According to an online real estate listing, Koz’s Mini Bowl, 2078 S. 7th St., is for sale, with an asking price of $499,000 for the bar and the building.
"Yes it's up for sale," owner Justin Kosakoski confirms. "Trying to sell to someone who will keep it as Koz's Mini Bowl.
"I'm ready for the next chapter of my life."
Keller Williams Realty-Milwaukee North Shore is the listing agent.
“Own this legendary business! Property for sale includes successful mini-bowl, tavern, and two residential units upstairs,” reads the @ Properties listing.
“Koz's Mini Bowl is a turnkey business opportunity with storied reputation and stable customer base.”
Kosakoski’s parents – DuWayne and Carol – bought the business in 1978 and gave it its current name.
The tavern that houses Koz’s appears to have been built in 1887 by Prussian immigrant Jacob Jagodzinski on land that was purchased by his father John in 1880 from J.A. Becher, whose surname graces the street outside Koz’s.
The four duckpin bowling lanes were added in 1947.
DuWayne passed away in 2002 and Carol passed in 2020, the same year that Justin was seriously injured, breaking both legs, by a hit and run accident outside Koz's.
Read more of the history and see more photos in this article about why Koz's is a Milwaukee classic.
A few weeks ago, Kosakoski held an antique sale in the bar, offering, “many bar signs and vintage items. old beer glassware and odd corky items.”
Hoping for the best for Kosakoski and his landmark – it is literally a City of Milwaukee landmark – tavern and bowling alley.
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.
