About Milwaukee's Sherman Phoenix
Healers are all over Milwaukee. They look through tragedy for what their neighborhoods need, and make it happen.
Neighbors in Sherman Park were rocked by the unrest that burst out after police shot and killed unarmed 23-year-old Sylville Smith on Aug. 13, 2016. The BMO Harris Bank on Fond du Lac Avenue and five other businesses nearby burned down in the protests.
In the weeks that followed, community members looking for healing saw the need for safe and welcoming neighborhood spaces. From the ashes rose the idea for Sherman Phoenix – an economic hub of more than two dozen mostly Black-owned businesses.
Since opening doors at the formerly fire-damaged bank in 2018, the Sherman Phoenix has built up Milwaukee entrepreneurs through leasing its storefront spaces to its pop-up local business fairs.
From wellness services and a barber shop to boutiques, art, a bar and restaurants, the Sherman Phoenix has become a one-stop-shop on Milwaukee’s north side. It helps businesses grow, like Funky Fresh Spring Rolls, whose owner TrueMan McGee says the Sherman Park hub helped him get to a point where he can expand as a national brand.
The hub also helps entrepreneurs rise through consulting and coaching services. Local artists get guidance on how to strengthen the business side of their art practice with grants through the gener8tor Art x Sherman Phoenix Accelerator program.
The Sherman Phoenix shows how even in immeasurable hardship, Milwaukeeans show up for each other and for a better future for their neighbors.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: About Milwaukee's Sherman Phoenix
