MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee food trucks will soon close earlier than they have been after the Common Council unanimously approved a plan this week to restrict late-night operating hours.

Local perspective:

Common Council members said the change came in response to safety concerns. The new rule, which takes effect on May 9, will require food trucks in the downtown area to close by 10 p.m. In other food truck zones, it’s now 11 p.m.

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The previous closing time for food trucks in the city was 1 a.m.

‘This is not fair’

What they’re saying:

On Saturday, the smell of burgers, brats and tacos lingered around the food trucks as busy cooks prepared tasty bites for hungry customers on Water Street.

“Everyone knows us here. A lot of support from students, from the community in this area,” said Abdallah Ismail, who owns the Fatty Patty food truck.

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Ismail said their peak hour is 10 p.m. Soon, they won’t be allowed to stay open at that time.

“If we close at 10, we lose everything,” said Ismail. “We have to close. That’s it. There’s no work anymore.”

Ismail said he and other food truck owners learned about the new rule from the news. He also said the city had reached out to them the first time they created restrictions for food trucks and outlined acceptable operating hours.

Abdallah Ismail, owner of Fatty Patty food truck

“This is not a fair decision, and at least they have to talk to us,” he said. “I’m a legit legal business – that I pay tax, that I have my permits, that I obey to all rules that the city has – so they should at least respect us.”

For now, the businesses parked along Water Street said they hope they can find a solution with Common Council members that works for everyone.

“I hope that they’re going to listen to us. If not, we want to see how we can solve it,” said Ismail.

In a statement, Ald. Robert Bauman said:

“The city and council followed all required procedures regarding posting and publishing notice of this legislation. Same process for all files that come before the council.

“There was a public hearing on this file before the Public Safety and Health Committee. There was public testimony in favor and against the file. 

“The file passed the council unanimously and I understand it has been signed by the mayor. 

“We are doing everything we can to quell the violence and disorder that has plagued the downtown  entertainment districts. MPD and other stakeholders testified that food trucks were a contributing factor to this violence and disorder.”

Editor’s note: This story was updated to include Bauman’s statement.

The rapidly growing coffee chain 7 Brew has opened a new location in Milwaukee, bringing the drive-thru beverage brand its first — but not last — spot in the city.

On Thursday, April 23, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the location, at 350 W. Layton Ave.

The business will celebrate its opening with a “Swag Day” T-shirt giveaway for customers who purchase a large drink on Saturday, May 2.

“Milwaukee is such a vibrant and welcoming city, and we couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it,” said Tommy Pennington, a local 7 Brew franchisee.

Other 7-Brew locations will open later this spring or summer at 3702 S. 27th St. in Milwaukee and 5265 N. Port Washington Road in Glendale. They’ll join 13 current Wisconsin locations, including in Brookfield and West Bend.

Founded in 2017, the company offers coffee, energy drinks, smoothies, sodas and teas on the menus at each location.

By 2023, 7 Brew opened more than 100 stands and, by 2025, the number of locations increased to 500.

• The Milwaukee Wave defeated the San Diego Sockers 7-2 to force a decisive championship game.
• Milwaukee scored seven unanswered goals, with Alex Sanchez scoring the game-winner in the third quarter.
• The Sockers played without three players who were suspended for disciplinary reasons and another who was kicked out of the league.

After rallying to win its first two series in the MASL playoffs following losses in Game 1, the Milwaukee Wave will have an opportunity to do it one more time.

This time the championship is on the line.

The Wave scored seven unanswered goals – albeit three of them into an untended net in the final 78 seconds – in beating the short-handed San Diego Sockers 7-2 on April 24 at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California.

Midfielder Alex Sanchez scored what proved to be the winning goal midway through the third quarter when he booted the ball over the Sockers wall on a restart from the top of arc.

Game 2 box sore: Wave 7, Sockers 2

“I think just a change in attitude and mentality,” Wave goalkeeper Jerry Perez said in a television interview regarding the difference in Game 2 compared to the 5-4 loss in the series opener. “Them coming to our home and just taking over at our place, we wanted to do the same coming to theirs.