A five-alarm fire that tore through a U-Haul storage facility in Walker’s Point two weeks ago has created challenges for some small business owners.
On Jan. 21, Milwaukee fire crews spent hours battling flames at the facility on South First St. which destroyed the roof of at least one building and created major losses for renters. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
One of the businesses affected was Bandit MKE, a vintage clothing store at 1224 E. Brady St., which had items going back to the 1940s in one unit that was destroyed. Items in several other lockers had smoke damage, says Michelle Eigenberger, who co-owns the store. The owners couldn’t put a monetary value on the items lost, as they were pieces that can’t be found anywhere else.
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“The unit that was a total loss was the very best of our collection,” Eigenberger says. “Inside that locker was a collection of at least two vintage dealers who retired and we inherited their collection. It was 50 years of collecting before we started from someone else in the business passed along their collection… Those sorts of things you can’t just find anymore.”
Other lockers with smoke damage had collections of items waiting to be photographed for Bandit’s online store that were too old or high end to go to the brick-and-mortar store, including pieces for offsite markets like a Summerfest booth. However, some of the silk and satin dresses inside can’t be washed.
The fire also damaged pieces that were ready for spring and summer stock starting March, and around 400 coats ranging from wools, leathers and furs will need to be cleaned. Popular overstock items from summertime sidewalk bins were also defaced.
Eigenberger said many people reached out with donations, but there was no storage to put the items. With a 900-square-foot store and limited space in the basement, Bandit MKE has entered a holding pattern. The owners will try to clean what they can and have it ready for warmer seasons.
“We’re hoping we’ll be able to clean all the things quickly and have some spring and summer stock soon, but right now it’s difficult to make any kind of plans for restocking and acquiring merchandise without anywhere to go with it,” Eigenberger says.
Eigenberger said she had been helped by U-Haul’s recovery team, who texted owners the day after the blaze. The team spent the last few days searching through the ashes, finding what items could be salvaged and flying a drone over the building.
The Brady Street community, fans, friends and even followers from other countries have been supportive of Eigenberger and co-owner Elizabeth Kiesling as their business faces uncertainty, she said. The shop started a GoFundMe page to help recover losses after the fire, which swing into the retail value of six figures.
“We appreciate everyone who has been through here in the last week to even say ‘Hi,’ everybody who has checked in and contributed to our fundraiser.” Eigenberger says. “We’re trying to stay in a place of gratitude right now and feel the love from the community.”
In the same storage facility is a locker belonging to Milwaukee artist Reggie Baylor, who has collections at Milwaukee Art Museum and the Museum of Wisconsin Art. Baylor said he checked his storage unit Thursday and there was no damage to his items.
