This week on Urban Spelunking we're visiting a building on a prominent corner lot that was built by Miller Brewing Company. Based on those facts alone, you might expect it to be a "tied house," a brewery-owned tavern that exclusively sold its products in the pre-Prohibition era.
But this 1909 building was never a tavern. Instead, it was a family-run drug and grocery store for most of its life, on the corner or Bartlett and Irving.
At the time of publishing, the property is listed for sale. Photos from the listing show plenty of vintage details like original fixtures, built-in shelving, wood floors and, best of all, a soda counter with stools attached to the floor.
The property also features two apartments -- a three-bedroom unit and a two bedroom unit -- and is listed for $539,900.
Listen to our conversation below to learn about the well-loved family that ran the business, and how geraniums became a signature decoration for this vintage building, and how Miller Brewing company used local real estate development on its way to becoming a brewing giant. You can dig even deeper by reading Bobby Tanzilo's complete story at OnMilwaukee.com.
