Crossroads Collective
Milwaukee, WI- Renovation - Commercial
- New Land Enterprises
- 6,000 SF
- December 2018
When the Oriental Pharmacy’s lunch counter closed in 1992, the neighborhood lost one of its most beloved social spaces. The building owner chose to re-purpose the venue as one of Milwaukee’s first food halls—allowing several specialty food vendors to share a common bar, kitchen, and dining space.
Design elements such as wood soffit, hexagonal black and white tiles, and a custom-fabricated planter wall mesh organically to deliver warmth and life into the dining area. Local artists were commissioned to create murals to provide additional pops of color and energy into the space, while playfully referencing the artistic character of the eclectic East Side neighborhood.
All food vendors at Crossroads Collective share a continuous countertop with bar seating—paying homage to the original pharmacy lunch counter. This project restored a beloved neighborhood social hub and reinvented the space as a bright, inviting eatery that supports local entrepreneurship.
