Los Angeles-based salad restaurant chain Sweetgreen is coming to Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward.
The fast-casual eatery is proposed for the former Hudson Business Lounge space at 310 E. Buffalo St., according to an application for a commercial alteration permit recently filed with the city. It marks the third location Sweetgreen currently has in the works for the Milwaukee area – at least by our count.
Other stores are planned in the Wauwatosa Village, at 7603 W. State St., and at The Corners of Brookfield shopping center in the Town of Brookfield. News of Sweetgreen’s entry into the Wisconsin market – and its expansion across the Milwaukee area – has developed over the past week.
Situated on the corner of East Buffalo Street and North Broadway, the proposed Third Ward location would revive a marquee site in one of Milwaukee’s hottest neighborhoods. The ground-floor space inside the historic Baumbach Building has sat vacant since 2020 when its former occupant, Hudson Business Lounge, permanently closed at the hands of the COVID-19 pandemic after eight years in business.
The venue had been popular spot for area professionals as one of Milwaukee’s first co-working hubs, renting out temporary office space to entrepreneurs from a variety of industry sectors. It included a cafe and space for corporate meetings and networking events.
Founded in 2007, Sweetgreen has more than 175 locations across the U.S. (and growing), with the bulk of its stores found in major metros like New York City, L.A., Boston, Washington D.C. and Chicago. Its menu includes a selection of fresh-made salads, bowls and plant-based fare made with organic and locally sourced ingredients.
In an email to BizTimes, the company declined to share further details on its proposed Third Ward location.
