After six weeks of closure and over half a million dollars in renovations, Wauwatosa’s refreshed Café Hollander, located at 7677 W. State St. in the Wauwatosa Village area, is set to reopen on Friday.
The restaurant, owned by Milwaukee-based Lowlands Group, was one of several businesses that incurred major damages after historic floods swept through the area in mid-August. Café Hollander sits on the banks of the Menomonee River, which rose nearly 15 feet during the storm and filled Café Hollander’s downstairs kitchen with four feet of standing water.
Fortunately, the water did not reach the electrical outlets, saving the restaurant from shouldering its original estimate of $1 million in damages, said Cas Banaszek, vice president of restaurant operations at Lowlands Group.
“If (the water) was one inch higher, the cost would’ve doubled,” Banaszek said.
Cas Banaszek
Café Hollander’s renovation took place over the last six weeks and cost between $500,000 and $600,000 to complete. The remodel features an entirely new kitchen with new walls, appliances, prep line amenities, shelving and floors, and a new AV system for the restaurant’s cameras, TVs, music system and other technology in the building.
In addition to fixing damage downstairs, the business took the opportunity to remodel its upstairs bar and dining room which included refinishing the floors, bar and restrooms.
When the restaurant closed for repairs, its 76 employees were placed at other Lowlands Group restaurants in the area including at its neighboring restaurant Buckatabon Tavern & Supper Club. To accommodate the influx of employees, Buckatabon introduced breakfast services while Café Hollander was under construction.
Café Hollander’s grand reopening celebration will begin at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26. The evening will include door prizes for the first 50 guests to enter; scratch-off cards with prizes ranging from free brunch for a year to Hollander merch, CityTins coupons, discounts, and more; a “Golden Glass Hunt” where hidden golden goblets can be traded for a free beer; and live music performances through the weekend, according to a press release.
Banaszek also teased a soft launch prior to Friday’s festivities, but did not provide details.
After Friday, the Wauwatosa Café Hollander will return to its normal hours: Sunday – Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday – Saturday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
“Our team has put forth a herculean effort to get us to this point, and we are thrilled to be reopening this week,” said Eric Wagner, founder and CEO at Lowlands Group, in a press release. “It might be the fastest full kitchen remodel in history, and we’re really excited for the community to see the new shine on Hollander. Over the last several weeks, we’ve been overwhelmed by the kindness, the helping hands, and the encouragement from the whole community, and we’re rolling out a weekend of celebratory fun and surprises as a small token of thanks.”
In addition to Café Hollander’s weekend events, Lowlands is spearheading a campaign to raise funds for repairs to the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, which incurred an estimated $7.5 million in damages from the floods. The Milwaukee Rep’s production building, located at 1300 Glenview Place in Wauwatosa, was filled with three feet of water during the storm, damaging props, sets, and essential tools. To aid in repairs, Lowlands Group will donate $1 for every Lowlands Brewing Collaborative bier and $1 for every Lowlands’ signature Bloody Mary sold between Sept. 26 and Oct. 3 to the theater company, according to the press release.
