Downtown Kenosha 2020-4

5614 Kenosha
6th Avenue (262) 652-0648

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510-57th Street - Kenosha, WI (262) 653-5897

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FULL BAR DT2020-4
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spotlight Want to Advertise Your Downtown Business?
Contact “Downtown” Donny
at Apis Restaurant & Hotel
262.564.8800 • [email protected]
614 56th Street #Downtown Kenosha Magazine

The Apis Hotel & MAGAZINE A special thank you
Restaurant is Kenosha's to all the Downtown
premier destination for
unique accommodation businesses for
and culinary adventure. supporting this
There's nothing quite like current issue.
it. Stop by for a visit at their Please support local!
newly enclosed and heat-
ed rooftop bar!

at Em’s Dance Studio

5913 Sixth Avenue A

Em's Dance Center has both Look for the next Issue 091020
competitive teams and non-com- March 1st, 2021
petitive classes, so there is some-
thing for every dance lover out For more on the current
there. There offer many different issue check out
genres jazz, lyrical/ballet and tap. hap2it.com or
Online registration is now open on
their website, so sign up and dance downtownkenosha.org
the night away!

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remembering downtown
kenosha

with Lou Rugani

In early 1930, Nash Motors executive Walter

Alford and Mrs. Gertrude Alford had suffered a devastating family loss

when their son Ferrin and his friends were killed by a speeding C&NWRy

passenger train on that New Year during a scavenger hunt. Heartbroken,

Mrs. Gertrude Alford still proceeded with their mutual dream of the

$200,000 Art Deco Alford Building, 164-feet in length and 125-feet deep

and covering over half of a block at the northwest corner of Fifty-Eighth

Street and Seventh Avenue. Walter's final illness that winter had halted

negotiations, but now work was to begin in two weeks with completion by

late summer already with long-term leases by Montgomery-Ward, JC

Penney and the Leath Furniture company of Elgin, Illinois. Kenosha archi-

tect Joseph Lindl of Lindl and Schutte faced the building with Indiana

limestone and spacious display windows as specified by the lessees.

Kenosha contractors J C Tully Construction company, Josephson and

Zimmerman Electric,F J Watkins Plumbing and Thomas Heating employed This 1938 view also shows Kenosha Electric Railway tracks five years
after abandonment. Some surfaced during 2019 reconstruction.
local craftsmen.
Building. About then, several 19th Century commercial buildings to the
The Alford Building hosted the south were demolished for parking spaces, and as the once-busy 58th
Street corridor was losing importance, city leaders recognized the need
Barden Store after the latter to correct the worrisome vacancies and bought the two massive struc-
tures. Encouraged by the city's confidence and the nearby Stella Hotel
vacated its original venue in 1985 project, up stepped the Kenosha-based Witico company with Matt Geary
of Public Craft Brewing Company and with Kathy Meyer and Hanni Gould
and an antique-and-collectibles of Culinary Infusion. Each had considered occupying the entire Barden
Building independently before reaching a co-sharing agreement with spe-
business into the 1990s but cific needs in mind. Public Craft Brewing offers main-floor dining and
entertainment and basement brewing facilities with outdoor seating under
recently caught the eye of Blue a 1960 canopy that was featured in a Kenosha Evening News editorial
cartoon at its installation. Culinary Infusion's Upper East second-floor
Point Development, a creative space is hosting banquets. The Barden Building (now 'The Barden')
opened in early Autumn of 2020.
Chicago-based firm with already-
Kitty-corner from the Barden Building is the former Kenosha Evening
completed residential projects in News building, already emblazoned with Herzing University signage
heralding the city's fourth and newest college planned for 1,000 to 1,200
Kenosha County, that is restoring medical and nursing students. Campus president Jeff Hill acknowledged
58th Street's rebirth as a destination for student amenities and the
the Alford to ground-floor retail University's role in the vision for downtown Kenosha's burgeoning enter-
tainment district.
and second-floor residences at
In addition to a historian, Lou Rugani is a longtime radio host - his
nearly $8 million. Completion is shows “Remembering Kenosha” (weekdays, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.) &
“Music of the Stars” (Sundays) can be heard on WLIP AM1050.
planned by the end of January,

2022.

Across the street to the east is

the born-again Barden Building This Kenosha Evening News 1960
designed by Kenoshan Charles editorial cartoon on the Barden
Augustine. Once one of Kenosha's Builing's new sidewalk canopy. It
prominent department stores and remains in 2020 sheltering the new
locally considered almost a mini-
outdoor cafe.

Marshall Field's, Barden's had originated in 1889 at Main at Market (Sixth

at 56th) and relocated to Church Street at Wisconsin Street (Seventh at

58th) in 1905. After 1985 the Barden Building hosted first an antique

shop with an Italian eatery and then the Omega candle factory before

falling into dormancy almost simultaneously with the neighboring Alford

Pre-construction architect rendering of the Alford Building.

Page 52 Downtown Kenosha 2020/21,Vol. 13 Issue #4 #downtownkenoshamagazine ONLINE AT DOWNTOWNKENOSHA.ORG & HAP2IT.COM

Now Offering DT2020-4
Non-commitment memberships

(Cancel with a 30 day notice Limited time offer)

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playspace kenosha

at Sugar Boxx, 2225 63rd Street

faded barbershop How did you get your idea or
for men concept for the business?

2227 63rd Street Our business concept was
developed through our last busi-
What products & services do you provide? ness Sugar Boxx. We had a small
We offer haircuts, with a discounted rate for seniors and children, area that was free for kids to play
& include a shampoo, neck shave & shoulder massage. Hot lather in during their visit for ice cream.
shaves. Waxing. We saw the need for a children’s
What do you love area or attraction for the younger
about Uptown Kenosha? kids in our city.
Uptown Kenosha is full of
personality and offers a little What services do you pro-
bit of everything. It's like one vide?
big family and everyone
wants to see each other suc- We offer a playroom full of pretend and interactive play for kids
ceed. We're not competing up to about 8-year-old. We book privately for birthday parties, day-
with each other, we're a cares, school field trips, day camps and more.
team here!
How would you What do you love about Uptown?
describe your business We love the diversity of the area. Being in the uptown area, you
to a potential cus- will come across all ethnicities, religions, income levels, and abili-
tomers? ties. It is the most beautiful part of our city. Everyone helps each
It's a classic men's barber- other. It's a huge melting pot community.
shop that the whole family How would you describe your business to a potential cus-
can feel comfortable coming tomers?
to. Simple: get back to the basics and let your children explore the
world through play. No electronics, no TV shows, no structure, just
pure and natural play.
What do you offer that stands out from other shops?
Our space isn't the typical, all-natural, organic or parent-focused
playspace. We focus on who matters most and that is your child.
We focus on having the top and most popular pretend-play toys.
We incorporate play for all different personalities and abilities.

learn more at DT2020-4
www.PlaySpaceKenosha.com
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Page 54 Downtown Kenosha 2020/21,Vol. 13 Issue #4 #downtownkenoshamagazine

Tricia WE OFFER
• Straight Shave
owner & barber • Formal Styles
• Neck Trims
T. 262.612.9354 Boda • Waxing
• Gray Blending
owner & barber • Beard Trim
T. 262.220.5332 • Haircuts

Children & Senior Discounts

OPEN TUESDAY - SATURDAY 101719

2227-63rd street

Uptown Kenosha • Book your appointment today!

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DT2020-4

Page 56 Downtown Kenosha 2020/21,Vol. 13 Issue #4 #downtownkenoshamagazine ONLINE AT DOWNTOWNKENOSHA.ORG & HAP2IT.COM