Maple & Main

More of What's Happening Downtown.

Posted by Curt Otto on June 16, 2010

It’s about time we caught up on a few things…

For starters, Downtown Waukesha’s iconic clock tower is currently missing its faces.

The clocks on that tower have been wrong for over a year now, and it looks as if someone is actually going to do something about it.

Rumor has it that the Fox River Development Group was kind enough to kick in some funds to finally replace the long defunct inner workings of the clock.

I was in the craft section of Wal-Mart the other day and saw clock kits for $5.95 (on rollback). I almost bought four and donated them to the city but now I’m glad I waited.

If city money is too tight to fix them, perhaps we should convert the clock faces to sundials. After all, "green and sustainable" is the new black!

 Uh, excuse me... who has the time?

There are two new salons in the downtown worth checking out.

Enve Salon opened its doors a few months ago near the World Famous Five Points intersection and, on the far west end of Main Street, Moxie Beauty Lounge opened as well.

I have had my hair cut at both (yes, I get my hair cut at salons- like you’re surprised) and both experiences were outstanding. I have picked a favorite though.

Which one?

I’m not telling. You need to try each salon and figure it out for yourself. If salons are not your thing, we have two old fashioned barber shops that focus on doing one thing well- cutting your hair. Tha Shop (I didn’t spell it wrong) near the Five Points and Neil’s Barber shop on Clinton. Both will give you a classic cut at a great price.

I was told not to write about this next one but really…what fun is that...so here it goes.

Magellan’s on Main has been a popular little downtown watering hole for the past couple of years now.

A few months ago, Magellan's owner Dan Italiano purchased downtown’s legendary fish store (which shared a wall with Magellan’s) and after releasing all the fish into the wild (I made that up) he began converting it into Magellan’s Part Two.

The icing on the cake was the hole that Dan cut into the wall to connect the two addresses.

Unfortunately, the land contract holder of Magellan’s One doesn’t like icing. When he heard about the hole, he was less than pleased.

Days later, the hole was bricked up and the Magellan’s Empire became two separate addresses again.

Without a kitchen, a bar, or a liquor license, Magellan’s Two looked like it was going to sink fast.

But Dan quickly made some changes to the outside, got a conditional use permit to import his food from next door, and pursued a liquor license for the address as well.

Saving Magellan’s Two has been a struggle for Dan, but he has not given up.

Next, Dan will ask the City of Waukesha Plan Commission for permission to install by-fold windows in the front of Magellan’s Two so it can be the second loudest bar in the downtown.

Who’s the first?

Magellan’s One of course…

 A real hole in the wall...or not.

On a final note, this fall will see the sixth year anniversary of one of my favorite places downtown, Otto’s Fine Art Academy.

The art school opened its doors with one student in back 2004.

Six years later, the school teaches just over a hundred students a week.

It is exactly what I always hoped it would be, and I truly love being a part of it.

With that being said, I did something this weekend that made me feel both proud and old.

I went to the wedding of one of our very first students.

She was only 15 when she began art classes with us, and now, six years later, she and her high school sweetheart were married in a beautiful wedding at Holy Hill.

Some of our students have gone on to do some amazing things since their time at the Art Academy- it really makes me proud to see what they accomplish.

However, I have always said that  when my students start bringing their kids to class- I am retiring.

 "Art classes for kids? What a silly idea- that'll never work."