GLENDALE — When you think of burgers around Milwaukee, one of the first names to come up is probably Solly’s Grille in Glendale. It's known for its butter burgers with a generous helping of Wisconsin-made butter on every bun. But the family that has been serving up those burgers since 1936 is hanging up the apron. The family is selling the restaurant.
“It’s part of me, it’s part of my family, it’s part of our history. I actually helped Solly’s wash dishes when I was 15, 16 years old," Glenn Fieber, the owner, said.
Fieber took over the company from his mom in 1993. For the past 32 years, he has flipped thousands of patties and made lifelong friends.
"My time here is all about people. It's all about who I see every day. It's who I meet every day," Fieber said.
Now, he wants to retire. His adult children have established careers, so he is seeking an outside buyer.
“I’m hoping that a great restaurant entrepreneur comes in here and does the same thing we’re doing but takes it to another level," he said.
To be clear, Fieber does not intend to close Solly's. He just wants someone to take over the business. Currently, he plans to continue flipping patties until a buyer is found.
“We’d like to kind of focus on our family more now and have the time that we have left in life to enjoy family and fishing," he said.
Fieber's home away from home has been Solly's. Early mornings and late nights. His butter burgers have turned locals into die-hard fans, attracted visitors on vacation, and created regulars out of people like Herb Kohl and Bob Uecker.
“It feels like you’re eating at your grandma’s house. I mean, old school cooking, just super good food," Brandon Burcham, a Solly's customer from South Carolina, said. He was on his way to a Packers game and stopped at Solly's after seeing photos online.
“Oh, I think it’s just charming. It’s such an old-school kind of diner. The inside is great, the people are great, the customers are great," Ann Wydeven, a life-long Solly's customer from Milwaukee, said.
Fieber has accomplished much during his time as the owner. They have helped raise thousands of dollars for local charities, sponsored local sports teams, and even won food's highest honor, a James Beard Award in 2022. But the time has come to put the spatula down.
“It’s going to be weird not coming to work every day," he said.
For Fieber, the allure of spending more time with his family (and fishing) is too strong. So while athletes leave it all on the field, Fieber left it all on the grille.
Watch the story below to see more delicious shots of butter burgers...
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