About Us:
Lakefront Brewery is the proud owner of Bernie Brewer's Chalet. When the Brewer's rebuilt their new stadium, the Chalet needed a new home, and the Klisch brothers wanted their brewery to be that home. Russ jumped at the opportunity to buy the item. As a stop on the tour, it offers folks a piece of history in their hometown.
Russ has received many compliments for the unique lights that hang outside of the brewery. The lights were originally designed for and hung in the Plankinton Hotel in 1916 for their beer hall. Unfortunately, the hotel broke ground on the same day World War I started. Shortly thereafter, prohibition started, and the room was never used as a beer hall. The lights hung in the hotel restaurant until 1982 when the building was demolished. The city removed the lights and stored them in a warehouse along with other Milwaukee artifacts until an online auction was held to sell everything. With the opening bid at $5,000, the brothers bid $5,013, but were quickly out-bid by an antique dealer from Chicago offering $10,000. However, the City wanted the lights kept in Milwaukee, and agreed to sell them to the brothers for their price. Jim and Russ are very proud of the lights' heritage and beauty, and had spent over $1,000 restoring each light.
