Today we learned that Seven Seas, 1807 Nagawicka Rd. in Hartland, has been put on the market. The news, first reported in the Waukesha Freeman, was prompted by hardships caused by the loss of business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The iconic restaurant, which opened in 1981, owned by Linda Weissgerber, who ran the business with her husband Jack until he passed in 2013. And, over the course of the past 39 years, Seven Seas has not only been a popular lakeside destination for dinners, brunches and Friday Night fish fry; but it has played host to countless events, including weddings and rehearsal dinners overlooking Nagawicka Lake.
The property, which is listed with Coldwell Banker at $4,950,000, boasts not only the restaurant, but 3.79 acres of land including 284 feet of East-facing lake frontage. The property also includes a wet boat house and 8 piers.
The Weissgerber family has a lengthy history in the restaurant business, though their holdings have dwindled in recent years. It began with the Golden Mast in Okauchee, which Hans Weissgerber Sr. founded in 1967. Success with the inaugural business led to the purchase of the Seven Seas property, a former resort, in 1981 and the now-razed Gasthaus in Waukesha in 1983. They also operated Third Street Pier in Milwaukee and launched the Edelweiss riverboat.
For now, Seven Seas remains open, offering patio dining, indoor dining and curbside pick-up. The restaurant will also be offering Thanksgiving dinners for carry-out.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
