Milwaukee’s açaí scene is about to crowd the bowl a little more. Oakberry, the Brazilian açaí chain, is lining up a second city storefront, this time in the heart of Marquette University’s campus area, according to recent filings. The planned shop would land on Wells Street at the street level of the Campus Town East student housing complex, although the company has not shared an opening date. Oakberry entered Wisconsin with its first location in Bay View in May 2025.
As reported by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the proposed Marquette-area address appears on a city occupancy permit application listing 1528 W. Wells St. The paperwork points to a street-level retail slot in the Campus Town East complex and, for now, leaves the opening date line blank.
Where It Would Go
Marquette University lists 1528 W. Wells St. as a campus retail leasing opportunity, putting the unit on the busy, student-facing strip along Wells Street, according to Marquette University. Commercial property listings size the available space at roughly 1,377 square feet on the ground floor, per LoopNet, a footprint that would comfortably fit a fast-casual açaí operation and a steady line of students.
Oakberry's Expansion Push
Founded in Brazil in 2016, Oakberry has grown into a fast-casual açaí brand built around quick, customizable bowls, according to sustainability materials from Oakberry. Restaurant Business reported that the company raised $67 million to fuel its U.S. expansion and planned to top 200 U.S. stores by 2026, while a recent case study from Square put Oakberry’s global footprint at roughly 700 locations.
What This Means On The Ground
Oakberry’s first Wisconsin shop opened May 24, 2025, in Bay View at 2142 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., joining a growing cluster of newer cafes and restaurants in the neighborhood, as reported by Urban Milwaukee. A Wells Street outpost would give the chain a built-in customer base, with commercial listings noting that the building serves more than 12,000 students and faculty each day, per LoopNet. That is a lot of foot traffic for a shop that specializes in grab-and-go bowls.
Next Steps
Before any new shop can start scooping, the property has to secure a certificate of occupancy and clear required inspections through the Department of Neighborhood Services, according to permitting guidance from the City of Milwaukee. For now, the occupancy application is the most recent public sign of movement, and there is still no visible build-out timeline or opening date on the books, per reporting from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Until that changes, campus açaí fans will have to settle for watching the permit process instead of the blender.
