The Mo's family of restaurants today announced that it has sold its Monsoon Wok & Lounge concept to the owner of mi-key's, 811 N. Jefferson St., and the initial investor in the Monsoon restaurant in Brookfield, investor Michael H. Polaski.
The Monsoon Wok & Lounge was short lived in Downtown Milwaukee but is popular at its 17800 W. Bluemound Rd. location. The entire concept and brand were sold to Polaski. Polaski, the initial investor in the Monsoon restaurant in Brookfield, said he is enthusiastic about the potential for this brand.
Monsoon Wok & Lounge has an Asian-fusion menu and cocktail lounge.
"Monsoon Wok & Lounge is a proven, one-of-a-kind concept that has worked extremely well in both Wisconsin and Texas," Polaski said. "I look forward to bringing this unique dining experience to more patrons, both in Milwaukee and elsewhere."
Polaski owns a variety of businesses, including the insurance industry and real estate, as well as restaurants, looks forward to expanding the Monsoon concept to include a number of locations.
Polaski will run Monsoon Wok & Lounge in Brookfield, while Mo's Restaurants will continue to operate the Houston location under a license from Polaski.
The sale of the Monsoon Wok & Lounge brand and the Brookfield restaurant is part of Mo's Restaurants plans announced last August that closed its Moceans and Mo's Cucina restaurants to concentrate on expanding the company's Mo's Irish Pubs and Mo's...A Place for Steaks concepts.
"This sale allows Mo's Restaurants to improve, refine and focus on our Mo's Steakhouse and Mo's Irish Pub brands," Vassallo said in a statement. "We are proud to have developed the Monsoon Wok & Lounge concept and excited that Mike will use his creativity and enthusiasm to take it to the next level."
Terms of the sale and the license were not disclosed.
A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.
He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.
Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.
He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.
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