A Devastating Flood and the Road to Recovery
On the evening of August 9, the kitchen at Café Hollander located at 7677 W. State St. in Wauwatosa was alive with activity. The restaurant was bustling during the Saturday-night dinner rush, with ovens fired up, chefs preparing dishes, and servers rushing with trays. However, just hours later, the scene dramatically changed as the area was submerged under four feet of water.
This unexpected event was caused by a two-day 1,000-year flood that led the Menomonee River, which flows directly next to the café’s location, to rise from just under two feet to more than five times that height in just two hours. The river’s surge overwhelmed the lower level of the restaurant, causing extensive damage and leading to an emergency response.
Temporary Closure and Financial Impact
On August 11, the restaurant and bar, situated in the heart of Tosa Village, announced on social media that it would be temporarily closed for an “unexpected remodel.” According to Eric Wagner, founder and CEO of the Lowlands Group, which owns Café Hollander and its four other locations, the cost of this “remodel” could reach nearly $1 million, with the closure lasting about six weeks.
Wagner received his first call around 6:30 a.m. on August 10 when early-morning employees arrived at the restaurant. Water had already started to seep into the kitchen, which is located on the lower level. Over the next few hours, the water rose to four feet deep. Outside, the Menomonee River splashed over the pedestrian bridge leading to the restaurant’s outdoor patio, cresting about four feet above the kitchen.
The entire lower level suffered significant damage, including cooking equipment, walk-in coolers, the manager’s office, the stereo system, and all the food stored in the kitchen. Wagner described the situation as a complete disaster, noting that the pressure from the river caused water to enter the drywall, leading to floating equipment and burned-out electrical systems.
A First-Time Flooding Experience
When Café Hollander opened in the Tosa Village in 2009, its location near the Menomonee River offered one of the most picturesque waterfront views. Wagner never anticipated that the restaurant would face such severe flooding. This marked the first time in its 16 years of operation that the space experienced water damage.
“With all the investments made in retention ponds and systems here, we assumed those issues wouldn’t be there anymore,” Wagner said. Now, the focus is on the clean-up effort, led by Milwaukee’s Sid Grinker Restoration, with support from employees and community volunteers.
Even on Sundays, when the team was moving furniture, Wagner noticed people from the community helping without being asked. “It was really cool to see,” he said.
Supporting the Community and Business
Hourly employees from Café Hollander’s Wauwatosa location have been reassigned to other restaurants within the Lowlands Group, while managers continue their roles or oversee the cleanup. Wagner emphasized that the employees should not be significantly impacted.
For those looking to support the business, Wagner encouraged customers to dine at any of the Lowlands Group restaurants, which remain open. He also urged the community to support neighboring businesses affected by the flood, including donating to the Wauwatosa BID’s fundraiser supporting small businesses.
Adjustments and Future Plans
For those who will miss their weekday breakfasts at Café Hollander, the sister restaurant Buckatabon Tavern & Supper Club, located next to Hollander in the Village, will extend its hours to offer breakfast beginning August 15. In addition to its standard weekend brunch, Buckatabon will serve breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. Monday to Friday while Hollander is closed.
Café Hollander Wauwatosa will be closed for about six weeks, with a potential reopening date of September 28. There is a possibility that the bar could reopen sooner, with Wagner working with the city of Wauwatosa to open its bar, without food service, in time for TosaFest, the annual community festival starting on September 5.
In the meantime, the focus will be on rebuilding, restocking, and supporting the community that has been deeply affected by this unprecedented flooding. Wagner expressed his concern for residents and homeowners, acknowledging the challenges they are facing. “We see this happen all over the country, but seeing it firsthand and the power of it was pretty scary.”
