American Serb Memorial Hall, 5101 W. Oklahoma Ave. – a perennial stop for visiting politicians and an iconic fish fry and event venue – is for sale.
According to Founders 3 Real Estate, "with a commitment to ensuring the next possible best use of American Serb Memorial Hall – the iconic event, banquet facility and famous fish fry – St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, the property owner, has retained Founders 3 Real Estate to list the property.
Asking price is $2 million.
"Like so many restaurants and hospitality venues nationwide, Serb Hall has been by severely impacted by COVID-19 and the resulting loss of revenues."
In the meantime, Serb Hall's operators assure the public that it plans to continue its drive-thru fish fry indefinitely.
“Serb Hall is a beloved institution that has served the Milwaukee community for more than 70 years,” said a spokesperson for the Serb Hall Board in a statement shared by Founders 3. “Our Saint Sava congregation recognizes that the business realities of today and in the foreseeable future present an unfavorable financial path going forward.
"However, because of the prominent and desirable location of the property, we’re confident that there will be positive alternative use options that will better serve the church and local community.”
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
