{image1}Steve Goretzko's organic coffee has perched on grocery store shelves for years, and soon it will pour from pots at his new Bay View coffee shop called Sven's Café.
Located at the corner of Kinnickinnic and Logan (2699 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.) in an intriguing building that was once a Standard gas station, the café is cozy, complete with a fireplace, and also features a large outdoor seating section, facing a beautiful church across the street and under the gaze of a large java-drinking Mona Lisa mural painted by Milwaukee artist Adam Nilson.
After months of massive renovations -- plumbing, electric and aesthetic -- Goretzko says his café will open any day, depending on when he receives the necessary permits.
So why did he name his bagged coffee, and now his café, "Sven's" when his name is "Steve?" Goretzko named the café in honor of a popular German DJ, Sven Veth, but he also just liked the Euro sound of the name.
"I spend a lot of time in Germany," says Goretzko, 39, who was born to German parents in Berlin and moved to Milwaukee, specifically Cudahy, when he was four.
Goretzko has been in the coffee business for 13 years and the food industry for even longer. Prior to starting Sven's Organic Coffee Company he worked for Carnation Foods and Durkee Famous Foods.
"I've been in business longer than Alterra (Coffee)," he says. "But we're a little more humble and a little more laid back."
Goretzko says his product reflects the European coffee experience in roast and taste, and that he will offer a variety of different types of coffee, from rich and dark to very light. "Everybody's a different kind of coffee drinker, and most coffee shops only offer one or two blends at a time, but we want to do something more exotic," he says.
Sven's Organic Coffee Company will continue to roast in Greendale and Minneapolis and sell bagged product to grocery stores in Milwaukee, Madison, Steven's Point, Chicago and other cities.
The cafe will serve fresh, homemade soups, European pastries, salads, paninis and cold sandwiches. Eventually, it will also provide live entertainment, but for now, will stick to selling local art and playing CDs.
"An open mic is healthy and nice, but unfortunately it requires a permit. It's kind of ridiculous. We should be pushing culture, not charging for it," says Goretzko. "I want to create a nice-feel spot where people can enjoy a cup of coffee."
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.
