The Knick restaurant, located in the Knickerbocker Hotel, 1030 E. Juneau Ave., closed after brunch service yesterday to make what Jane Pankowski, general manager of N-Stars Restaurants, called "strictly cosmetic changes."
The eatery will reopen on Wednesday, Dec. 1 and hosts a free grand re-opening party on Saturday, Dec. 4 with The 5-Card Studs.
"We are NOT changing the concept, the menu -- aside from a few seasonal changes we always make this time of year to adjust for fall and winter -- or the staff," Pankowski told me this morning via e-mail.
"Aside from painting the walls and changing around some artwork, the Knick has looked pretty much the same since it opened. We wanted to liven up the '90s modern decor into something a little more warm and contemporary."
Pankowski says The Knick will get new floors, walls, upholstery, light fixtures, tables and a different overall layout in the dining rooms. The s-shaped half-wall will go, making it easier for the restaurant to accommodate larger parties, and a new banquette will be added to one wall.
The booths, she said, will stay.
So, check The Knick out when it reopens and sidle up to a loved one for a delicious ice cream drink ... winter be damned!
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
