Living Here
Sprecher Brewery and Sprecher’s Restaurant & Pub have been sold.
The founder of Sprecher, Randy Sprecher, decided to sell the brewery to a group of Milwaukee-based investors and Sprecher fans after 35 years. The group is led by Sharad Chadha and Sprecher will continue as an investor with the new ownership group. Sprecher’s Restaurant & Pub was sold to business partners Sue Getgen and Stephen Schroeder. They are looking forward to creating their own fun and new concept for the restaurant. They intend to create a fun and relaxing atmosphere where people can gather, dine, drink and escape. Customers can expect a refreshing and relaxing atmosphere, along with delicious and attractive new menu items, innovative fun cocktails, and craft beers and wine. The owners plan on closing the restaurant sometime in April (for about two weeks) for remodeling and will reopen as the Lake City Social. It is still unknown if the restaurant will offer Sprecher craft sodas and beers. Most of the employees will be familiar, along with some new faces, as more staff is hired. Customers are encouraged to use Sprecher paper gift certificates and coupons before the remodeling, as they will not be honored under the new name, however, plastic gift cards will still be accepted.
Burlington’s Chocolate Fest may be canceled permanently.
Burlington’s celebration of ‘all things chocolate’ has been Burlington’s biggest event of the year for over thirty years, since it made its debut in 1987. Burlington even calls itself ‘Chocolate City U.S.A.’. The festival was always held Memorial Day weekend and included everything chocolate, plus food, music, vendors, and fun. Organizers are considering permanently canceling Chocolate Fest because Burlington City officials have taken steps to drop the city’s ‘Chocolate City U.S.A.’ slogan. The event was canceled last year because of the pandemic and may not be able to rebound from that. The organizers are having trouble finding enthusiasm for bringing back the chocolate-themed festival. The city has hired a consultant to do some studies and make recommendations on whether Burlington should consider a new slogan. The city is concerned because the Nestle plant no longer offers tours and there is no other chocolate company merchandising locally. The festival organization group has submitted a permit for ‘Burlington Jamboree’ to be held May 27-31, the same dates Chocolate Fest would have been celebrated.
The city of Lake Geneva remains calm, following the latest elections.
John Halverson, a current city alderperson, retained his seat by 28 votes. Not that many, but then only a few hundred votes were cast. Rich Helman retained his seat, but by only 3 votes. Lake Geneva has no automatic recount, no matter how close the vote, but the losing candidate can request a recount, although the expenses for performing the function would have to be paid by that requesting candidate. The city council remains as it was before because the other two positions that were on the ballot were occupied by alderpersons who ran unopposed (Hedland and Straubi).
