By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Aug 03, 2017 at 4:45 PM

The selection of Milwaukee-themed apparel and souvenirs at the airport just got a major boost.

Brew City Brand "officially" opened its Milwaukee gear kiosk at General Mitchell International Airport on Concourse C today. The site – which has actually been up and running since mid-July – is the local souvenir and T-shirt company's fourth location.

The company – run by brothers George and Frank Keppler and their dad, Rick – had announced the new location in a blog post in mid-June.

"The new Airport kiosk on Concourse C is an extension of who we are as a company," said George Keppler. "We’ve always considered ourselves Milwaukee, through-and-through. This kiosk is stocked full of items that scream ‘I’m from Milwaukee.’ It’s a great opportunity to find gifts that show where your heart is."

Brew City has retail outlets in the Shops at Grand Avenue, Milwaukee Public Market, Southridge and at 240 N. Milwaukee St., in the Third Ward, where its print shop is located. It also operates seasonal shops at Summerfest and State Fair.

Like the company's other spots, the airport kiosk will sell Brew City's signature "The Good Land" tees, and "Pop Top" bottle opener T-shirts. Brew City also sells glassware, hats, posters and other items emblazoned with Milwaukee- and Wisconsin-themed images and phrases.

The airport location will look much Brew City's Milwaukee Public Market shop, according to the June blog post. However, there will be a selection of items exclusive to Mitchell Airport.

"The kiosk location at Mitchell Airport is integral to exposing Brew City Brand to a new audience," said Frank Keppler. "There is a new vision and new breath of life at General Mitchell International Airport, and we’re excited to be a part of it."

In addition to its retail locations, Brew City sells similar items to the destination and resort markets, fellow retailers and creates and sells branded apparel to business clients.

"Milwaukee County's mission is to think big in everything we do," said County Executive Chris Abele at Thursday's official announcement at the airport.

"That includes developing storefront relationships with iconic Milwaukee businesses within the confines of our hometown Airport. We’re thrilled to have Brew City Brand at the Airport to promote the best of what Milwaukee has to offer."

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

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.