Plant Joy Deli has made the leap from meal prep to main street, cutting the ribbon Tuesday on its new full storefront and commercial kitchen in Wauwatosa. Owner Amberlea Childs stood alongside Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and a lineup of local business leaders as the vegan operation officially opened its 100% plant-based kitchen, featuring grab-and-go meals, housemade vegan meats and cheeses, daily specials and catering, as reported by FOX6 Milwaukee.
The ribbon-cutting drew state and local officials as well as regional business leaders, according to a report from FOX6 Milwaukee. Milwaukee County awarded Plant Joy a $10,000 grant through County Executive David Crowley's Building Bridges program, money the business used to upgrade the kitchen and pay for facility improvements, as detailed in a news release from Milwaukee County.
From Delivery Service To A Storefront
Plant Joy started out as a vegan meal-delivery service and now prepares all of its products in small batches at the Wauwatosa site, according to the business's website, which lists the deli as a pickup point and outlines its weekly menu and delivery details, per Plant Joy. Owner Amberlea Childs and her push to expand into a deli and shared-kitchen model were profiled last year, with coverage of the shift from delivery-only to a brick-and-mortar operation, as reported by Milwaukee Business Journal.
How Building Bridges Helped
The Building Bridges program pairs small grants with technical assistance to help entrepreneurs activate commercial corridors and move into brick-and-mortar locations, according to the county's announcement from Milwaukee County. "We're beyond grateful to Milwaukee County and super excited to bring tasty and healthy plant-based options to Milwaukee," Childs said in the release.
City Approvals And Operating Plan
City records show the Plan Commission recommended approval of a conditional-use permit for an eating establishment at 6108 West Bluemound Road, with proposed hours from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, according to the City of Wauwatosa file. The documents note the site previously housed a restaurant, a detail city officials said made switching the space to a deli less disruptive for nearby neighbors, per City of Wauwatosa.
How To Order And What's Next
Plant Joy's website states the deli will feature a rotating weekly menu, online pre-orders and Tuesday deliveries, with the Wauwatosa storefront serving as a pickup point alongside several partner locations. Customers can browse the menu, place orders or request catering directly through the site and follow the deli on social channels for daily specials, according to Plant Joy.
