Numerous businesses and organizations in Wauwatosa, both along the Menomonee River and in higher-ground neighborhoods, have temporarily closed for cleanup, repairs and renovations after the Aug. 10 floods caused a wide range of damage to their facilities.
Café Hollander at 7677 W. State St., for example, where the river rose well above the windows of its basement kitchen, expects to be closed for six weeks because of extensive damage to the space and appliances. The prominent Tosa Village restaurant, which opened in 2009, posted on social media that the facility was "getting an unexpected remodel," though its sister restaurant next door, Buckatabon, remains open.
The Hollander repairs could cost up to $1 million, Eric Wagner, founder of the Lowlands Group chain that includes the Hollander, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "There was equipment floating everywhere, and then the electrical got all burned out," he said. "It was a complete disaster."
Across the river, the iconic Little Red Store, a city historic site managed by the Wauwatosa Historical Society, was left with a basement filled with water after the river rose by 13 feet overnight. Cleanup started almost immediately after the river subsided, and the Historical Society hopes to have the Little Red Store open again for rentals by next month.
Warehouses upstream of the Little Red Store include Milwaukee Repertory Theater's production facility, where it stores sets, costumes and equipment. The Rep's facility took on about four feet of water when the nearby Menomonee jumped its banks. The damage could total as high as $5 million, Executive Director Chad Bauman told WISN-TV.
Vendetta Coffee Bar just east of Hollander is also closed for repairs. Owner Bill Haley told WDJT-TV that his business sustained thousands of dollars in flood damage to the basement, and he is unsure what costs insurance will cover.
"Pretty much anything that's down there is garbage, because it's no longer sanitary," he said.
A flood of this magnitude was "not something we've ever prepared for," Maria Panno of the Village of Wauwatosa Business Improvement District told WTMJ-AM. "However, the way Wauwatosa always seems to go is a together-we-rise mentality, and we all work together."
The BID, a nonprofit organization that supports village businesses, has started a fundraiser to help those affected by the storm.
The flood also appears to have devastated the curling facility at Hart Park. Wauwatosa Curling Club posted an update on Aug. 13 saying the river "stole what took us decades to build."
"Our beloved lower-level clubroom, where generations of curlers celebrated victories, shared laughs, and built lifelong friendships, was filled to the ceiling with floodwater," the club said. "The river surged into our club, destroying our lower-level clubroom, locker room, kitchen, and bar. Much of our large equipment storage area on the main level became part of the river itself, inundated with fast-moving water."
The club is still assessing the extent of the damage. The impact on the main icehouse appears minimal, it said, but will still require remediation work.
The heavy rain dropped by the storm overnight Aug. 9 also turned intersections on State Street into ponds, though the water never reached Leff's Lucky Town at 72nd Street. "We made it in, and the flood waters have stayed across the street," the bar and restaurant posted midday Aug. 10. "We are open and will have the Brewer game on at 1:10pm."
Draft & Vessel, on Harwood Avenue up the hill from Café Hollander, also appears to have weathered the storm without much damage. "We have a little water but we're ok," the business posted on Aug. 10. "We feel for our friends and neighbors at the bottom of the hill."
The City of Wauwatosa has encouraged business owners to see if they are eligible for up to $15,000 in forgivable loan assistance as they make improvements to plumbing, electrical fixtures, HVAC systems and flooring. Information is available at economicdevelopment@wauwatosa.net or by calling 414-479-3520.
More than 5 inches of rain fell overnight Aug. 9, overwhelming many of the city's storm sewers. Over in East Tosa, the rain filled the intersection at North Avenue and 68th Street. When the water finally drained, storm debris could be seen in the parking lot next to BelAir and other nearby properties.
BelAir remains open, but diagonally across the intersection, Tosa Yoga was forced to close temporarily to deal with flood damage.
"Our studio experienced some damage from the recent flooding in the area. Thankfully it wasn’t worse, but we did have about an inch of water in the entire main floor," the studio said in an Aug. 12 social media post.
The yoga room floor is being replaced, and owner Melanie Landgraf is lining up alternative locations so classes can continue while repairs are being completed. "Thank you to everyone who emailed and called and texted wishing us well and offering help!"
Across the block from Tosa Yoga, flood damage also forced Growlers to close temporarily for repairs. "It’s taking a little longer than we hoped, but we promise we’re doing everything we can to get our doors back open," the bar and restaurant said on social media.
"We miss seeing your faces, sharing laughs, and serving up your favorites. Your support and kind words mean the world to us, and we can’t wait for the day we can welcome you back in."
Get additional Tosa Forward News coverage of the 2025 flood here.
