Pete’s Pops plans to host a grand opening for its new permanent storefront at 3809 W. Vliet St. on Aug. 18.
The company, which makes and sells uniquely flavored popsicles from pushcarts at events and parks in Milwaukee, had previously rented its kitchen space at the Milwaukee Center for Independence, 2020 W. Wells St. The new 1,000-square-foot kitchen space will house production and a walk-up retail window.
After winning Near West Side Partners’ Rev-Up MKE small business competition and the $10,000 prize in 2016, Pete’s Pops founder Peter Cooney committed to opening a storefront in the Near West Side Neighborhood. It originally planned to open its storefront this past spring, but the project was delayed.
“The plan was never to open the store in our busiest season,” Cooney said. “It just kept getting pushed back; construction work took longer than expected.”
The building has been vacant for years, and needed a complete renovation, Cooney said. It now has a large walk-up window with a roll-up garage door and a bar top, a five-foot sign in the shape of a popsicle, colorful stainless steel on the exterior and other updates.
The grand opening will be held from noon to 8 p.m. on Aug. 18, and Pete’s Pops may do a limited soft launch ahead of then, he said. The storefront will be open on Saturdays and Sundays until the end of September.
Pete’s Pops, founded in 2014, has six part-time employees. It’s on pace to double its revenue this summer, Cooney said. He recently hired his first full-time employee, Edson Juarez, who serves as director of operations.
