At Workbench MKE, it’s no secret we love Milwaukee – it’s right there in our name! So we thought that in honor of 4/14, aka Milwaukee Day, we would tell you why. Starting a business like The Workbench in Milwaukee made a lot of sense to us, for reasons besides the most obvious one: it’s the city we both call home. But perhaps why we have both decided to call Milwaukee home is more important. With the help of our wellness community, we thought we’d share a few reasons why we love it here, and why we wouldn’t want to run The Workbench anywhere else.
Wellness as an industry is booming across the country, but wellness as a feeling seems to be lacking. When we focus on keeping up with the newest trends, we lose sight of what really works, and we can forget that what really works isn’t going to be the same for everyone. In her Spotlight interview, Jaime Meyer, owner of Hot Spell Sauna, pointed out that wellness in Milwaukee seems to be more results-focused than trend-driven, compared to the other places she’s lived and visited. Rather than being susceptible to less effective, time- and energy-intensive practices, Milwaukeeans look for and stick with what performs best, whether it’s glamorous or not – something true wellness often isn’t. Jaime describes Milwaukee’s approach to wellness as almost utilitarian; everything has a purpose and there’s no room for what she calls “fluff.” At The Workbench, we like to say that sometimes wellness is getting a massage, sometimes it’s digging in the garden, and sometimes it’s calling a friend. Sometimes self-care is doing a face mask, and sometimes it’s paying that bill that’s been stressing you out. Milwaukeeans seem to recognize the importance of both sides.
Describing something as ‘utilitarian’ doesn’t often bring warm and comfy images to mind, but this winter, Taylor Strickland argued that Milwaukee is both. “It’s cozy,” she told me when I asked why she chose to make Milwaukee home. In an interview for the same article, Rachael Gonzalez of Familiar MKE and Cozy Milwaukee mentioned they found comfort in the community here before eventually making the cross-country move to Milwaukee. Due in part to the phenomenon many people love to call “small-waukee,” which makes it nearly impossible to go anywhere in the city without running into the last person you’d expect, and also likely due in part to general Midwestern kindness, the sense of neighborhood and community runs strongly throughout the city.
Another commonly referenced gem of Milwaukee is, of course, Lake Michigan. Nick Nowacyzk, of Urbal Tea, noted Milwaukee’s proximity to water as one of its best features during our Spotlight interview. Living near a Great Lake is an inspiration for many to get outside and enjoy the local wonder, whether that means going for a swim or just enjoying the cool lake breeze. While talking about low-waste living, Sarah Polite of the Polite House, speculated that Milwaukee’s interest in green living might also have something to do with the lake. When we see litter on the ground, she explained, we don’t have to think hard to imagine it entering our waterways; often, it’s only one gust of wind away from entering either the Milwaukee River or Lake Michigan. This awareness makes many Milwaukeeans more likely to both pick up the trash blowing by our feet and to try and reduce our own garbage production – helping us stay well by caring for our environment, which in turn, takes care of us.
One of the most exciting and unexpected aspects of running The Workbench has been the opportunity to connect with local makers and entrepreneurs who are working every day to make Milwaukee better in their own way. When we met to discuss creative reuse and upcycling, both Elizabeth Mueller and Jess Poisl remarked how pleasantly surprised they were by the maker community’s willingness to bring in and lift up new members – even in business. Some of our most exciting moments at The Workbench have been helping to connect like-minded people and businesses with each other, watching the ideas fly, and creating a space for partnerships to bloom.
April isn’t always Wisconsin’s most beautiful month, especially here by the lake. But this year on 4/14, the highs are in the 70s and the sun is scheduled to make an appearance, making it the perfect day to get out and celebrate our favorite city. Maybe you find a beer garden (many are just opening for the season!), go for a walk along the lake, or explore a new Milwaukee landmark you’ve never seen before. Whatever you do, don’t forget to give some gratitude towards this great city, and while it is far from perfect, thank the people working to make it a better, safer, and happier place to live. Now get out there and make the most of what the Good Land has to offer!
