A Dilapidated Downtown Dwelling is Coming Down

Downtown Menomonee Falls is a picturesque area of the village with a waterfall, small shops with awnings, and parks. But travel just south of Main Street and that picturesque scenery soon becomes a sight that makes your eyes sore.

That little corner of downtown, which is just south of Sal’s on Appleton Avenue, features a vacant run-down red duplex and a large vacant storefront. However, property owner Bill Bode of Brayton Management has plans to transform that area.

In 2011, Brayton had plans to construct a 30-unit residential and retail mixed use building, but plans were scrapped due to financial constraints. 

As part of the plan, which is still in the early stages with the village, the red duplex at N88W16677 would be razed. In its place, a small landscaped walkway would be installed. The walkway would lead to a new parking lot Bode plans to construct behind the buildings along Mill Street.

Adjacent to the red duplex is a vacant storefront with windows facing Appleton Avenue, which will be occupied by Just Kiln Time on Sept. 1. The paint-it-yourself pottery shop opened in September 2012 at N88W16758 Main St.

“We will have more space to offer glass fusing, canvas classes, open canvas painting, pottery painting, clay, and even a potters wheel,” said Just Kiln Time owner Christine Shepard. “The workings are moving fast so we are very excited.”

Pink Lemonade Salon and Day Spa will also be a new tenant on that strip between the fire station and Sal’s Pub. They’ll take over the space left behind by Quilted Basket, which closed in May after owner Ann Wanke experienced health issues.

Pink Lemonade will also move into that space in September. Pink Lemonade’s new digs add an additional 1,000 square feet of space, and owner Jamie Kolatzki will grow her business from six to 10 hair stations, from two to four pedicure stations, from two to four manicure stations, and from three message tables to four.

Patch has contacted property owner Bill Bode to get a rough timeframe when the duplex would be razed and parking lot constructed.