There have been many times I have tried to have meetings in my district to support local cafes and businesses, only to fall short due to the lack of pleasant spaces that simply serve coffee and let you sit around for hours, babbling about pie charts and buses. That all changed less than two years ago when Brew-Jas Coffee House opened on 13th and Oklahoma. Although right outside my actual district, I was beyond stoked to finally have a cool, friendly, and, most importantly, Chicano-owned cafe on the south side.
Brew-Jas is having a grand opening for its second location, 2721 S. Howell Ave., this Saturday, June 20. The owners, John Reed and Marisa Lopez, say it was always their intention to expand and try to have as many cafes available on the south side when they first started their business only one year and eight months ago.
“We didn’t know if we were going to be able to expand the way we wanted to, but the support from the community has been positive and overwhelming, really,” John tells me.
The shop on 13th has pulled in people from all over the south side, whether it be Silver City, the Crisol Corridor (where it is located), Jackson Park, or even Walker Square. The proximity to all of these neighborhoods has made it a hotspot for people to chat, plan, scheme, and sip.
Most of the recipes will follow to the new location, drinks that John and the staff have concocted with the spirit of his grandmother’s skill. Café de olla (pot coffee) is something that is offered, which is a rarity around Milwaukee and is beloved by the Mexican diaspora, particularly those who feel homesick for their rancho. It is a coffee made with cinnamon and boiled in a steel pot, which is then served in a clay mug. This last part is important to note because for some reason the mug adds to the experience, and emboldens the flavor.
This Saturday will see a certified event that will feel like a block party—although Milwaukee has its share, this one will be DJed by a few different jockeys, including Ambulante y Clandestino. This is the team that brings window-shaking cumbias wherever they go, emulating a dancehall feel that is only read about in the booklets of re-pressed vinyl collections. There will be seven vendors—ranging from snacks to homemade jewelry—in the parking lot, at that small turnoff before Fritsche Middle School. (It’ll always be Fritsche to me.)
Although the business is run by John and Marisa, their son and nieces and nephews are the ones that run both shops as baristas and all-around staff. This is a deliberate attempt to make the space more inviting and open to all. It truly works, because there is no faking the warmth you feel when you step into both locations.
The new one is open, spacious and has the unhurried and relaxed atmosphere of a living room, as opposed to the shouting and get-you-in get-you-out atmosphere to which most other cafes can fall victim. There is a front space, and there is a corridor with the words “But wait there’s more” painted on the wall. It leads to a back room with wide paneled windows, glossy hardwood floors, and tables with plenty space between the chairs. Artwork adorns the freshly painted walls. It feels private, but not in an exclusive, elitist way.
“Hopefully we can open more locations in the future. We really want to give the community back the love they have shown us,” John says. Let’s hope they do.
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