A Fresh New Focus
Milwaukee’s restaurant scene is forever changing with the ebb and flow of its residents. Streets that once housed dive bars and chain restaurants have rolled out the red carpet for small eateries with an emphasis on local and fresh flavors. The epitome of this development in Milwaukee food culture is the Crossroads Collective. Tim Gokhman of New Land Enterprises saw the opportunity for a food hall in Milwaukee, but he had always had been adamant about never getting involved in the restaurant world because of the high risks. Gokhman is someone who likes to go out to eat for more than just the food, but actively searches for something he can’t make at home, which led to the idea for the Crossroads Collective. Living in Milwaukee, or Small-waukee as some call it, he gained insight from local chefs and owners, and that is when the Crossroads Collective was brought to fruition.
As he traveled all over the country going to various food halls for research, Gokhman kept one specific question in mind: what didn’t work? After learning about the problems of each food hall from employees, he concocted a business model with a focus on functionality. One of the major problems other food halls were experiencing were dishware related. Ceramic plates required extra manpower for washing and broke easily. Disposable options were the way to go, but Gokhman is hyper-aware of the environment and didn’t want to create a massive carbon footprint. He did some research, teamed up with Compost Crusader and came up with a method where everything is compostable. Gokhman also knew that he was going to create what is known as a “micro” food hall, which is less than 10,000 square feet, perfectly tailored to the East Side neighborhood.
When Gokhman was looking for owners and operators to inhabit the Crossroads Collective, he wanted them to be a master in one of three areas, showcasing an interesting backstory, serving spectacularly delicious food, or producing visually interesting food. Lucky for Gokhman, all the vendors he has found thus far are triple threats, excelling in all three categories. Even more interesting, was that when Gokhman was showing the vendors the gigantic cooler and freezer, they all expressed that they wouldn’t need a freezer. Their focus on fresh ingredients was so important that they ended up converting the walk-in freezer into additional cooler space. Getting input like this was important to Gokhman, because he relied heavily on the advice and opinions of the vendors, making sure they had everything they needed to make a functional and state of the art food hall.
This transition towards health was perhaps by design, with the presence of Whole Foods on North Avenue. Food culture has been advancing rapidly towards healthier and more local options, and the Crossroads Collective wanted to embrace that food movement with full force. They even house Beerline Cafe, which has an entirely vegan menu. Other vendors include Heaven’s Table BBQ, Frida Soup and Sandwiches, The Laughing Taco, Scratch Scoop Shop and Falafel Guys. These vendors have given insight through experience and have helped to mold the functionality of the Crossroads Collective, propelling this new East Side staple to success.
The Crossroads Collective is open daily from 10:00am to 10:00pm at 2238 N Farwell Ave.
