This has been a rumor on the streets of the Third Ward for the past few months, but today it's official.
Diablos Rojos (Trocadero, Cafe Hollander and Cafe Centraal) will open Benelux Grand Cafe and Market at the former Good Harvest location in the Milwaukee Public Market's building across from the main Market at 346 N. Broadway.
Diablos Rojos signed a lease for the space yesterday. Good Harvest Market closed its location there in February.
Benelux Grand Cafe and Market will open "around the end of the year following extensive interior remodeling," according to Ron San Felippo, chairman of the Historic Third Ward B.I.D. (Business Improvement District No. 2), owner and operator of the Milwaukee Public Market.
Personally, I think this about as close to an optimal use of this prime piece of Third Ward real estate as you can get. It's exactly what the neighborhood needs and provides another day and nighttime use for dining and shopping. Plus, it's more local ownership from an established name.
San Felippo said that changes will likely include the addition of a large roof deck for outdoor dining and the addition of "outside activities on both St Paul and Broadway."
The market portion of the operation is expected to offer "a large number of specialty items from a variety of countries, including Belgium and Norway, as well as basic staples not currently available elsewhere in the Public Market," according to San Felippo.
A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.
He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.
Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.
He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.
He also thinks you should read OnMilwaukee each and every day.
