The past few months have been critical for brick-and-mortar businesses across the city as restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 kept operations limited and sales down. It’s been especially challenging for the 27 local businesses at Milwaukee’s central city entrepreneurial hub Sherman Phoenix, which opened in late 2018 in the Sherman Park neighborhood,
The past few months have been critical for brick-and-mortar businesses across the city as restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 kept operations limited and sales down.
It's been especially challenging for the 27 local businesses at Milwaukee’s central city entrepreneurial hub Sherman Phoenix, which opened in late 2018 in the Sherman Park neighborhood, a redevelopment of a BMO Harris Bank branch that burned during civil unrest in 2016.
"When (COVID-19) first hit, it was a big blow because most of the these businesses are less than two years old," said Clyde Anderson, general manager at Sherman Phoenix. "Those years are the toughest for any small business, and then you get hit with a pandemic on top of being new, it just adds an extra layer."
Today, all 27 tenants-- 25 of which are owned by people of color-- remain in business, Anderson said.
That's thanks, in part, to an upwards of $150,000 in local donations that allowed Sherman Phoenix to provide tenants with three months of rent relief. At the onset of the outbreak in March, one private donor alone pledged a gift large enough to sustain the hub for about two months.
Anderson said the 28,000-square-foot hub is still in need of community support as it navigates rough waters of a public health crisis, while continuing to stand as a rock and uniting force in the Sherman Park community.
That identity has become even more apparent during the recent civil unrest throughout the city and country, calling for an end to police brutality and racism. Juneteenth was one of the biggest days of the year for business, Anderson said, and that's an encouraging sign.
"There are a lot of issues facing black entrepreneurs and this project wouldn't have existed if we relied on traditional banks to get it done," he said. "Relying more on the community, relying on our network, relying on philanthropic partners makes this possible, so we make sure we're connected with the people that help make us a reality."
Currently, Sherman Phoenix is open for curbside and carry-out service only. In the interest of health and safety, its atrium and community gathering space remain closed and indoor seating has been removed. Masks are mandatory, and total capacity is limited to 50 people. Customers who enter the building to pick up orders are asked to spend no more than 20 minutes inside.
Things are different without the buzz of politicians, business leaders and local residents meeting or hanging out in the atrium, which is a big part of what of Sherman Phoenix gives to the surrounding community, said Anderson.
Although in-house service is technically permitted by the city, the hub is taking its own approach to the reopening process. There isn't a date set for a full reopening, but Anderson said the operating team monitors the news and local COVID-19 data everyday.
"I know the push is to open the economy and get people back to work and circulate the dollars, but it’s gotta be people before profit for us," said Anderson.
During the shutdown, many Sherman Phoenix tenants were able to pivot and find creative ways to keep business going without a physical operation.
Funky Fresh Spring Rolls started producing and delivering frozen spring rolls as soon as the pandemic hit, and saw sales go through the roof, said Anderson. The business also offered a number of virtual cooking classes via Instagram.
Lush Popcorn and some of the hub's other food vendors have worked to expand into farmers markets and local grocery stores.
Meanwhile, Honeybee Sage Wellness & Apothecary launched an e-commerce site to sell its herbs, spices, teas, body products and jewelry. Both 9th Cloud Massage Therapy and Embody Yoga also used digital platforms to keep customers engaged by posting at-home massage tutorials and live streaming outdoor yoga classes.
"I think the pandemic has put a little bit of fire under people to say, 'Maybe I need to do this now, maybe I need to launch this now... because if not now, when?'," said Anderson.
Sherman Phoenix also found its own workarounds.
It converted its weekly 'So Full Sunday' business development events, which are a partnership with Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation, into a Zoom series aimed at helping tenants navigate current challenges in light of COVID-19.
"We want to make sure that (tenants) are growing and sometimes it's just a matter of knowing what strategy to go with," said Anderson. "Again, these are first-time entrepreneurs, so it's making sure that they have those tools in their tool kit to solve problems."
Renovation work recently completed on the lower level of Sherman Phoenix to house The Underground Makers Market. The four women-owned businesses had been located in a temporary space on the hub's main level for several months, but a much larger site provides additional space to create and eventually to host public workshops. The market's grand opening was July 10.
The hub has also brought on a new tenant in recent weeks. Rise & Grind Cafe, which operates an existing location on North King Drive, opened last month at the former Shindig coffee shop space.
JoAnne Johnson-Sabir, who co-developed the Sherman Phoenix project and operated Shindig with her husband Maanaan Sabir, said the decision to close the coffee shop came as they shifted focus back to The Juice Kitchen business, which opened almost a decade ago as a small storefront in Milwaukee's Lindsay Heights neighborhood.
"As much as we wanted to offer our coffee option, folks really wanted our juice," said Johnson-Sabir. "We couldn't meet the demand. We couldn't juice enough and run a cafe."
So, they reached out to Rise & Grind, offering to hand down what was virtually a turnkey coffee shop space, complete with equipment and an in with Colectivo Coffee as its wholesale coffee roaster.
The Sabirs recently announced that The Juice Kitchen will be rebranded as Shindig, as the business launches an e-commerce site to distribute its fresh pressed juices nationwide.
"We're really focusing more on a business-to-business model and we'll be pumping thousands and thousands of juices, but just not by hand," she said.
Earlier this year, The Juice Kitchen was awarded a $20,000 grant through PepsiCo’s North America Greenhouse program, which helped the business hone its production strategy.
Shindig Juice products will soon be available at Colectivo stores, and will continue to be sold at Sherman Phoenix-- at Rise & Grind and at Sauce & Spice Pizza.
