There's good news on the horizon in the Historic Third Ward. The Wonderstate cafe at 232 E. Erie St., which closed indefinitely on Dec. 21 due to the pandemic, is due to reopen.
And, while a date for the cafe's reopening has not yet been announced, the brand announced a number of key changes for the cafe this morning on social media.
The cafe, which opened in December of 2016 under the Kickapoo Coffee name (later changed to Wonderstate, in light of growing concerns over cultural appropriation), was operated by long-time Colectivo employee Scott Lucey in collaboration with Kickapoo Coffee founders Caleb Nicholes and TJ Semanchin.
Moving forward, the cafe will operate under a new name (yet to be announced), and Lucey will take over sole ownership.
Additional information from Lucey is expected in the coming weeks.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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