{"id":14127,"date":"2022-04-16T10:38:57","date_gmt":"2022-04-16T15:38:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/?p=14127"},"modified":"2022-05-11T17:40:28","modified_gmt":"2022-05-11T22:40:28","slug":"milwaukees-riverwest-is-restless-and-alive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/?p=14127","title":{"rendered":"Milwaukee&#8217;s Riverwest is Restless and Alive"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fcbkbttn_buttons_block\" id=\"fcbkbttn_left\"><div class=\"fcbkbttn_button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Kevin Lynch\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/facebook-button-plugin\/images\/large-facebook-ico.png\" alt=\"Fb-Button\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"fcbkbttn_like fcbkbttn_large_button\"><fb:like href=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/?p=14127\" action=\"like\" colorscheme=\"light\" layout=\"button_count\"  size=\"large\"><\/fb:like><\/div><div class=\"fb-share-button fcbkbttn_large_button \" data-href=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/?p=14127\" data-type=\"button_count\" data-size=\"large\"><\/div><\/div><header>\n<div id=\"title\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mp-lazyautosizes mp-lazyloaded alignright\" style=\"font-weight: 300;\" title=\"Linneman's\" src=\"https:\/\/shepherdexpress.com\/downloads\/56635\/download\/Linnemans-Riverwest-Inn.jpg?cb=3691e0a16a18049d3772a1d96e24781f&amp;w=600\" sizes=\"auto, 271px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/shepherdexpress.com\/downloads\/56635\/download\/Linnemans-Riverwest-Inn.jpg?cb=3691e0a16a18049d3772a1d96e24781f&amp;w=100&amp;h= 100w, https:\/\/shepherdexpress.com\/downloads\/56635\/download\/Linnemans-Riverwest-Inn.jpg?cb=3691e0a16a18049d3772a1d96e24781f&amp;w=150&amp;h= 150w, https:\/\/shepherdexpress.com\/downloads\/56635\/download\/Linnemans-Riverwest-Inn.jpg?cb=3691e0a16a18049d3772a1d96e24781f&amp;w=220&amp;h= 220w, https:\/\/shepherdexpress.com\/downloads\/56635\/download\/Linnemans-Riverwest-Inn.jpg?cb=3691e0a16a18049d3772a1d96e24781f&amp;w=320&amp;h= 320w, https:\/\/shepherdexpress.com\/downloads\/56635\/download\/Linnemans-Riverwest-Inn.jpg?cb=3691e0a16a18049d3772a1d96e24781f&amp;w=450&amp;h= 450w, https:\/\/shepherdexpress.com\/downloads\/56635\/download\/Linnemans-Riverwest-Inn.jpg?cb=3691e0a16a18049d3772a1d96e24781f&amp;w=750&amp;h= 750w\" alt=\"Linneman's\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" data-widths=\"[100, 150, 220, 320, 450, 750]\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/shepherdexpress.com\/downloads\/56635\/download\/Linnemans-Riverwest-Inn.jpg?cb=3691e0a16a18049d3772a1d96e24781f&amp;w=100&amp;h= 100w, https:\/\/shepherdexpress.com\/downloads\/56635\/download\/Linnemans-Riverwest-Inn.jpg?cb=3691e0a16a18049d3772a1d96e24781f&amp;w=150&amp;h= 150w, https:\/\/shepherdexpress.com\/downloads\/56635\/download\/Linnemans-Riverwest-Inn.jpg?cb=3691e0a16a18049d3772a1d96e24781f&amp;w=220&amp;h= 220w, https:\/\/shepherdexpress.com\/downloads\/56635\/download\/Linnemans-Riverwest-Inn.jpg?cb=3691e0a16a18049d3772a1d96e24781f&amp;w=320&amp;h= 320w, https:\/\/shepherdexpress.com\/downloads\/56635\/download\/Linnemans-Riverwest-Inn.jpg?cb=3691e0a16a18049d3772a1d96e24781f&amp;w=450&amp;h= 450w, https:\/\/shepherdexpress.com\/downloads\/56635\/download\/Linnemans-Riverwest-Inn.jpg?cb=3691e0a16a18049d3772a1d96e24781f&amp;w=750&amp;h= 750w\" \/><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div id=\"content\" class=\"carousel content no_js\" data-transition=\"content\" data-loop=\"false\">\n<div id=\"media-carousel-75502\" class=\"media-aside left\">\n<div id=\"media-thumb-75502-1\" class=\"gallery_slide single\">\n<div id=\"ms_75502-0\" class=\"file group75502 cboxElement\" data-slot-media-path=\"\/api\/slot_media\/78700\/\" data-slot_type=\"file\">\n<p class=\"credits\"><em><span style=\"color: #333333; font-weight: 300;\">Linneman&#8217;s Riverwest Inn.\u00a0 Photo by Michael Burmesch, c<\/span>ourtesy The Shepherd Express.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"lead\">Since the 1980s, Riverwest has moved like the river it borders\u2014a place of restless culture and commingling social currents. Literary, artsy Woodland Pattern, opened in 1980, remains Riverwest\u2019s signature cultural center, along with Linneman\u2019s Riverwest Inn, a music venue open since 1993, which has especially helped spawn the careers of local singer-songwriters, including Christopher Porterfield and The Record Company&#8217;s Chris Vos.<\/p>\n<p class=\"lead\">Center Street now has about six music and arts venues, including Company Brewing and The Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts, which re-imagines the celebrated 1980s Milwaukee Jazz Gallery. Neighbors recently bought the historic multi-purpose crossroads Polish Falcon Bowl, a hearty-spirited nexus of community activity for decades, including The Riverwest Follies.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"14131\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/?attachment_id=14131\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Polish-Falcon-RW.webp\" data-orig-size=\"660,440\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Polish Falcon RW\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Polish-Falcon-RW-300x200.webp\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Polish-Falcon-RW.webp\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14131\" src=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Polish-Falcon-RW.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"660\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Polish-Falcon-RW.webp 660w, https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Polish-Falcon-RW-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/Polish-Falcon-RW-450x300.webp 450w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>The Riverwest Investment Cooperative recently purchased the Polish Falcon Bowl (above) to keep it viable for the community. Courtesy Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel<\/em><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve lived here most of my adult life, with an interval in Madison. In a sense I never left\u2014much of Madison is culturally and politically comparable to Riverwest. In 1973, the Eastside Housing Action Committee joined Madison activists to rent a Locust Street storefront for a Milwaukee chapter of the Wisconsin Alliance, a statewide socialist organization.<\/p>\n<p>This alternative publication\u2019s predecessor,\u00a0<em>The<\/em>\u00a0<em>Bugle American,<\/em>\u00a0resided in Riverwest until 1979 and the\u00a0<em>Crazy Shepherd<\/em>\u00a0found its way to the neighborhood 40 years ago. Another primary socio-political entity, Outpost Natural Foods, remains \u201cthe real heart of the counterculture west of the river,\u201d Riverwest historian Tom Tolan writes. Now a successful regional chain, Outpost\u2019s membership-and-volunteerism system sparked its growth\u2014once oriented to \u201crevolution,\u201d now towards community and personal health.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"14137\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/?attachment_id=14137\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/vlcsnap-2020-11-08-16h34m02s852website.png\" data-orig-size=\"1200,430\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"vlcsnap-2020-11-08-16h34m02s852website\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/vlcsnap-2020-11-08-16h34m02s852website-300x108.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/vlcsnap-2020-11-08-16h34m02s852website-1024x367.png\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-14137\" src=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/vlcsnap-2020-11-08-16h34m02s852website.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1342\" height=\"481\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/vlcsnap-2020-11-08-16h34m02s852website.png 1200w, https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/vlcsnap-2020-11-08-16h34m02s852website-300x108.png 300w, https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/vlcsnap-2020-11-08-16h34m02s852website-1024x367.png 1024w, https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/vlcsnap-2020-11-08-16h34m02s852website-768x275.png 768w, https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/vlcsnap-2020-11-08-16h34m02s852website-500x179.png 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1342px) 100vw, 1342px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>Black Husky Brewing. Courtesy blackhuskybrewing.com<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Milwaukee-style commercial success stories <span style=\"color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300;\">in Riverwest i<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">nclude <em>Lakefront Brewery<\/em> and <em>Black Husky Brewing,<\/em> as well as the restaurants <em>Cafe Corazon, Wonderland, Big Daddy&#8217;s Barbeque and Soul Food<\/em><\/span><span style=\"color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300;\">, the slightly gourmet <em>Nessum Dorma, <\/em><\/span><em><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Riverwest Filling Station, <\/span><\/em><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"><em>Cafe Centro, Dino&#8217;s MKE,<\/em> <\/span><span style=\"color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300;\">and the carry-out food services, <em>Scardina Specialties<\/em> meats and deli, <em>Shwarma King<\/em> and <em>Sticky Rice<\/em>. Among the most colorful Riverwest retailers is <\/span><span style=\"color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300;\"><em>Fischberger&#8217;s Variety<\/em>, self-described as &#8220;Milwaukee&#8217;s punk-rock palace for gifts,&#8221; brims with<\/span><span style=\"color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300;\">\u00a0stylish and witty toys, gifts, offbeat greeting cards, and knitting products. And <em>Burke Candy<\/em> remains, with always-tantalizing retail shop offerings. All these places are worthwhile.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"14133\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/?attachment_id=14133\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fischbergers-onmilwaukee.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"800,600\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"fischbergers onmilwaukee\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fischbergers-onmilwaukee-300x225.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fischbergers-onmilwaukee.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-14133\" src=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fischbergers-onmilwaukee.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fischbergers-onmilwaukee.jpg 800w, https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fischbergers-onmilwaukee-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fischbergers-onmilwaukee-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/fischbergers-onmilwaukee-400x300.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>Fischberger&#8217;s Variety Store on Holton Street. Courtesy onmilwaukee.com<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300;\">A mark of the neighborhood&#8217;s deep-grained culture is <em>Moberg Piano Sales and Service<\/em> on Keefe Avenue, plum full of real acoustic pianos of all kinds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">In time, the neighborhood shifted politically, from the radically driven ESHAC to community-growth values, while remaining strongly left-leaning and bohemian. Witness the <em>Peace Action Center, The Riverwest Artists Association, The Riverwest Neighborhood Association<\/em>, community-oriented radio station <em>WXRW, Riverwest Food Pantry<\/em> and a vital arm of Milwaukee Riverkeepers environmental activists. The new <em>Daily Bird<\/em> may not replace the former Fuel Caf\u00e9\u2019s punk-rock vitality. However, two indie recording studios recently opened.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Another Riverwest distinction: It now boasts the first two designated &#8220;bicycle boulevards&#8221; in Milwaukee: at E. Wright Street and N. Fratney Street (where I live). These streets have speed bumps each block and car traffic is limited. New curb bump-outs limit sharp car turns at intersections, and make pedestrian crossings shorter. A traffic circle was added to the Wright and Fratney Street intersection. Traffic circles are intended to allow traffic to flow through intersections slowly and efficiently, without requiring a full stop on either side. Bikers rejoice and roll, of course. And I now see neighbors walking their dogs right down the middle of Fratney Street.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mp-html\">\n<hr \/>\n<\/div>\n<p>Riverwest remains arguably the city\u2019s most diverse and alternative-culture neighborhood, defying the city\u2019s notorious segregation. Gentrification never infiltrated, despite condo development on bordering Commerce Street. Mortgages and rents remain moderate and median household income is $44,820, compared to the nation\u2019s average of $62,843. A notably working-class population remains, with 39% holding a high-school degree or less, compared to the nation\u2019s 30 to 35 percent working class. Historical ethnicities are Polish and Puerto Rican\u2014a neighbor\u2019s flagpole flies Puerto Rican and American colors year-round, and up the street is bi-lingual elementary La Escuela Fratney. Riverwest\u2019s racial make-up is 64% white, 20% black, 8% Hispanic, 5% mixed races, and 3 % Asian.<\/p>\n<p>________<\/p>\n<p><strong>This article was originally published in shorter form in a special neighborhoods history section of the April issue of <em>The Shepherd Express<\/em> magazine.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"tags\"><\/aside>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Linneman&#8217;s Riverwest Inn.\u00a0 Photo by Michael Burmesch, courtesy The Shepherd Express. Since the 1980s, Riverwest has moved like the river it borders\u2014a place of restless culture and commingling social currents. Literary, artsy Woodland Pattern, opened in 1980, remains Riverwest\u2019s signature &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/?p=14127\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1258,1255,1260,1256,663,1249,1261,250,1263,1254,1246,1259,1252,1248,195,848,202,1251,1250,1262,340,1253,1257,1247],"class_list":["post-14127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-www-kevernacular-com","tag-big-daddys-barbecue-and-soul-food","tag-black-husky-brewing","tag-cafe-centro","tag-cafe-corazon","tag-christopher-porterfield","tag-company-brewing","tag-fischbergers-variety","tag-jazz-gallery-center-for-the-arts","tag-la-escuela-fratney","tag-lakefront-brewery","tag-linnemans-riverwest-inn","tag-nessum-dorma","tag-outpost-natural-foods","tag-polish-falcon-bowl","tag-riverwest","tag-riverwest-artists-association","tag-riverwest-follies","tag-the-bugle-american","tag-the-eastside-housing-action-committee","tag-the-peace-action-center","tag-the-shepherd-express","tag-tom-tolan","tag-wonderland","tag-woodland-pattern"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2hJWE-3FR","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14127"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14127\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14203,"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14127\/revisions\/14203"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kevernacular.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}