If you haven’t already heard the news, we are very excited to announce that we are expecting a little baby girl this September! We are so excited for this next journey in our lives and to see what the newest member of the Milwaukee Beer Gear team has in store for us.

We also wanted to share that we’ll be attending several craft fairs this summer. Here’s the list so far:

• June 17th: Milwaukee Maker’s Market at Collectivo Bay View from 10 am – 4 pm
• July 14th: Brew City Crafter’s Handmade in the Shade at Saint Francis Lions Community Center from 10 am – 3 pm
• August 19th: Milwaukee Maker’s Market at Collectivo Bay View from 10 am – 4 pm

We hope to see you there!

The MKE Three blog is coming out a bit earlier this month because we are off to Portugal and Spain this week. We are so excited to explore new cities and enjoy one last big European vacation as a family of two. So, let’s dive right in. This month, we are loving a historical non-profit, a mid-century modern furniture shop, and a great local fundraiser.

Historic Milwaukee

Historic Milwaukee is a non-profit organization focused on raising awareness of the architectural history of Milwaukee. Founded in 1974, Historic Milwaukee has grown to build tours and educational programs that showcase Milwaukee’s history and architecture, like Remarkable Milwaukee in February, Spaces & Traces in May, and Doors Open in September. Historic Milwaukee also holds walking tours of different Milwaukee neighborhoods several times a week from May – October including, Downtown, Downtown Sculpture, Riverwalk, Historic Third Ward, North Point Mansions, Brady Street and Bay View.

Our mutual love of Milwaukee history and neighborhoods recently brought us in touch with Historic Milwaukee and Zach is now a proud board member. The most recent event was Spaces & Traces in Walker’s Point this month, which showcased many historic homes and buildings in the Walker’s Point neighborhood. The non-profit hit their fundraising goal and the event was a great success overall. We urge you to do one of their walking tours (only $10 for non-members) this summer. They are conducted by highly knowledgeable Milwaukee citizens who provide incredible insight into what made Milwaukee what it is today. We’ll also share more information about Doors Open Milwaukee as the event gets closer.

You can also find our coasters and other locally made items in the Historic Milwaukee shop located at 253 E. Michigan St. along the new streetcar route.

Cream City Restoration

New(ish) to the Third Ward is Cream City Restoration, a vintage/mid-century modern furniture shop right on Water Street. Cream City Restoration is owned by Jason and Kelsey, another husband and wife duo who have the best taste in furniture, art and food. They make custom furniture, source and restore pieces from all over the world, and constantly have new items hitting the shop floor. In addition to furniture, Cream City Restoration also supports local Milwaukee makers. You’ll find a variety of home goods items, locally made art, jewelry, soaps, coasters and more.

They recently moved their shop from St. Francis to the Third Ward to embrace their love for the city and to work more closely with local makers. They are extremely knowledgeable about furniture and wood and have the best selection of imported furniture in the city. They often hold raffles and giveaways so be sure to follow them on social media and pay them a visit during Gallery Night for extra special treats.

Kentucky Derby Fundraiser

The best way to enjoy the Kentucky Derby is at a great fundraiser. This year, we participated in the Kentucky Derby Fundraiser to benefit the ALS Association and MS Society Wisconsin Chapters. In its third year, the Kentucky Derby Fundraiser was started by friends of mine from high school who have lost loved ones to ALS and MS. Each year, the fundraiser is held at the Paul Davis Restoration Boat House where Milwaukeeans dress in their Derby best and enjoy the race. There’s food, an open bar complete with Mint Juleps, yard games, and a raffle. We donated several coaster sets to be part of the raffle, which also included items like Toms shoes, a signed soccer ball by Chelsea FC, a signed basketball by Giannis Antetokounmpo, overnight stay packages, workout classes, Ray Ban sunglasses, food gift baskets and more.

This event, in particular, is focused entirely on the people these charities help support and the involvement in the community. It’s so refreshing to see a charity started by millennials that has continued to grow and raise awareness year after year, and we were honored to be a part of it. If you’re interested in supporting either organization, you can donate here or here.

Thanks for reading and we’ll see you next month!