Starbucks coming to village after all

Despite earlier denials that a Starbucks coffee shop was coming to Saukville, a Brookfield developer appeared Tuesday night before the village Plan Commission to publicly unveil the project.

The commission unanimously approved lighting, parking and landscaping plans and a site plan for a 2,700-square-foot Starbucks to be built at 827 E. Green Bay Ave., where the Mid-City Quick Mart gas station was located.

Developer Ramkrishna Subedi had repeatedly denied that a Starbucks was planned for the location, most recently telling Ozaukee Press in December that “we have no deals in the works,” to the disappointment of locals looking forward to buying their favorite coffees, lattes and Frappuccinos.

But Tuesday, Subedi and accompanying architects told the commission that ground would likely be broken on the new business  by early May and that construction would likely last about four months, depending on weather.

The developer still must get approvals for signage. One monument sign is planned in addition to signage on the building.

Final approval of the project is dependent on building inspections, paying fees and confirming an agreement that would allow Starbucks customers to park in Walmart spaces.

According to the site plan, 20 parking spaces will be available on the Starbucks property. Trees at the southeast corner will be removed, and a new retaining wall built.

Subedi said the business will be corporate owned.

Under plans approved by the village, the current east entrance to the site on Market Street will be closed and access will only be through the Walmart parking lot.

Subedi is a registered agent for Elm Grove-based Noby Saukville LLC, a company formed in May 2019 just before it purchased the half-acre property from First Bank Financial for $365,000, according to the Ozaukee County Register of Deeds.

First Financial bought the foreclosed property in a sheriff’s auction for $760,000 in September 2018. 

At the time, the property was valued at $1.09 million. In December, the former gas station was razed, reducing the assessed value from $748,300 to $400,900, according to Menasha-based Accurate Appraisal, the village’s assessor.

Underground gasoline storage tanks have also been removed from the site.