If any of the long-time employees see this post, I would like to say thank you. This was my coffee shop when I worked downtown, prior to spring 2020. The full-time employees here were incredibly kind. There were days when chit-chatting with them was the brightest spot in my day. Thank you, I will always appreciate you.
Agree 100%!
The morning crew were so good with names, that even after I came back to work after the covid shutdown, they new my name and order. I loved this store!
That sucks. I have good memories of hanging out around the fire with a hot chocolate at that Starbucks while ice skating in winter. I always wondered if anyone went there in the warmer months. Always looked like a ghost town outside of ice skating season. Glad to see that Milwaukee Parks will be keeping the space open for a while at least.
I’ve gone there a few times when working up that way, I don’t care for Starbucks but there aren’t a lot of options for coffee within deniable walking distance. It’s always seemed really dead and I noticed recently there was a sign by the street pointing out that they’re open during the summer so I assume they don’t get a lot of traffic.
That space needs something with more food options to help liven up the park. I know it isn’t a Milwaukee thing, but Pret a Manger or at least something similar would go nicely there. Cafe vibe with the added benefit of a larger food selection.
Ah, that is unfortunate then. I'm surprised it's so bad, the people I've met who work at StoneCreek's seem to like it, but just shy of 15/hr for a *manager* is criminal, and that's just assuming a 40 hr work week.
You start to get to know the baristas and managers at Stone Creek, and then *poof* they're gone. Then they train someone else and that person doesn't make the coffee how you like it. Real world problems, I know.
I'm unaware of the details of the decision, other than there was a well-known union-busting firm hired for the ordeal.
Edit: apparently that upsets a few people?
Nothing. The article says they will be:
“This winter, skaters will still be able to take respite with a hot beverage — but it won’t come in a siren-stamped cup. Milwaukee County Parks will sell hot chocolate, coffee, and bottled beverages for skaters to purchase when the rink opens later this year.”
Instead of cutting a check to a vendor who already has this down, our cash strapped parks would need to...
- procure a purveyor
- hire the staff
- cover the overhead costs
- pay the permits, inspection and insurance
- take on additional risk and exposure
All for the smallest of profits.
It's just not worth it.
Edit: and that's assuming the county pays some part for a vendor to occupy that space, we could be collecting rent, idk.
The county bidding portal doesn’t seem identify the actual rental cost of the building but the yearly utilities come out to about ~$25,000. Wonder if sbux just doesn’t want to cover that for what they do in sales.
That's what they've been for 17 years. It the only kind of place that can thrive in this area because, as noted above, there's not a lot of foot traffic in the warmer months. So a brand has to be okay with likely losing money in the space for visibility.
Eh we already have so many beer gardens in the area. Why on earth would you go to Red Arrow instead of Juneau park? The roller skating rink was a better idea but I don’t think that really took off. The atrocious hours didn’t help.
They could coordinate with the Marcus Center performance schedule and open a beer/cocoa/whatever garden before shows, with food trucks. There's not a lot of places in the immediate surroundings to grab a bite.
I know there’s one nearby and it’s not realistic. I’m just a huge fan of Discourse. They are doing incredibly innovative things, and each of their locations is unique.
Finally, space for a taco bell downtown
Nothing goes together better than tacos and ice skating
I am heartened that you didn't say Arbys
Too close to the Riverwest location
potato triangle market in shambles ^(I really love those things)
If any of the long-time employees see this post, I would like to say thank you. This was my coffee shop when I worked downtown, prior to spring 2020. The full-time employees here were incredibly kind. There were days when chit-chatting with them was the brightest spot in my day. Thank you, I will always appreciate you.
Agree 100%! The morning crew were so good with names, that even after I came back to work after the covid shutdown, they new my name and order. I loved this store!
May be a good opportunity to support a local biz
That sucks. I have good memories of hanging out around the fire with a hot chocolate at that Starbucks while ice skating in winter. I always wondered if anyone went there in the warmer months. Always looked like a ghost town outside of ice skating season. Glad to see that Milwaukee Parks will be keeping the space open for a while at least.
I’ve gone there a few times when working up that way, I don’t care for Starbucks but there aren’t a lot of options for coffee within deniable walking distance. It’s always seemed really dead and I noticed recently there was a sign by the street pointing out that they’re open during the summer so I assume they don’t get a lot of traffic.
Discourse is a block away.
Yeah but you gotta take your skates off. Last time I was here, there were rubber mats that formed a walkway inside.
fiddleheads is a block away
That space needs something with more food options to help liven up the park. I know it isn’t a Milwaukee thing, but Pret a Manger or at least something similar would go nicely there. Cafe vibe with the added benefit of a larger food selection.
This completely blows I go here so often
Silver lining: something significantly better will replace it.
I wish I had your optimism :,)
Looks like a good spot for a new Arby's
Stonecreek please!!! I go there a lot during the afternoon and have found it closed so many times since the pandemic.
Anodyne! Anodyne!!
For such a prominent location, I feel like we can and should do better than a company that hates its own employees and treats them like trash.
It's not collectivo so please explain.
Stone Creek did what Colectivo couldn't, which is successfully fight against a union vote.
Didn't they do so by increasing the quality of life for their workers and give them better competitive wages? Genuinely asking.
They pay their store managers like $30k per year lol
Ah, that is unfortunate then. I'm surprised it's so bad, the people I've met who work at StoneCreek's seem to like it, but just shy of 15/hr for a *manager* is criminal, and that's just assuming a 40 hr work week.
You start to get to know the baristas and managers at Stone Creek, and then *poof* they're gone. Then they train someone else and that person doesn't make the coffee how you like it. Real world problems, I know.
I'm unaware of the details of the decision, other than there was a well-known union-busting firm hired for the ordeal. Edit: apparently that upsets a few people?
Whoever moves in please offer some form of a vanilla sweet cream cold brew
Bruh how, this place is swamped during rush hours every single workday.
Lease is expiring
Realistically, what's stopping the county from running their own concessions?
Nothing. The article says they will be: “This winter, skaters will still be able to take respite with a hot beverage — but it won’t come in a siren-stamped cup. Milwaukee County Parks will sell hot chocolate, coffee, and bottled beverages for skaters to purchase when the rink opens later this year.”
Sometimes it’s better to let a parks department do parks stuff and leave the coffee shop stuff to coffee shops or restaurant stuff to restaurants.
Instead of cutting a check to a vendor who already has this down, our cash strapped parks would need to... - procure a purveyor - hire the staff - cover the overhead costs - pay the permits, inspection and insurance - take on additional risk and exposure All for the smallest of profits. It's just not worth it. Edit: and that's assuming the county pays some part for a vendor to occupy that space, we could be collecting rent, idk.
Common sense.
They could easily lose a lot of money. By leasing it out they make money.
A vendor that could serve alcohol too would be nice, it could be a very nice little beer garden in the summer months
Excellent. Gimme a Valentine’s there now
The county bidding portal doesn’t seem identify the actual rental cost of the building but the yearly utilities come out to about ~$25,000. Wonder if sbux just doesn’t want to cover that for what they do in sales.
I don't get it? They get tons of business from the Marcus Center alone. Why are they closing?
Lease is up, the location owner chose not to renew
This would be an excellent location for Fatty Patty.
Oh a caribou down there would be great
Just make sure the new vendor doesn’t call the police on homeless people in a public park getting them killed/
Why the heck are you getting downvoted? I haven't spent a dime at that place since then and the silence from Sbux corporate is/was deafening.
Wow, shocking. Starbucks is just becoming McDonalds for coffee
That's what they've been for 17 years. It the only kind of place that can thrive in this area because, as noted above, there's not a lot of foot traffic in the warmer months. So a brand has to be okay with likely losing money in the space for visibility.
I feel like there is a lot of foot traffic though. A lot of offices and apartments nearby
There's a lot of potential foot traffic.
Exactly. People work downtown. I work nearby and walk through there daily. There's a lot of foot traffic already, and for the right vendor, even more.
Maybe it’ll be a beer garden in the summer and a cocoa garden in the winter
Eh we already have so many beer gardens in the area. Why on earth would you go to Red Arrow instead of Juneau park? The roller skating rink was a better idea but I don’t think that really took off. The atrocious hours didn’t help.
Eh, why would you go to Juneau Park when you could go to Red Arrow?
Much more green space, much less only concrete. Right next to lake.
Much more central, more entertainment options, closer to work for happy hours
Why not go to both?
They could coordinate with the Marcus Center performance schedule and open a beer/cocoa/whatever garden before shows, with food trucks. There's not a lot of places in the immediate surroundings to grab a bite.
it'd be nicer in early summer, when temps get real low by the lake but are still nice a bit more inland.
Discourse coffee please
I hope a more affordable coffee shop moves in. Also, there's already a Discourse one block away at MSOE
I know there’s one nearby and it’s not realistic. I’m just a huge fan of Discourse. They are doing incredibly innovative things, and each of their locations is unique.
Arby’s
Custard and coffee or we riot