Grafton Chamber finds a new home with character

The Grafton Area Chamber of Commerce is in the midst of a transition, one that will change its profile in the village.

The Chamber moved out of its long-time office building at 1624 Wisconsin Ave. on Friday and its staff is working remotely until its new home at 1032 12th Ave. is ready for them, Executive Director Elizabeth Mueller said Monday.

“We’ve moved out, we just haven’t moved in,” she said. “We’re making the best of it. It’s going to be good when it’s done.”

Mueller said she hopes the Chamber will move into its new home on Nov. 15, then open to the public on Nov. 17.

The Chamber had been at its former offices for decades, but the building has undergone a number of repairs during the last two-and-a-half years, Mueller said. 

A broken sewer pipe has been found under the building, she added, and while the landlord will be repairing it, the Chamber couldn’t occupy the structure while the pipe was being fixed.

They found their new office in a former industrial building that, Mueller said, was once home to John Weber Brewing Co., which operated from the mid-1880s well into the 1890s.

In fact, she noted, the adjoining property has lager caves once used by the brewery.

The building, known as Grafton Creative, is being renovated by Dieter Wegner, who has rehabbed four or five industrial buildings in Walker’s Point, Mueller said.

“It’s really cool,” she said, especially having that link to the village’s history.

The new space is significantly larger than their former offices, Mueller said, giving the Chamber enough space to store items it currently keeps off-site, such as its Christmas costumes, banners and signs, in the building.

There will also be plenty of space for the Chamber staff, which in addition to Mueller includes an office manager and administrative assistant. The Chamber expects to start a search for a special events and tourism coordinator soon, Mueller said, noting the position has been vacant since August.

The new space will have a meeting space and a larger area for resident and visitor information, she said.

“I think it will be a more efficient space for us,” Mueller said. “It will be a better face for the Chamber, and more accessible for people.”

The Chamber moved out of its former office building south of downtown on Friday, Oct. 31, Mueller said, adding Ram Tool helped with the move by providing a truck, trailer and staff members to facilitate it.

“We’re very grateful for that,” she said. 

The new office building is in a growing area of the village just north of downtown, Mueller said.

“I think that end is going to become a destination space,” she said, noting that the location is near the new Alati salt spa and Veterans Memorial Park, where the Chamber holds many of its events.

Right now, as the Chamber prepares for its holiday events — Breakfast with Santa, the village’s Christmas parade and tree lighting — it is also looking ahead to its new home.

Just because the staff is working remotely in the interim doesn’t mean they are inaccessible, Mueller said.

“We can meet with someone within five minutes if need be,” she said.

To reach the Chamber, call (262) 377-1650.