Gordo's Bubble Waffles wants to open a fourth Milwaukee-area location at 1813 E. Locust St. The bubble waffle shop would occupy 1,460 square feet and keep its doors open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, according to an occupancy permit filed with the city.
The application, filed with the Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services, was reported by BizTimes Milwaukee, which covers the city's retail and business scene. Gordo's proposes running Monday through Thursday from 2 p.m. to midnight, extending to 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and closing back at midnight on Sundays, per the filing detailed by the outlet. The company expects just two employees to staff the shop during those hours, the permit shows.
The Proposed Locust Street Shop
The proposed shop would be at 1813 E. Locust St.
Gordo's second Milwaukee shop opened in April 2024 at 1633 W. Wells St. on the Marquette University campus, where it serves a student audience, the Marquette Wire reported.
From Bay View Burger Joint to Regional Dessert Brand
Gordo's got its start in 2022, when founders Omar Daher, Mohammed Otallah, and Suhib Badwan rebranded their Bay View burger restaurant, Gordo Burger, into a Hong Kong-style bubble waffle concept at 2301 S. Howell Ave. The shop's menu includes bubble waffles and mini pancakes, the Marquette Wire reported, as well as waffle sticks, according to BizTimes.
The brand has expanded quickly since then. Gordo's opened its third Milwaukee-area location, and its first outside city limits, at 17395 W. Bluemound Road in Brookfield earlier this year, a move Hoodline previously covered. The company has also expressed franchising ambitions. Gordo's already has a location in Oxford, Mississippi.
Late-Night Hours
The Marquette Wire has reported that Gordo's keeps late hours and draws crowds after basketball games. The proposed Locust Street shop would close at 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
If the permit is approved, the Locust Street shop would add to Gordo's growing footprint, which includes Bay View, Marquette's campus and Brookfield, with a location in Oxford, Mississippi.
