BROOKFIELD ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEWS April 22, 2015 |
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Four New Businesses Choose the Brookfield Village
Four businesses have chosen to locate in the Village area of Brookfield since the beginning of 2015.
The Gift Shoppe will open its second location at 2835 North Brookfield Road on or about May 1st. The Gift Shoppe is an award-winning store with a current location in Cudahy.
Treat Street Popcorn is moving its business from Pewaukee and will be opening at 18720 West Pleasant Street in the next few weeks.
Petals Floral Design, which provides floral arrangements for weddings and special events, has also moved to the Pleasant Street building from its former location in Wauwatosa.
Dianne Gleixner's
Basket Weaving Studio
opened e
arlier this year, also on Pleasant Street.
Mayor Ponto noted he was pleased with all the new business activity in the Village area.
"Our administration, the Community Development Authority and the City Council have been very supportive of development in the Village area, including the Hoffman Avenue parking lot and other projects," said the Mayor. "It i
s great to see this level of business activity and the return on the investments the City has made in the Village."
See the New Village Businesses section for details about each business. For more information on the new businesses in the Village, contact:
- Tim Casey, Economic Development Administrator ([email protected], 262-796-6694)
- Judy Carlin, Owner, The Gift Shoppe ([email protected], 414-747-9998)
- Wendy Anderson, Owner, Treat Street Popcorn ([email protected], 262-370-9600)
- Carrie Kroenig, Owner, Petals Floral Design ([email protected], 414-526-0298)
- Dianne Gleixner, Owner, The Basket Weaving Studio ([email protected], 262-790-9790)
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Village Loan Pool Program Assists Business Investment in the Village Area
The City of Brookfield partnered with First Bank Financial Centre in late 2012 to create a Village Loan Pool. Loans from $10,000 - $25,000 are available to small businesses for acquisition of property, property improvements, fixtures, furniture, equipment and other eligible capital expenses. The loan application is a straightforward process and loan decisions can be made in a matter of days. Loans are at an interest rate of one percent and terms of five and 10 years are common. The Gift Shoppe is the third business in the Village area to take advantage of this low-interest loan program. In 2014, both Biloba Brewing and 29ten Salon received Village Loan Pool loans to assist their investment in the Village area.
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The Gift Shoppe
The Gift Shoppe, owned by Judy Carlin, and run with help from the entire family, opened its first store in Cudahy five years ago. With a handpicked line of candles, cards, jewelry, and home d?cor, The Gift Shoppe prides itself on customer service. A unique line at the store are colorful "wind spinners" in a wide variety of sizes, shapes and colors. The spinners activate yards and gardens with color and motion and come in many themes. Judy and daughter Mackenzie are looking forward to opening in Brookfield.
"We lived in Brookfield a number of years ago, and are very familiar with the community," Judy said. "When we saw this space on Brookfield Road, we felt it was perfect to display our line of spinners and other products in a very visible manner. As we learned about all of the plans in the Village area, and the sense of community, we jumped on this opportunity." The Gift Shoppe has been very successful since its inception and was voted as "Best in Milwaukee" in the Gift Shop Category in 2014 by readers of The Shepard Express. The Gift Shoppe received a loan from the Village Loan Pool to assist its project. The City partnered with First Bank Financial Center in 2013 to create a Village Loan Pool. Loans of up to $25,000 are available at one percent interest to assist small businesses in acquisition, remodeling and other capital expenses for projects in the Village area.
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Treat Street Popcorn
Treat Street Popcorn opened three years ago in Pewaukee where their gourmet popcorn quickly became popular. Treat Street is another family oriented business, run by Wendy Anderson and daughter, Beth. This popping partnership produces an array of popcorn flavors including "addictive" Tender White, Big Cheese, Dill Pickle, Blue Raspberry and more. They claim their Butter Caramel corn is the best in the universe.
Treat Street found its business growing into providing popcorn for gifts, parties, showers, weddings, office events and group activities. More space was needed for larger scale production, and Treat Street is moving its operations to a space next to Biloba Brewing at 18720 Pleasant Street, just east of Brookfield Road. They plan to open within the next few weeks.
Wendy and Beth are excited to be a part of the growing business base in the Village. "We came to a Village meeting a few weeks ago and had some of our popcorn for sampling and also sold it at the St. Patrick's Day celebration at Biloba," Wendy said. "The reception we've received has been incredible. As we find out about all the activities and events going on in the Village, we know we picked the right location, and look forward to being a part of this community."
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Petals Floral Design
Carrie Kroening, owner of Petals Floral Design, has been involved in floral design and providing floral needs to weddings and special events for more than 15 years. From corsages to bouquets to centerpieces and special needs, Petals provides beautiful arrangements while working within client's budgets.
Petals serves about 150 weddings and other events each year. The space in the Pleasant Street building provides a meeting room and showroom for some of the fixtures and accents used in displays, as well as cooler and production space for assembling the arrangements.
Carrie had her studio in Wauwatosa for years before finding the space on Pleasant Street. She too has been impressed with the energy in the Village area. "Attending one of the group meetings, and hearing about the plans for the area, and all the events, you really feel the sense of community that is growing here," Carrie noted. "To feel like you're a part of something, and have people welcome you with open arms, is not something you expect. It made me feel very good about our new location, and we have let folks know we will be an active participant going forward."
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The Basket Weaving Studio
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Source: C.T. Kruger (Brookfield NOW) |
Dianne Gleixner opened the Basket Weaving Studio earlier this year, creating a business out of what was once a hobby. Dianne began basket weaving in the late 1980s, but did not begin teaching classes until 2008. Currently, Dianne splits her time between teaching classes on the road and her time at the studio. Two days a week, she teaches classes to people with a variety of skill levels. In addition to the set classes, Dianne also holds open-weave nights that are less formal but still provide an opportunity of basket weavers to exchange ideas and hone their craft.
Dianne's expertise is evident in her first-place finish in the Mold Woven category at the 2013 North Carolina Basketry Association Convention. Her talent combined with her relaxed classroom demeanor helps put students at ease no matter their proficiency. "There's no need to get frustrated; basket weaving is supposed to be fun." The studio has space for 12 to 14 students with classes ranging from three to eight hours. Dianne provides complete kits to her students and everyone leaves with a finished basket.
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Your Questions, Comments & Requests are Welcome
If you need any information for your business or for someone considering a business opportunity in Brookfield, contact:
Tim Casey Economic Development Administrator City of Brookfield 2000 N. Calhoun Road Brookfield, WI 53005-5095 262-797-6694 [email protected] |
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Brookfield Economic Development
The City of Brookfield Economic Development Administrator is Tim Casey. Economic Development Committee members include: Nate Cunniff, BMO Harris Bank; Bob Reddin, Alderman, City of Brookfield; Glen Allgaier, School District of Elmbrook; David Krutz, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP; Scott Oleson, Brookfield Square Shopping Center; Steve Miazga, R. A. Smith National and Brookfield Chamber of Commerce; Brian Shecterle, Culver's Restaurant & Shecterle Commercial Properties LLC.
The Economic Development Committee generally meets on the first Monday of every month (excluding July). For meeting agendas and minutes, please visit:
http://www.ci.brookfield.wi.us/archive.asp
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