Frank’s Power Plant, 2800 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., in Bay View, has been sold.
Patricia D’Acquisto, who owns Inspire Salon in Franklin, posted Sunday on Facebook, "I have purchased Frank’s Power Plant. I’m looking for any old memorabilia and pics from the past bar owners, Chuck’s On KK, The Gentlemen’s Tavern. If by any chance anyone has something I’d be interested in it, I’d like to put it up in the bar.
"Not only will it remain a awesome corner bar, but it will be a clean one."
A conflict between previous owner Frank Wickert and employees led to reports that the tavern had closed in October. Though Wickert kept it open briefly afterward, by early November, Frank’s was closed.
D'Acquisto told OnMilwaukee that she is keeping the Frank's Power Plant name.
Wickert had been trying to the sell the business, the building and some adjacent properties for some time.
Wickert bought the former Chuck’s On KK in 1998 and rebranded it as Frank’s Power Plant.
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.
