Jeno and Lorenzo Cataldo, the owners of Jo-Cats Pub, 1113 E. Brady St., bought the building next door that houses Mimma’s, an Italian restaurant that opened in 1988.
Girolama "Mimma" Megna sold the building to investors a couple of years ago, but continued to lease the restaurant space. She also lives in the building.
Jeno says what’s next is up to Megna.
"She is important and integral to Brady Street," says Jeno. "The ball is in her court."
Jeno says he plans to meet with Megna next week to discuss options. "If she wants to stay, wonderful, but if she wants to retire, that’s fine, too," says Jeno. "We have some ideas for the space if it becomes available."
The Cataldo family ran a Brady Street restaurant, called Cataldo’s, in the current Bosley’s On Brady, 815 E. Brady St., for 40 years.
"I grew up in the restaurant business," says Jeno.
The Cataldo brothers also own numerous East Side and Brady Street properties.
"I've never been more excited about a transaction than this one," says Jeno. "I’ve spent my entire life standing on Brady Street porches, and so much time standing on Jo-Cat’s porch, looking at that building and wondering if we could ever own it. I feel like we now have the ‘Park Place’ and ‘Boardwalk' of Brady Street."
Stay tuned to OnMilwaukee for more information next week.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
