Wauwatosa committee approves Village Alfresco permit and multiple alcohol licenses

Wauwatosa City’s Government Affairs Committee approved a special-event permit and multiple alcohol license applications during its June 3 meeting.

The committee unanimously approved a special-event permit for “Village Alfresco,” a dinner-in-the-street event proposed for State Street between Underwood and Loma Tosa Avenue on July 29, 2025. Maria Pano, identified in the record as the BID director, told the committee "10 Wauwatosa businesses are involved" and said the road closure would run from 2 to 10 p.m., with the police department planning an earlier reopening if possible. Pano said the event will notify residents, Milwaukee County Transit and emergency services, and that "tickets go on sale June 9." The committee moved to approve the permit and recorded unanimous aye votes.

Also approved were new retail alcohol-license applications and routine renewals:

- Tobal Chocolate, LLC (7515 Harwood Ave.): The committee considered an application described in the packet as a new Class A/beer and Class A liquor license. Dan Beazer, the founder and owner present for questions, described his business as a "bean to bar" chocolate maker and said the expansion to alcohol sales would help build partnerships with local breweries and wineries. The agent on the application, Madison Bull, was listed in the record. The committee recommended approval pending final police-department review and voted to approve the application unanimously.

- Irish Festivals Inc., doing business as Celtic Milwaukee (1532 N Wauwatosa Ave.): Caitlin Branchford (listed in the record as the applicant agent) explained that Celtic Milwaukee runs year-round events and sought a full retail license as a society under Wisconsin Statute 125.32(g) instead of repeatedly applying for temporary Class B licenses. The committee recommended approval pending police review and approved the application by unanimous vote.

- 2 Asian Cuisine LLC (8820 W. North Ave., formerly Huy's): The new owner/manager (recorded as Nali Wapa) applied to replace the previous restaurant’s Class B beer and Class B liquor license; the application passed unanimously after committee review. Planning staff noted there may be an update needed to the conditional-use permit and are in contact with the owner.

- Retail license renewals for the 2025–2026 license period: The committee approved the remaining renewals the clerk had listed in the packet, including Dave & Buster’s, SpringHill Suites (noted to be undergoing an ownership change in July), Birch’s, Tynamite, Little Village Play Café and Empire Fish. The committee voted to approve all renewals unanimously.

Committee members asked applicants to take extra care notifying neighbors for street closures and to coordinate with police and transit as needed. For each active application the packet noted outstanding police-department reviews that the committee expected before the full Common Council consideration on June 24 (packet notation: council meeting on the "20 fourth" in the transcript; committee indicated police reviews would be complete before council).