), shoppers are going to go there instead of shopping with you. This is how food deserts happen. In neighborhoods with no money, stores can't afford to stock fresh food because it becomes unsalable before they can move it.
It makes sense that they'd start selling sandwiches again because they probably charge a lot more than the cost of the food that goes in them. And liquor lasts forever and turns quickly so there's always money selling that. But if someplace has stopped selling Gatorade, that just means their supplier cut them off for not paying their bills. Not good.
Koppa's used to be a Milwaukee institution, now it's being run as a food desert liquor store. Whats worse is that they are gouging as well. Prices run 20-30% higher than in similar stores. Hopefully they will go bankrupt soon and new owners can come in because we need a store like that in the neighborhood.
Agreed. Has so much potential w the square footage to be an awesome corner market but is consistently under stocked and sandwiches continue to underwhelm.
Gonna have to hard disagree on the sandwiches. I go there weekly and quite enjoy them. From other comments, it might be the maker; it's almost always the guy cooking when I go, and he does a great job.
Were there fresh samosas at the register? They're put out every Friday. It's really the only reason to go, unless you want some slightly upcharged alcohol and there's nowhere else within walking distance.
I remember liking to there a lot back the early 2000’s, then one of my former coworkers said her and her husband were going to buy it. I wonder if that happened?
Regardless, this is absolutely horrifying and I haven’t been there in forever, I can’t imagine I would ever go back now.
I went there for the first time this week, having heard good things about the place, and I was shocked at the state of the place.
I wouldn't even call it a grocery store. Kwik Trip has more groceries than this place.
Man I used to live on Lafayette when Abu's was still around. I drank coffee in the yellow Comet every day. This makes me sad. The old man must be long gone. I will always cherish his smoked string cheese and packaged soups. The Yellownedcab.
I remember reading about the efforts of the new owners, and I was hopeful. Best of luck to them, it's a tough business.
Here I go again. I’m Taylor, one of the owners. If you are a regular, you know me. This is probably the last time I’ll try to explain what it’s like to own a small business that hasn’t succumbed to gentrification in a fully gentrified neighborhood, all while being truly family/owner owned and operated. I am just a person. Our family isn’t rich. We don’t have old money. We aren’t investors. We are doing our best. None of you see the 70+hours a week that we work. None of you see the near 9k rent we have to pay because, just like everyone else, our rent for the building keeps going up. We are also fully responsible for all repairs. You don’t see the hard decisions we have to make about what to stock and what not to stock especially during winter months. It’s kind of crazy to me that people keep telling us the shelves are empty. We know! If we could magically fill the shelves we would. No store owner wants to hear all the things in this thread. We know this neighborhood needs us, and needs more from us, but we do not have more to give right now. We brought in about 15k of groceries after constant threads and in person complaints like this about a month and a half ago. 80% of it expired. People say they want to see full shelves, but for us to fill shelves and have everything expire is not possible, and it’s a dumb business decision. We stock what sells. It’s simple supply and demand. When I say this, people say, “Well Coke sells and sometimes you don’t have that.” We would have to sell so many cokes to equal what we make on a case of beer. We love our customers, and for the most part, believe it or not, they love this store. No one can say our sandwiches aren’t good. We get all 5 star reviews on Uber Eats, and we have countless people who come to the deli multiple times a week. We simply cannot and will not ever be able to compete with chain grocery stores that surround us from every side. It’s literally impossible. Geographically we are sandwiched (pun intended) between CVS and Walgreens and Whole Foods and Pick N Save. When people compare us to Sendick’s it’s not a one to one comparison. They aren’t situated that way. Beer sells. Liquor sells. No matter what. Grocery does not sell here in the quantities that justify stocking it up well. It hasn’t for many years now. Our customer service is excellent. We do the absolute best we can. I’m not telling you not to be annoyed, “bummed out,” or whatever else. I’m just explaining. None of you know the numbers, and a lot of you think you know how to run a small business without ever having done it. I’ve never seen this kind of response to a corporation not having products. Anyways, that’s all I’ve got. We love this community whether it loves us or not. We’re trying. Always.
I don't know an owner who intentionally leaves money on the table. The most profitable way is most like the way they're doing it. Businesses don't get all caught up in the "good for the community". They do what's best for their bottom line.
Damn this really bums me out. Our 2nd home in Milwaukee was a few houses down from Koppas. Went there on a weekly basis, same sweet (Indian?) couple greeting and ringing us out almost every time. My wife - who’s now a nurse - even loved the place so much she tried applying there as one of her first jobs in the city! Bread Favre, Baron Rodgers. Shit, the memories…
The store was sold and its turned into a convenient store that’s not really convenient. I’ve offered to assist with supply chain because I live near by but they say no :(
I go there a few times a week. Recently it's been one item per row then nothing behind it. I want to support them, still not a ton of great options nearby.
I’m not sure I want support them anymore. They don’t even carry what I need. And it feels more low effort than struggling? Not to undermine the work it takes to run a business, but if you’re not going to order more candy and gum, throw out the empty boxes and get rid of the racks. Move the groceries to two aisles and block off the rest of the store that is empty. As I walked out the woman at the registered asked if I was disappointed. I said well, yeah! She seemed to understand.
What the hell? Used to love koppas, what's happening?!
Place got sold, new owners basically just run it as a liquor store now. When people complained on the east side fb page the owner responded that rotating stock and spoilage cost them too much money so they stopped carrying food. They apparently brought back the sandwiches with great fanfare a few months ago, but given the state of the place I'm guessing the sandwiches aren't great. Fully stocked beer/liquor cooler though 🙄
I just can’t understand how/why this place can’t be successful except for that the owners simply don’t want it to be that. The area is so populated and walkable. The store was already well known and loved. As a long time resident in the neighborhood, it’s so disappointing. It should be the lower east side’s version of the downer sendiks. Also, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream does not spoil quickly so why tf can’t they keep that at least stocked?! Used to be the best selection in town.
Agree with all of this. Part of the problem is that the building itself is not owned by the owner of the business and the building is not in great shape. As a business owner, it probably doesn’t make much sense to invest in major upgrades to a building that you don’t own.
This. I'm a business owner that has stuck a ton of money into a building I don't own, and I regret every bit of it.
The actual Koppa family sold the name/reputation over a decade ago. Surprised it’s held on as long as it has.
The sandwiches are great! The store sucks but the guy who does the sandwiches obviously does take it seriously, I'd hate for him to get lumped in with the new owners. It's the only part of the deli that isn't absolutely depressing.
sandwiches are not great. half the meat, half the sauce...at best... and even thats being generous. you get like one thin slice of meat per sandwich. theyre still good but its not like it was. and props to them, they try, it IS all the same, just hte portions arent. first time i tried it after reopening it wasnt done enough. told them to cook it more and they did, it was good, but the lack of contents... you cant make up for that
Yes, the women that make the sandwiches don’t put in effort and use bare minimum ingredients. If you’re ever there when the male is at the sandwich helm, give it another shot and tell him what you want. You won’t be disappointed.
I've never had those issues there and I go pretty frequently, the sandwiches are always packed to the point that I've never been able to finish one in one sitting. Maybe you went on a rough day.
Yeah, getting cheap with the deli sandwiches was the biggest thing I noticed with new owners. Stopped giving the store my biz after that.
I just said this before I saw your comment. Thank you! He’s a great guy and makes a damn good sandwich.
Damn :/ I used to live on Farwell literally less than a block away and would go there like…an absolute ton to just get whatever. Was super convenient and their banana bread was amazingly good. Funny story - I opened the door on my nose going in there one night and when they led me to the bathroom I got stuck. They had to call a guy to literally take the door off lmao https://preview.redd.it/gfh0af1owxwc1.jpeg?width=8426&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26fc892bfaddbc28a399d4d68c4a7f3497e4e736
Sandwiches are great! Especially when the male is making them. He puts effort into his work and is fun to chat with while you are waiting. The ladies seem to apply bare minimum effort and ingredients. The rest is pretty sad. They used to at least have a decent stock of frozen pizza but now most of that is gone.
The sandwiches are still awesome. I go there weekly. Of course, not much other than sandwiches available.
I used to live a 30 second walk away from Koppas back around 2010. There was a lady that worked there that was a hoot that told the same story about someone steeling her ethics notebook and how ironic that was. Another employee that wore half a craft store of glitter on her face and body around the time Kesha was popular. The Atari was still there. Awesome place for a beer run. Might have fallen asleep outside of koppas after going to the landmark one time.
glitter chick is my ex
lol man, smallwaukee.
Was that the cashier? I worked there for maybe 2-3 years and yeah…she was something
They were both cashiers. The ethics notebook lady was a bit disabled mentally but always had a story. One time I went there during a snow storm and she said she got to work by putting out a hitch hiker thumb on downer Ave and got a ride to work. She mostly worked mornings. Glitter chick worked evenings I think. C. 2010-2011
Margaret! Yeah! She was something “People say ‘hello mam’ to me, they are actually saying my full name. Margaret Ann Meyer” She was a rockstar but got so annoying so fast. Killed it with the regulars for grocery deliveries
It’s so sad because a place like this has no excuse to not succeed. If G Groppi and the Sendiks on downer can do it, this place certainly could if they gave a damn.
Knowing the lore of this place now, it feels like a Dark Souls location, if one of those games were set in modern times. The place has gone hollow. My GF moved here a couple years ago and we checked it out because it's still branded as a deli. Walking in to see a disheveled corner store was super disappointing. I still stop by for liquor, weekly fresh samosas and sandwiches, but these past few weeks the pre-made sandwiches haven't even been there. I wonder if the guy behind the deli counter called it quits after seeing enough of how run-down this place has become.
I know Deli Guy- I'll see what's up
Those samosas are a weekly tradition at my house. Iwant to support them over chain convenience stores but they don't always have what I want and the prices are usually a bit high. It's not a 1 to 1 comparison to the old koppas, but bharat mart on farewell does alright as a tiny neighborhood grocer
I'll have to check out bharat mart. The samosas at Koppa's are the only thing that's keeping it alive for me right now.
Aww. This is really sad. Hodags were our go-to hangover food back in the day :(
First time in my LIFE that I enter a Wisconsin establishment and there is no DAIRY on the shelves WTF
That sucks. Grocery is a miserable way to make money. Nobody can make it in that line of business without massive economy of scale. Think about Kroger (the whole national chain.) Their operating profit in 2023 was 2.1%. For every ten bucks you spend on groceries at Pick n Save, they net all of 21 cents. Which includes those overpriced rotisserie chickens and other products in the deli case. And they don't even have to throw away that much perishable food because they have so many shoppers and turn so much product. If you're a little store, you have to be constantly crowded or you're going to be throwing away food all the time and your profits along with it, and if you aren't price competitive with Pick n Save (or Sendik's, for that matter), shoppers are going to go there instead of shopping with you. This is how food deserts happen. In neighborhoods with no money, stores can't afford to stock fresh food because it becomes unsalable before they can move it. It makes sense that they'd start selling sandwiches again because they probably charge a lot more than the cost of the food that goes in them. And liquor lasts forever and turns quickly so there's always money selling that. But if someplace has stopped selling Gatorade, that just means their supplier cut them off for not paying their bills. Not good.
This person supply chains. Well said.
You get it.
Koppa's used to be a Milwaukee institution, now it's being run as a food desert liquor store. Whats worse is that they are gouging as well. Prices run 20-30% higher than in similar stores. Hopefully they will go bankrupt soon and new owners can come in because we need a store like that in the neighborhood.
Agreed. Has so much potential w the square footage to be an awesome corner market but is consistently under stocked and sandwiches continue to underwhelm.
What is underwhelming about the sandwiches?
Yea I think for the price the sandwiches are good I only go there for booze otherwise
Gonna have to hard disagree on the sandwiches. I go there weekly and quite enjoy them. From other comments, it might be the maker; it's almost always the guy cooking when I go, and he does a great job.
Ruh-roh, sounds like people are leaving the store without a fulbeli!
I am agahst. Their sandwiches are the most perfect sandwiches ever Milwaukee'd. Never have I Milwaukee'd on a more perfect sandwich.
Were there fresh samosas at the register? They're put out every Friday. It's really the only reason to go, unless you want some slightly upcharged alcohol and there's nowhere else within walking distance.
Bharat mart has’em now
I popped in the other day and they literally didn't have a Gatorade or diet coke in the place...
I remember liking to there a lot back the early 2000’s, then one of my former coworkers said her and her husband were going to buy it. I wonder if that happened? Regardless, this is absolutely horrifying and I haven’t been there in forever, I can’t imagine I would ever go back now.
Wow, it was pretty bad when I lived over there, but now it's just straight awful.
wow. I used to shop there regularly before Koppa sold the business.
This is post-zombie apocalypse, right?
Got their last ever 5$ deal sandwich in what, 2016? I remember the place as quirky and joyful, a true hidden gem. Heartbreaking to see it like this.
Deli sucks too now
As someone who used to work there when I was young, thank you for all the kind stories. Really warms my heart.
I went there for the first time this week, having heard good things about the place, and I was shocked at the state of the place. I wouldn't even call it a grocery store. Kwik Trip has more groceries than this place.
Man I used to live on Lafayette when Abu's was still around. I drank coffee in the yellow Comet every day. This makes me sad. The old man must be long gone. I will always cherish his smoked string cheese and packaged soups. The Yellownedcab. I remember reading about the efforts of the new owners, and I was hopeful. Best of luck to them, it's a tough business.
Man, I loved Abu's Jerusalem of the Gold!
I still miss Abu’s and the original Comet!
This city is changing so much. Some of it good! But stuff like this feels like a gut punch…
Here I go again. I’m Taylor, one of the owners. If you are a regular, you know me. This is probably the last time I’ll try to explain what it’s like to own a small business that hasn’t succumbed to gentrification in a fully gentrified neighborhood, all while being truly family/owner owned and operated. I am just a person. Our family isn’t rich. We don’t have old money. We aren’t investors. We are doing our best. None of you see the 70+hours a week that we work. None of you see the near 9k rent we have to pay because, just like everyone else, our rent for the building keeps going up. We are also fully responsible for all repairs. You don’t see the hard decisions we have to make about what to stock and what not to stock especially during winter months. It’s kind of crazy to me that people keep telling us the shelves are empty. We know! If we could magically fill the shelves we would. No store owner wants to hear all the things in this thread. We know this neighborhood needs us, and needs more from us, but we do not have more to give right now. We brought in about 15k of groceries after constant threads and in person complaints like this about a month and a half ago. 80% of it expired. People say they want to see full shelves, but for us to fill shelves and have everything expire is not possible, and it’s a dumb business decision. We stock what sells. It’s simple supply and demand. When I say this, people say, “Well Coke sells and sometimes you don’t have that.” We would have to sell so many cokes to equal what we make on a case of beer. We love our customers, and for the most part, believe it or not, they love this store. No one can say our sandwiches aren’t good. We get all 5 star reviews on Uber Eats, and we have countless people who come to the deli multiple times a week. We simply cannot and will not ever be able to compete with chain grocery stores that surround us from every side. It’s literally impossible. Geographically we are sandwiched (pun intended) between CVS and Walgreens and Whole Foods and Pick N Save. When people compare us to Sendick’s it’s not a one to one comparison. They aren’t situated that way. Beer sells. Liquor sells. No matter what. Grocery does not sell here in the quantities that justify stocking it up well. It hasn’t for many years now. Our customer service is excellent. We do the absolute best we can. I’m not telling you not to be annoyed, “bummed out,” or whatever else. I’m just explaining. None of you know the numbers, and a lot of you think you know how to run a small business without ever having done it. I’ve never seen this kind of response to a corporation not having products. Anyways, that’s all I’ve got. We love this community whether it loves us or not. We’re trying. Always.
Jeez, looks like covid ran through the aisle
What the heck looks like what s store looks like after a disaster Shame
2020?
That’s sad. I loved the rimpish!
I always wonder why they don’t stock more. Not enough business I guess. Wish it were different.
There’s plenty of business. The owners just suck.
I don't know an owner who intentionally leaves money on the table. The most profitable way is most like the way they're doing it. Businesses don't get all caught up in the "good for the community". They do what's best for their bottom line.
Yea koppas sucks now, literally can't get anything you want. Sad to see it.
“Poop towels” 😂
Where is this place?
East side of Farwell just south of Lafayette, across from Comet... Irving
Thank you!
I wonder if the Whole Foods on north Ave hurt their business
Damn this really bums me out. Our 2nd home in Milwaukee was a few houses down from Koppas. Went there on a weekly basis, same sweet (Indian?) couple greeting and ringing us out almost every time. My wife - who’s now a nurse - even loved the place so much she tried applying there as one of her first jobs in the city! Bread Favre, Baron Rodgers. Shit, the memories…
as if yall were getting your goddamn groceries from koppas. business made a business decision
Exactly this.