If you're looking for a part of town offering up homemade brews or live music, Bay View might just be atop your list. And now, the newly opened Bay View Brewhaus wants to lift a bit of the burden and offer you both in the same location.
Steve Fix and his father purchased the large ominous building on the corner of Kinnickinnic Avenue and Otjen Street last spring with a vision of transforming the first floor from a wedding reception hall to a hot spot for live, local bands.
The building, which still houses a Chinese restaurant in the basement, was completely devoid of windows and natural light.
That was until Fix and his father started to make changes.
Fix began the transformation of the space by cutting floor to ceiling holes to add large, expansive windows along two walls. The original bar still lines the back wall but Fix added a large walk-in cooler, custom-made wood tables and equipment for a future brewing operation set to start processing sometime in the next couple of months.
Fix's main focus, live music, is, aptly, the main focus of the large open space. Adding a center set raised stage, Fix plans to feature local bands, singers and musicians weekly.
As he explains, he doesn't intend to mimic what places like the Cactus Club or Frank's Power Plant are already doing. He says his goal is to add to the mix by bringing a broader range of genres to Bay View. As his father reiterates, there's certainly room for each of the venues to collaborate and carve out an individual niche.
Fix previously owned and operated a bar in downtown Waukesha. As one of the first to bring live music to the area, Fix says he found it difficult to charge any sort of cover for shows and saw the scene move toward DJs rather than live music.
Perceiving Bay View as a community supporting live music venues, Fix made the move Downtown.
The Bay View Brewhaus is currently open evenings with set hours to follow.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Maureen Post grew up in Wauwatosa. A lover of international and urban culture, Maureen received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
After living on the east side of Madison for several years, Maureen returned to Milwaukee in 2006.
After a brief stint of travel, Maureen joined OnMilwaukee.com as the city’s oldest intern and has been hooked ever since. Combining her three key infatuations, Milwaukee’s great music, incredible food and inspiring art (and yes, in that order), Maureen’s job just about fits her perfectly.
Residing in Bay View, Maureen vehemently believes the city can become fresh and new with a simple move across town.
