Milwaukee’s Stone Creek Unveils Coffee ‘Factory’

After nearly 10 months of construction and renovation to its historic headquarters, Milwaukee roastery and retailer Stone Creek Coffee has unveiled its new “factory” and commercial kitchen.

The $1.3 million project involved the renovation of a 124-year-old building originally designed by renowned architect Daniel Burnham at 422 North 5th Street. The building includes a 1,500-square-food commercial kitchen that will allow the company to create from-scratch baked goods to pair directly with its coffees, which it had already been roasting at the facility.

The opening of “The Factory” also represents Stone Creek’s ninth Milwaukee-area retail coffee bar, while providing ample space for cuppings and special events.

“Coffee is the inspiration for what we are doing, and the food we are creating will relate back to that, in one way or another,” says executive chef Aaron Patin, who was hired to run the new kitchen. “By focusing on seasonal ingredients and local sources, we want to elevate the morning coffee ritual.”

Kubala Washatko Architects designed the new café, bakery and other public spaces in the Factory. The project also added a giant coffee mug to the top of the building, viewable to passersby on the adjoining interstate highway.