The owner of the West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe is planning to open a beer garden next door to the existing store and restaurant on West Becher Street.
Mark Lutz, owner of West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe, said he purchased the property at 6800 W. Becher St. in late summer 2018. It is located immediately east of the existing shop and restaurant at 6832 W. Becher St. Lutz said he is moving forward with plans to develop a beer garden at that site, which now includes a former auto service center building and a parking lot. He said he will probably submit his plans to the city on Thursday.
“I want to be opened up by Aug. 1,” said Lutz.
The beer garden will provide 1,300 square feet of public interior space and another 1,300 square feet outside. The existing building is largely in good condition, so the main focus of improvements will be to the outdoor area, said Lutz. The beer garden will have an overall “industrial look,” he added.
Plans call for replacing the existing garage doors on the building with two glass ones and installing another bar-height glass door where people will be able to sit and enjoy their drinks. Inside, Lutz will add furniture, a fireplace, a bar and appropriate restrooms. Outside will be a 30-foot-by-40-foot pergola, two fire pits and plenty of seating, including both small tables and large beer hall-type party tables.
“The concept is a brew house to serve craft beer and coffee, so I can accommodate the day crowd,” said Lutz.
As for food options, the beer garden will have soft pretzels and sausage on site. The sausage will be made by a new butcher shop that Lutz is planning to open the next block over at 2079 S. 69th St. Otherwise, patrons can order food from the restaurant at West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe next door or the recently opened Wild Roots restaurant across the street at 6807 W. Becher St. Lutz owns that building as well.
Lutz imagines the beer garden building will also serve as a venue for events like private parties or other smaller gatherings. West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe already hosts events such as wine and cheese tastings every third Thursday of the month, and those will be moved next door into the new beer garden building.
Patera LLC is the project architect. The New Berlin-based firm has worked with Lutz on his various other projects, such as the rebuilding of the cheese shop following a fire in 2007, the building addition in 2013 where the restaurant is located, the Wild Roots building restoration and the butcher shop.
West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe also operates a vendor stand at the Milwaukee Public Market in the Historic Third Ward.
