GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A once vacant restaurant space in Green Bay has new life.
The Cannery on Broadway shut down three years ago during the pandemic.
Now it’s serving as a test kitchen, providing support to budding chefs and entrepreneurs in the food industry.
The Green Bay Chamber partnered with Proof, a company dedicated to helping food and beverage, to help coach the tenants during their time at the Cannery.
Kelly Armstrong, vice president of economic development for the Green Bay Chamber, says this project was two years in the making.
“Restaurants are really hard. They’re one of the fastest businesses to go out of business and so we wanted to make sure that restaurants have the resources to be able to be sustainable for long-term success,” she said.
The goal is to have tenants in the space for about 18-24 months, giving them enough expertise and experience to go out on their own.
“The space is plug and play; so, what it is for them is an opportunity to not have to have a ton of capital upfront, right? Because if I was an independent restauranteur and I go out and rent a space, which I would probably have to do, and then I would have to pay for the kitchen equipment, the stoves, the ovens, whatever fryers, whatever you need, so that is a big capital expense upfront and this really lowers the barrier to entry for our food entrepreneurs,” Armstrong explained.
Initial five tenants include:
- Titletown Brewery: They’re taking over as the anchor brand, featuring their own award-winning craft brews alongside local favorites.
- Irie Jamaican (Chef Dexter Thompson): Experience the vibrant flavors of the Caribbean with dishes like curried goat, oxtail, and jerk chicken that will transport your taste buds to a tropical paradise.
- Olive’s Pizza & Sandwiches (Carrie Schmechel): Sink your teeth into a slice of heaven with their mouthwatering pizzas and sandwiches, expertly crafted to satisfy your cravings.
- Colombian Flavors (Erly Barajas): Discover the taste of Colombia with authentic family recipes, featuring arepas and other classic dishes bursting with fresh ingredients and perfectly balanced spices.
- FiveThumbsUp (Jill Schultz): Indulge your sweet tooth with a local twist! From single slices to chocolate-dipped cheesecake balls, cheesecake flights, and even whole cakes for your next celebration, they’ve got your cheesecake cravings covered.
Owner and baker of FiveThumbsUp, Jill Schultz, says she’s grateful for this kind of opportunity.
“I’ve been making cheesecakes for years and I’ve been looking for a place to rent or buy but we just couldn’t afford it, so when this came around, I kind of jumped at it, it’s a unique experience that can help me get out here and sell cheesecakes to the community which is what I love to do,” Schultz said.
Armstrong says for customers, it’s a great way to support multiple businesses while having a variety of food on the menu.
“What I think is the coolest thing about it is just the variety of food. We’ve already had a couple of people in line that are ordering ask us, ‘wait, I can order all this? I can get pancakes and empanadas and a slice of pizza?’ she said.
The Cannery is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., closed on Sundays. Some tenants have varying hours. Click here for tenant hours and menus.
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