In June, Pop-Up MKE launched its first slate of temporary retail shops in a trio of locations on the North and South Sides. Now, the second lineup debuts this week.
The launch comes Wednesday, July 11, when Aloekui Handmade Soap celebrates a grand opening at 2 p.m. at 1008 S. Cesar E. Chavez Dr.
A Mother’s Love, which sells used children’s and maternity clothing, officially opens at the same location on Thursday, July 12 at 4 p.m.
The two pop-ups at 1617 W. North Ave. celebrate their grand opening together, beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 14. They are Nandi Collections, which sells leather personal accessories and home decor, and Paradise Home, which offers clothing, accessories and home goods.
Finally, Cream City Phresh apparel and Papyrus & Charms jewelry celebrate their launch on Sunday, July 15 at 1 p.m. at 339 W. North Ave.
The shops will be open for four weeks.
A total of 18 pop-ups will take part in Pop-Up MKE, a public/private partnership – coordinated by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) in partnership with the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation (WWBIC), the City of Milwaukee, and MKE United – that aims to boost economic development and entrepreneurship in the City of Milwaukee.
"Businesses have found great success through the Pop-Up model," said Beth Haskovec, program officer and coordinator of Pop-Up MKE with LISC Milwaukee, in a statement.
"They are building a customer base, establishing brand loyalty, and taking steps towards long-term retail space based on their participation in Pop-Up MKE."
An official ribbon cutting for this second round of pop-ups will include business owners and city officials. It is slated for Thursday, July 12, at 3 p.m., at 1008 S. Cesar E. Chavez Dr.
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.
