Beans & Barley has been serving Milwaukee’s east side with fresh food and local ingredients since 1973. It has been a beloved community institution where people can stop, shop, and enjoy a menu with plenty of vegetarian options.
Jim Neumeyer still recalls his introduction to Beans & Barley.
“I started in 1999 as a college student. I started as a dishwasher here and what brought me to Beans & Barley was that I had a ton of, like, artists and musician friends who were also students all working here on the line," says Nuemeyer. "So, I aspired at that time to go from dishwashing to line cooking as soon as I could, mainly so I could listen to music with my friends on the line.”
Neumeyer is now one of the owners of the establishment, along with Polly Kaplan, who bought the business in 2012.
The pair recently made the announcement that after decades of serving the east side, Beans & Barley will close its doors at the end of January due to economic hardships. The building is being sold by the owner, and Beans & Barley is not in the position to buy it.
“When people are having a hard time or in a tough spot, oftentimes, going out to eat is one of the first things they have to cut out," says Nuemeyer. "Even myself, [I] have to do that. What we know that for us in here at this moment, that you know our time is at an end.”
Patrons say the news has left them devastated.
Customers, like Rima Shah, still remember some of their first memories of visiting the location.
“So coming from an Indian vegetarian family, Beans & Barley was really important to us because it was one of the few places in Milwaukee that really served everybody and had an eclectic vegetarian meal," says Shah. "So one of my first memories is having brunches with my family.”
Sean Anderson has childhood and college memories involving Beans & Barley — since it's been around for so long.
“I mean, I've been coming here for like maybe 15 years, since I was like in college right over here, one of the few places I come to for like a nice place to eat when we were still kids and needed something affordable and good," says Anderson. "I've been getting the super burrito here for the past 15 years, honestly like it's probably the only thing I ever order.”
The patrons are loyal. East sider Dena Aronson has been supporting the business since 1973, when it was just a deli.
“[What] I first remember about it is just being a place that we sort of needed in the community because they had fresh, fresh veggies and fruit and really good like deli that you could take and then it became, you know, that was a community space too, so I love that about it," says Aronson.
One side of Beans & Barley is lined with shelves stocked with intricate greeting cards, knick-knacks, and household items.
The news that the institution will close is still fresh and circulating around the community. Unfortunately, while in the midst of her shopping, I broke the news to Michelle Dettloff.
“I used to work here, and I just always loved the staff. They were just amazing. I'm still friends with people that I worked with. So, it's just the connections that we made,” says Dettloff.
As patrons, employees and the owners prepare for the end of the Beans & Barley era, Neumeyer made a call to action for the community.
“There are so many local businesses, so many restaurants, bars, music venues, theaters, local radio, public radio, so many places that could use your money and that are your neighbors and your friends and your community members, your classmates," says Neumeyer. "It's absolutely vital that we all remember to do what we can to support them even when times are kind of tough.”
Looking ahead, Neumeyer is focused on how to best support the 70 staff members who will lose their jobs after Beans & Barley's doors close on Jan. 31.
