South Milwaukee Legion building sold to become event space; veterans can still meet there
The South Milwaukee Van Eimeren-Kolonka American Legion Post 27 building has been sold.
But the new owners want the Legion members to still call it home.
Mario and Nada Stillo of Oak Creek purchased the building to operate a banquet and event space to be called Bella Rose. The naming comes from combining their first daughter’s first name and second daughter’s second name together, according to Nada.
Bella Rose won’t be taking event requests until next year, as the Stillos have agreed to lease the space to the Legion for $1/day through Nov. 15, allowing members to host already scheduled events, according to Austin Duerr, realtor with 3 Dog Real Estate – powered by Abundance Real Estate, who facilitated the sale along with his colleague Emily LeGault.
Duerr is a disabled Marine Corps veteran himself and LeGault is the wife of an Air Force Veteran.
“I don’t think we could have found a better buyer for the Legion,” Duerr said. “The way they are respecting the Legion, the veterans, they not only said they’d treat it with dignity and respect, it all went into contracts as well, and to me that’s incredible.”
The building was listed for $390,000 but closed on Sept. 6 for $340,000, Duerr said. As part of that price drop, the Stillos agreed to allow the Legion to meet inside free of charge for the next five years with the option to renegotiate another five years.
Additionally, Bella Rose has Memorial Day and Veterans Day “blocked off indefinitely for the Legion,” Duerr said, adding members will get discounts for hosting other events.
“We didn’t want to uproot them,” Stillo said, adding she and her husband want the Legion members to “still call this space their home.”
Renovating while still preserving history
Stillo said she and her husband have plans to do some “mostly cosmetic” remodeling with fresh paint, new lighting and new flooring. The larger renovation work will be completed between Legion events.
The couple plan to leave the front of the building as-is with no plans to remove any bricks or flags, Stillo said.
When the new sign is put outside naming the building Bella Rose, it will also include “home of American Legion Post 27,” according to Duerr.
Over the summer, the large American flag mural on the side of the building was defaced with black spray paint. Recently, someone named Shawn dropped a letter in the Legion’s mailbox offering to help.
“He is going to fix that for them for free,” Duerr said. “All they need to do is provide the materials. He just said he loves vets, and he wants to fix that for free because he’s really sad that happened.”
Nada Stillo confirmed she and her husband plan to work with Shawn to fix the mural. Depending on the work he does, they’re also considering contracting him to create a second mural on the other side of the building.
The Post was filled with historical documents, photos and items, many of which will go into a storage facility for now, Duerr said. However, much of the historical memorabilia will still be on display. Stillo said they may create a showcase in the bar area along with offering storage space in the building to the Legion.
“They’re making a special room that will maintain the memorabilia of the last 100 years,” Duerr said. “This was another Godsend thing … you get moments like these that remind you, yeah, there’s a God.”
The new owners have their own history in the area
The Stillos have history in the area as well. Mario Stillo’s childhood home is only a couple blocks from the Legion building. The couple had been looking for an event space in the area and Nada Stillo said this was “the perfect location, it’s where we’re from and what we know.”
She also remembers their nephew and niece going to the Post for field trips, speaking with Legion members and participating in parades.
“It really comes down to their trust in us with their history and legacy, they’re such a focal point in our community,” Stillo said. “It wasn’t really a matter of us agreeing to concessions, it was more of we just couldn’t show them enough of how much we appreciate all the work that they put into the community, but then also trust in us with their space, their home.”
Bella Rose plans to start booking events in early 2024
The Stillos hope to have soft opening events for Bella Rose in December with the goal ― renovation and city approval permitting ― to start booking events in January 2024.
“We’re open to all,” Stillo said of events, highlighting everything from corporate meetings to weddings, birthdays and more. The Stillos plan to partner with area restaurants to offer “the full package” to renters wanting food service.
As for the bar, initially it won’t be open to the public and only used for events. However, that could change if they come across a good bar manager and bartenders.
“We’re just diving right in,” Stillo said. “Neither my husband or I have done this before. Just for the interim we’re trying to get our footing.”
Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page, The Redheadliner, and follow him on Twitter @Redheadliner.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: South Milwaukee American Legion building sold to become event space
