Skyline Catering’s Wunsch family has finally closed on the Bucyrus Club in downtown South Milwaukee, turning a long‑running rent‑to‑own arrangement into full ownership of the restored 1920s event hall. The deal secures home turf for the local caterer inside a multi‑million‑dollar makeover that city leaders have treated as a cornerstone of the downtown comeback.
Deal and price
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the deed was recorded March 24, with With Wish Holdings LLC listed as the buyer. The purchase price came in at $680,000, with $575,000 attributed to the historic building and $105,000 to the nearby parking lot, which covers roughly 90 spaces closest to the club.
City approval and transfer
The Common Council signed off on the transfer earlier this year, approving a resolution to convey 1919 12th Avenue and 2001 12th Avenue to With Wish Holdings LLC. Meeting minutes from the City of South Milwaukee show the motion passed and confirm the sale completes the rent‑to‑own path that was put in place when the venue reopened in 2021.
Owners pledge continuity
In its purchase announcement, the Bucyrus Club said the deal "made the future of Skyline Catering the Bucyrus Club even stronger" and assured fans that the Bucyrus Museum will stay on the second floor. The club notes the Wunsch family has been putting in capital and paying rent since 2021, and that Skyline’s work at the site has supported more than 150 jobs tied to the venue.
How the rebuild was paid for
The renovation that brought the club back to life leaned on a major private gift and state support, while the city used tax‑increment financing to help fill the remaining gap. A release from the WEDC details a $1.5 million contribution from the Bucyrus Foundation and a $250,000 Community Development Investment Grant from the state. The Wunsch family estimates the total rehab cost just over $4 million and says they personally put in roughly $1.7 million. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports the family set up transfers that will leave Elyse Wunsch as the sole owner by 2030.
What’s next for downtown
With the purchase now locked in, Skyline can plan long‑term bookings, upgrades, and maintenance at the Bucyrus Club, while the museum upstairs continues to draw visitors. Local coverage since the 2021 reopening has consistently cast the project as a centerpiece of South Milwaukee’s downtown revival and a prominent example of public‑private partnership. OnMilwaukee highlighted the club’s return and its role in breathing life into the surrounding neighborhood.
