Thief Wine moved into the Milwaukee Public Market in 2008 as a value-oriented boutique wine shop and bar featuring an exceptional selection of distinctive and eclectic fine wines from around the world.
Owners Aimee Murphy and Phil Bilodeau say they've had such great success with their first Milwaukee venture that it's now time to grow. As of early April, they were approved to start construction on their second location, to be located in The Cornerstone Building, a new construction complex on the 4500 block of North Oakland Avenue in Shorewood.
According to recent updates from the owners, construction begins in July and the owners are targeting a September opening for the new location, which will share the mixed-use building with a new Alterra cafe, Boutique B'Lou, North Star Bistro (which is moving from its spot across the street) and three floors of apartments.
Bilodeau says they chose Shorewood because of its "great potential customer base. Many of our customers are from Shorewood / Whitefish Bay and are extremely excited we're expanding there. It's close enough to our Milwaukee Public Market location that we can easily coordinate between the two, but far enough away that the two won't significantly compete with each other."
The Shorewood location will be similar in concept to the original, he says, split half and half between retail and wine bar, but a bit bigger and with more of an intimate, sophisticated feel than the busy market. It will have an outdoor courtyard, will stay open later at night and serve appetizers and small plates via its neighbor North Star Bistro.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
