The Milwaukee Post

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Oklahoma Ave., Milwaukee (414) 383-3902 WILLS TRUSTS POWERS OF ATTORNEY PROBATE Pre and post death planning by a professional with over 40 years of experience. Submitted photo Adam Levin and Jim Witkowiak stand outside Witkowiak's Waukesha warehouse, where the Goldmann's Department Store sign is temporarily housed. SOUTH SHORE By Catherine Jozwik Special to the Post MILWAUKEE — A large neon sign, once attached to an iconic Milwaukee depart- ment store, is now back in its home state, thanks to dona- tions and dedicated volun- teers. Goldmann's Department Store closed in 2007 after more than a century in busi- ness on West Mitchell Street. However, the historic sign, which was affixed to the building in the 1950s, remained in place until 2015. According to previously published information, Randy Roth, owner of the Endeavor Corp., which owns the Goldmann's building, said the sign was "safely removed." The sign was originally put up for sale on websites such as Craigslist, but no one bought it. "People were interested in the sign, but where are you going to put it? It's 800 pounds," said Adam Levin, Milwaukee history aficiona- do and founder and sole administrator of the popular Facebook group Old Milwaukee. (The group, which began in 2015 under the name of "You Know You're From Milwaukee When …," has now evolved to more than 35,000 members.) Bringing back the sign Then Greg Baumgarten, who owns the Save The Neon Signs museum in Minot, North Dakota, purchased the sign. Levin said he connected Baumgarten with the man who removed the Gold- mann's sign. "I've been in the middle, here to connect people," he said. Levin, who is especially fond of vintage neon signs, decided to start a campaign to bring the sign back to Milwaukee in November 2017. After Baumgarten pur- chased the sign, Levin said he didn't think much about it. "I thought, 'At least the sign is saved,'" he said. Levin posted a picture of the sign on Facebook, and Baumgarten, interested in selling it, contacted him. With encouragement from Facebook group members, Levin raised $2,000 over the course of six days to pur- chase the sign from Baumgarten, who said he would help load the sign for a trip to Milwaukee. Levin soon realized that the price did not include Baumgarten transporting the sign from North Dakota. He said an Atlanta truck- ing company agreed to deliv- er the sign, but backed out at the last minute. Minot, a remote city 100 miles from an interstate near the Canadian border, is not a convenient location for truckers. He began the process of refunding the money he had raised. "It was kind of a dead end at that point," he said. Fundraising campaign At the end of December 2017, Ron Giguere, chairman of the Historic Mitchell Street Preservation Corp., and Nancy Bush, executive director of the Mitchell Street Business Improvement District No. 4, reached out to Levin. Impressed with his fundraising efforts, Giguere and Bush offered to help. "They thought it was amazing that I was able to raise that money in five or six days," said Levin. "Ron said, 'Let's try to get that sign back. I think we can do it.'" Jim Witkowiak, funeral home owner on Fifth and Mitchell Streets and former Milwaukee alderman, offered to make the nine-hour drive to Minot to pick up the sign. Witkowiak is the vice-chair- man of the HMSPC. To cover transportation costs, Levin was able to raise an additional $400. According to previously published information, Witkowiak hitched a 20-foot trailer to his pickup truck. Together, he and Baumgart- en loaded the 4-ton, 26-foot sign into the truck. He and the sign arrived in Milwaukee several days later. Bush said she and many others in the community interested in keeping Mitchell Street's history alive are very excited that the Goldmann's sign will once again stand tall. This time, it will be erect- ed on a platform on the 500 block on the south side of Mitchell Street, serving as a landmark and gateway to the neighborhood. "We're thrilled and we're grateful," said Bush. Levin is happy and thank- ful things worked out as they did. "It was a slam-dunk," he said. The sign, which is tem- porarily housed at Witkowiak's Waukesha ware- house, will require mainte- nance, including a paint job, and electrical work before it can be put up again. However, Levin said the sign is in pretty good shape, considering its age and the length it's been transported. "I don't know any vintage signs that have traveled that much that are still hanging on," he said. According to Levin, Witkowiak may affix a plaque commemorating the history of Goldmann's, one of Milwaukee's most beloved establishments, to the sign. For now, though, Levin is just glad the sign will be back to its original location. "It's here, and that's all that matters. It's on home turf," he said. Bringing back a piece of Mitchell Street history Goldmann's sign revival in the works

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