Blatz Liquor (3)

This is the most overdue blog post and sorta tribute to what has been one of the most important additions to my life in Milwaukee.  Are you kidding me a liquor store?  No, because if you do it right, a business/owner can connect and market well enough to secure your loyalty, build friendships, increase your knowledge, and well, get you drunk too.

My first stop was actually late in 2008 when I got my curiosity up about the little liquor store at the Blatz.  Like everyone’s first time I had a hard time finding it, and wasn’t expecting a selection to meet “my taste’s”.  A year later, it’s a weekly (or more) stop to see just Joe Woelfle (the owner), Adam, or Pete and a multitude of old and new friends that share the love of craft beer, wine, etc.  Also the selection was good the first time, and has evolved into the best place downtown to get even the rarest of libations.  Joe will order it if possible, and keeps the prices at a minimum too.

Blatz Liquor is home to the “Blatz Cave” where part of the old brewery’s production existed.  You can walk into a cream city brick cooler filled with ice cold beer ready for your party at home.

Joe has been the master of marketing and has used unconventional tools to bring in and keep customers.  I knew Joe long before Twitter and has had and continued to have tasting nearly every Thursday of the month where you can sample an array of wines, liquors, or seasonal or brands of beers.  On Twitter, Joe has used his personality, not his business so much to connect with his massive following.  He’s your good friend , jerk friend, funny friend, stupid friend, smart friend, but most importantly your alcohol enabling good times friend that you can always count on.

Considering I have a local store within a block of home with a pretty awesome selection of craft beer, and I still opt to always go 4 miles round trip out of my way (by bike) to go to Blatz Liquor is my thank you.  Building sales into loyalty, loyalty into friends, and friends into a community has what has made Blatz Liquor the success and destination its become today.

Stop on in! Tell ’em @jeffmke sent ya!

1121 N Broadway, Milwaukee (between Highland & Juneau in the Blatz Condos)

Red Dot (1)

I received a tip from my friend Melva last winter to check out a place I had never heard of before and wasn’t far from home either. After checking out their website I was moved to go check out their breakfast first.

A walk in frigid cold in Milwaukee can make any warm place with breakfast a welcoming party, but they did enough to keep me coming back for weeks. I spent a number of Sunday mornings getting a reasonably priced breakfast of sauasage, over-easy eggs, toast and hash browns and washed it down with a Fuller’s Porter.  To top it off the bartender was attentive, yet unobtrusive and the music was usually a blend of Beatles and 60’s Brit-pop.

Perhaps I burned myself out, but I have not forgotten this hidden gem on the east side where I have stopped for food & beer on occassion since.  Now that the weather has turned cold again I’m drooling about that breakfast again right now.  Maybe poutine is in the near future the next time around (heh #fatmke).

2498 N Bartlett Avenue, Milwaukee

Zincinnati

Upon arriving in my friend Carin’s neighborhood near the University of Cincinnati I had intentions of stopping at the Highland Coffee House only to find it didn’t open till 5. Fortunately across the corner at University & Highland I found Mecklenburg Gardens. It’s a German pub/restaurant with many classic German beers on tap with fun, but professional service. They even take care in pouring a perfect beer. Presentation counts in my book. Carin’s on her way so I have to go.