By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host Published Apr 02, 2014 at 4:34 PM

The Vanguard will soon be moving into the space at 2659 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., the former home to Home Bar and neighbor to the forthcoming Cream City Swirl.

The restaurant and bar is the brainchild of Chris Schulist, longtime Cactus Club bar manager and musician, Jim McCann, a partner in Chicago's Longman & Eagle, and Chef Shay Linkus, of Odd Duck in Bay View.

According to Linkus, who will serve as "Sandwich Artist," The Vanguard will be a "very lighthearted homage to the corner bar."

"Jim, Chris and I are opening a place that we can hang out at," Linkus notes, "A place that serves food late, a place where you can go from hi-hat to low-class. A place where people know who you are."

The atmosphere, he says, will be fun and no-fuss with a menu geared toward accessible, casual fare. A large selection of sausages and poutine will form the foundation for edible options, along with open face sandwiches and what Linkus calls "over the top" appetizers.

According to Linkus, sausages will be plentiful, with over 20 creative house-made varieties from which to choose, including a small selection of smoked offerings produced by Underground Meats in Madison.

On the bar side, the restaurant will feature a few draft cocktails on tap, and 10 to 12 draft beers. McCann – who worked as the whiskey heavy punk rock ’n’ roll bar manager of Chicago’s Delilah’s for 10 years – will use his expertise to handle the Bourbon selection, while Schulist functions as the front man.

The Vanguard, which hopes to open early this summer, will keep hours from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor, Podcast Host

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.