WAUWATOSA, Wis. — Just under a month ago, the Wauwatosa Village was underwater. Historic floods submerged streets and impacted businesses along the river. Now, instead of floodwater, the streets will be filled with live entertainment, food and beverages as TosaFest returns on Friday.
Local business owners are hopeful the festival brings much-needed foot traffic back to the area.
“There was a big perception that most of the village was closed,” said Chris Leffler, owner of Leff’s Lucky Town. “Our phone here at Leff’s rang off the wall. People asking, ‘Are you guys open? Are you guys open?’”
Leffler says his bar didn’t experience flooding, but seeing the surrounding area underwater was surreal.
“It was frightening, and, you know, just a waiting game to see what was damaged and what we need to do to dig ourselves out of this,” said Leffler.
Since then, the community has worked to recover, and now all businesses in the village have reopened—except for Café Hollander.
Watch: Wauwatosa businesses ready for TosaFest almost one month after historic floods
Molly Canan, director of events for the Lowlands Group, which operates Café Hollander, said their basement was filled with four feet of water, forcing a full kitchen renovation.
“We definitely want to have everybody come out—the more, the merrier—to help everybody rebuild and reconnect after a very strange month here,” Canan said.
Canan said that Café Hollander should be open by the end of September.
Though the café remains closed for regular service for now, it plans to open its bar and patio for the festival.
Maria Panno, executive director of the Wauwatosa Business Improvement District, said there’s a noticeable difference in community support this time around.
“What’s different about this time is people actually are coming to support these businesses that have seemed somewhat like a ghost town the last couple weeks,” Panno said. “For whatever reason, I think a lot of people didn’t think that these businesses were open, and actually, we are ready and waiting for people to come.”
This year’s TosaFest will feature dozens of food trucks, live music, special events, and the popular cheese curd eating competition.
“I think that the celebration of TosaFest this weekend is going to be a sign that, yeah, the Village of Wauwatosa still has some work to do, but we are open for business,” Leffler said.
TosaFest will be held on State Street between Harmonee Ave. and Wauwatosa Ave. and along Underwood and Harwood Avenues. The festival will be held from 5 to 11 p.m. Sept. 5 and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sept. 6.
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