Experience Milwaukee

As Bittercube's founder Ira Koplowitz explains, bitters are the spice rack of your bar. And as liquid spices, maybe for your entire home! In this episode, Adam and Steve dig into how a unique experience and lots of travel inspired the creation of Bittercube. Along with Ira, they also explore the role of cocktails in building human connection and how Bittercube evolved from sharing with friends to...

What do you get when you mix ambition, passion, and a take-action 16 year old? An organization that sets out to give young people a chance to experience and explore the arts! Adam and Steve have a great conversation with their new friend, Contessa Lobley, Executive Director and Founder of the East Side's TBEY Arts Center. Contessa, or Tessa as her friends call her, shares stories on what inspired...

You might think this episode is only for the whiskey lovers. That's only half true. If you like people who make things (or are one) and their stories to bring their creations to life, this episode is for you, whether you like whiskey or not! Why did we go to Evanston, IL? And why does FEW Spirits (and founder Paul Hletko) absolutely love Milwaukee so much? Jump in as Adam and Steve learn more abou...

How can ice cream save a life? You'll have to listen to find out. Join Adam and Steve and their new BFFs Justin Povlick and Dusty Garley, two of the owners at Scratch Ice Cream, for another great Milwaukee story. Get the scoop (ha ha) on how Scratch got started in the back of a frozen yogurt shop, how the company pays attention to the details, and how to get your hands on this fantastic ice cream!

This might sound like a complicated episode, but it's really not. Jump in with Adam and Steve as they catch up with washbnb founder and CEO Daniel Cruz while getting an Airbnb perspective of the city from Cream City Stays founder John Kroeger. What will you get from this one besides some serious laughs? Daniel's perspective on the washbnb business through a pandemic and entering a crowdfunding rai...

Adam is on vacation so Steve goes solo on this one. In honor of Milwaukee Day, April 14 (414, Milwaukee's main area code), the team thought it'd be fun to learn more about the inception of the day that celebrates the city. Steve is joined by Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Milwaukee Day co-founders Andy Silverman and Mocha Harris, Milwaukee Downtown CEO Beth Weirick, and more than 20 Milwaukeeans who...

In this East Side neighborhood feature episode, Adam and Steve get to know more about Triciclo Peru, including how to properly pronounce the name! Joined by the restaurant's owner, Amy Narr, you too can learn more about her background in the Pease Corps and Peru and back to Milwaukee as an entrepreneur. You can find Triciclo Peru everywhere in the city and specifically at the Crossroads Collective...

This is exactly the episode you'd expect after several drinks. And what better day to publish it than April Fool's Day?!? If you were in Milwaukee in your 20's in the 90's, you'll love this one. And if you weren't, you'll still love the laughs and mayhem (also, please share this with someone who was)! Adam and Steve welcome Molly Snyder, senior writer at OnMilwaukee.com. Good times. From shower be...

After 5 years, Milwaukee Makers Market founder, curator, and organizer Ryan Laessig still works tirelessly to keep the events fresh and exciting. Consider that goal accomplished. This week, Adam and Steve learn more about what's in store for the 2021 Milwaukee Makers Market season, how it supports local, small businesses (who make what they sell btw), and what you can expect from this year's event...

This is an episode for the future. Or from the past. Or something like that. Anyway, enjoy this fun conversation that Adam and Steve have with former journalist for the Milwaukee Business Journal and Wisconsin Inno, Nick Williams. Learn about what brought him to Milwaukee while getting super insightful perspective on the city's tech and innovation scene, including how others see it. You don't have...

In this episode, Adam and Steve learn all about Thum from owner Darleen Vanmanivong. Her passion and love for food is inspiring. Located in Crossroads Collective in Milwaukee's welcoming East Side neighborhood, Thum launched in the middle of the pandemic and is doing so well that Darleen recently committed to another two years. Learn more about how she and Thum got started, what family meal means,...

In this episode, Adam and Steve chat with Katie Daly Weiss, owner and Chief Yeti Wrangler at Big White Yeti. What the hell is Big White Yeti? Well, a company that makes seriously good smelling candles with some seriously silly names! Learn how it was named, how they're made (hint: Yeti magic!), how and why to trim your wick, what a cold throw is, and so much more fun stuff. Also, how Adam and Stev...

This is an episode of lies and deceit. Ok, not really. As much as we try to distract you with misinformation, in the end, you'll get all the info you need to find and enjoy this top secret Milwaukee speakeasy. Jump in with Adam and Steve as they interrogate Daniel Dufek, Beverage Director, Hospitality at New Land Enterprises and controller of true and accurate information about Shanghai. We're sur...

How will Milwaukee capture otherwise lost knowledge and transform regional leadership? Ian Abston, founder of Forward 48 has an answer. This episode, also with Betsy Brenner, former president & publisher at The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, takes Adam and Steve on journey into this new accelerator for leaders. From networking to experiential learning, Forward 48 comes with tons of FREE perks, to...

In this episode, Adam and Steve chat with Adventure Rock co-owner Craig Burzynski. Jump in and learn more about Milwaukee's indoor climbing gym, with three locations for your convenience. From "easier than climbing a ladder" to Spiderman level routes, learn more about how simple it is to get started or keep challenging yourself if you're an experienced climber. Oh, and Adam and Steve share their f...

In this East Side ON episode, Adam and Steve bring you the story of Celesta Restaurant with its energetic and engaging chef/owner, Melanie Manuel. From creative writing teacher to helping food stamp recipients get their high school equivalency diploma and traveling across the US and around the world, Melanie has seen it all. But what led her to making delicious food (and cakes!) from scratch? You'...

As is often discussed on this podcast, success takes time. For Indeed Brewing, that meant working through the grind of self-distribution from Minnesota to Wisconsin. Several Culver's and Kwik Trip stops later, a beautiful taproom in the Walker's Point neighborhood emerged. Take a listen as Adam and Steve chat with Indeed's Jeff Gray (Sales/Marketing Manager) and Patrick Nickelson (Head Brewer). Wh...

Wantable, a try-before-you-buy apparel service powered by personal stylists and data science, is experiencing tremendous growth. In this episode, Adam and Steve dig in with founder and CEO, Jalem Getz, and longtime employee and current copywriter, Lindsay Unick, to learn more about how the company is keeping employees engaged in an environment where talent matters. Though Wantable has launched wor...

This episode, focused on events planned for St. Patrick's day 2020, was never released. We found it while digging through the archives. We took a listen and realized it highlights so many of the things we love about Milwaukee from a time when we were all out experiencing the city. So, we dusted it off and we're sharing it with you. In gratitude, and in the spirit of looking forward, we hope you en...

What do you do when you sell your house and walk away from your dream job? You start a successful business, of course. Learn about this and more as Adam and Steve get the scoop from Margaux Chandler, owner of Shred415, a community-focused fitness studio on Milwaukee's East Side. With options for you to join in-person or through live streams, Shred415 will have you feeling good physically and menta...

Jump in on this one as Adam and Steve learn more about Von Trier, a unique German beer bar and cocktail lounge, from its owner, Mark Zierath. From the history of the bar, which runs deep, to what's new, you'll come to love this East Side establishment! Oh, and listen in to see if Mark felt any pressure taking over such a historic place. 

Ok, here it is. We put together what we think sums up the podcast for 2020. It's fast and funny and has a little Black Belt Theatre in the background. Thanks so much to our 2020 sponsors: Transfer Pizzeria Cafe, FEW Spirits, KOSS Stereophones, and Indeed Brewing. And thanks so much more to you, our loyal listeners! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Thanks. Just Thanks. This is a short one, so jump in for a message from Steve and an announcement about how to snag some pizza and FREE KOSS headphones next week. Oh, and a FULL version of our intro and outro song by Black Belt Theatre. 

Ever wonder what a complete nerd out on video games would sound like on the podcast? Well, here you go! In this episode, Adam and Steve have so much fun talking with Tommy Ludan, Player 1 at CARCADE (carcadegames.com), an anywhere arcade. Learn how Tommy went from daytime attorney to bringing social entertainment to Milwaukee through engaging park-and-play events. And yes, Steve tries to keep Tomm...

What do you do with an old pharmacy that got its start in the 1930's? Well, you turn it into the most awesomest, badass food hall, of course! Jump into this chat where Adam and Steve learn more about Crossroads Collective from Emily Chirillo, Director of Operations for New Land Enterprises. Including how Crossroads Collective is, in many ways, an innovative jump start fro micro-restaurants. Oh, an...