In late summer, I wrote of the impending opening of Shopkeeper Ken Chrisien's new record shop, Acme Record Emporium, 2341 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., in Bay View.
Sorting out city licensing and permits and a lot of hard work building out the space and amassing and pricing records has pushed back the opening day a bit, but Chrisien better be ready by Saturday, because he's planned a gala opening event from noon until 7 p.m.
He promises live music by Jim Warchol (solo guitar) at 2 p.m. and Red Stuff plays a record release set for its new disc, "Pagan Rock," at 7. Plus there will be "delightful libations" from the Sugar Maple, too.
As for the look of the space, you'll have to go over and see for yourself.
"I've been keeping the look under wraps, because I think it's pretty special," Chrisien told me. "(The) three photos (above) – the letter A, the weird stripey wall and the pile of scrap wood – are good indicators of what is happening inside Acme Records."
The photos are intriguing and so is the idea of Shopkeeper Ken finally opening a place of his own!
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.
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