On Wednesday evening, the Wauwatosa Planning Commission unanimously approved a plan for Neenah’s Lion’s Tail Brewing to combine four properties into one at the former Wisconsin Garden and Pet site, 8520 W. North Ave., and to open a brewery and taproom in the two buildings on the site.
The plan will require approval from the city’s design review board and, of course, must comply with all city zoning and other regulations.
“We’re very excited to receive conditional approval from the Planning Commission to open this second location," says Lion’s Tail Operations and Marketing Manager Nick Leak. "It’s a great opportunity to continue the growth of Lion’s Tail in a community we feel proud to become a part of.
"The community seemed to show strong support, while also raising valid questions about parking and hours of operation that we intend to address with diligence and thoughtfulness. We intend to be an asset to this neighborhood and a business that collaborates with our new neighbors to ensure a successful and respectful relationship. There’s lots of work still to do, but we’re excited to take the next step in this process.”
Over at The Fermentorium Barrel House, 6933 W. North Ave., a desire to keep a new outdoor patio parklet in operation was also approved by the commission.
Read more about the parklet here.
“The Planning Commission has approved our parklet for continued use with a few conditions,” says the brewery’s Maggie Skinner. “We are encouraged by this approval and are ready for Mondays Common Council meeting. Special thanks to our neighbors who attended the meeting to voice their support of our brewery and parklet.”
Skinner said the conditions, “are reasonable,” and include things like obtaining a sidewalk cafe permit and undergoing a review after three years.
Both plans now move to the Common Council for discussion and action.
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.
