Here's what I know. Vecchio Bar and Grill will close after a "closing party" on Wednesday evening. Owner Russ Davis told me, "We have been here 13 years and I decided I just wanted to make a change. We plan to reopen in early November with a new name, new menu, new staff, fresh look and fresh attitude."
Vecchio changed concepts a bit in 2006 dropping its "Café Vecchio Mondo" name and going with a more casual "grill" concept. "I might even change every three to five years from now on," Davis said today.
I'll have more on the new name and concept in the coming weeks.
Just over the bridge, Abbey Biercafe will close at bar time Saturday night. According to several sources, the Diablos Rojos Group-owned just-off-Water Street bar, has been sold.
Abbey opened in May 2008 as Fat Abbey. It dropped the "Fat" from its name in May 2009. Co-owner Mike Eitel couldn't comment on the sale, but did confirm it.
I'm working on the details of the transaction. For now, all I know is that Saturday night is the last night to drink at The Abbey.
A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.
He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.
Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.
He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.
He also thinks you should read OnMilwaukee each and every day.
