Friday, November 23, 2012
The owners of small businesses throughout the Metro Milwaukee area say it works for them to be part of the fabric of their communities.
Small businesses work for a strong community. The days of Henry Ford coming into a community to build a plant and hire 25,000 workers are gone. But the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well on a much smaller scale. From neighborhood diners and booksellers with a handful of employees to niche operations with dozens of employees, small business owners have found ways to be profitable while strengthening the community in which they operate. Paul Schueller, CEO and part owner of Franklin Energy Services in Port Washington, Wis. was an engineer for Wisconsin Natural Gas Company. Schueller saw an opportunity and struck out on his own. “It’s more cost effective for energy companies to find ways to improve energy efficiencies than to build …
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Cafe One24 in Brookfield on the Wauwatosa border is up for sale — that is, for the right food-conscious buyer.
Renee Shecterle wanted to open a unique restaurant — a dining establishment offering health-conscious customers new and delicious menu choices. It would be a "clean eating" restaurant. Her idea blossomed into Cafe One24 at 3705 N. 124St. in Brookfield, south of Capitol Drive. She hired as Executive Chef, Sarah Dusseau, who had a Menomonee Falls fitness studio and take-home meal business for her customers who were trying to lose weight. "(Dusseau) had done this for a couple of years and I said, 'Why don't we open up a clean eating restaurant?'" Shecterle said. "That's how it evolved and we added a wine bar and a grill instead of just a cafe. We were just going to be open for breakfast and lunch but we decided to do dinner and the wine bar…
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Check out some of the Brookfield area's most popular Facebook pages and add your own suggestions.
At Patch we're always striving to make your life ridiculously easy and that's why we've put together this list of area business Facebook pages. Show your love for local, small businesses and get to "Liking!" And if we missed any of them, list them in the comments section below and we'll be sure to add them to our list! Know a really great Brookfield business Facebook page missing from the list? Tell us in the comments section!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Local business improvement district leaders say a thriving small business climate makes the whole community stronger, but it takes support from residents, the government and business owners to make things work.
Thriving businesses are one-third of a triumvirate of a vibrant community. “You need good schools, a quality housing stock and a solid commercial area,” said Tim Ryan, president of Shorewood’s Business Improvement District. Ryan is invested in all three. He and his family live in Shorewood, his daughter goes to school in Shorewood and he is the president and owner of Harleys: The Store for Men on Oakland Avenue in Shorewood. Small businesses line the commercial corridor that runs east and west along Capital Drive and north and south along Oakland Avenue, Ryan said. “Unlike many small communities, our business district is spread out on two thoroughfares.” Small businesses, like Harleys, are invested in a community the way national chains …
Lisa Sink
1:47 pm on Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Thanks, Bob! Added! There are so many great local businesses to follow - I can't even count how many Brookfield businesses I follow on Facebook! Thanks more ›