Back in August 2018, Milwaukee lost a beautiful, dumpy landmark: the two-story Cousins Subs on the northeast corner of Oakland Avenue and Locust Street. The “Better Bread, Better Subs” emporium had held down the busy intersection for decades, feeding people too smart for the nearby Subway, people too foolish for the nearby Oakland Gyros, and Atomic Records employees.
Here’s what the place looked like before demolition:
And here’s what it looked like after demolition:
Nearly a year later, it’s clear that something big is taking its place. So what is it? Why, a five-story, 55-unit apartment building with rent ranging from $900 to $1,800 per month, of course! The so-called 2900 Apartments (or are they called “The East Sider,” like the old bar?) are expected to open this August.
And, in case you need a reminder, Cousins Subs will reopen, too. Like a Chicken Cheddar Deluxe rising from the ashes, Cousins will occupy some of the new building’s 10,000 square feet of first-floor commercial space. While this isn’t breaking news—it was all but confirmed last summer—it suddenly feels very real because of this sign:
Will the new Cousins be gloriously beat-up and crummy? Probably not. Will the new Cousins be all hip and fancy? For $900-$1,800 a month, it better be. Will it sport the same “Cousins Submarines” mosaic from the old location? Nah, they just went ahead and smashed that thing. Will we take this opportunity to revisit some old Cousins ads starring Vincent Price? Welcome, class, to Cousins’ Sandwich Appreciation School.