Building Description

This gem of the East Side is now the fitting home of jeweler Paloma Wilder who welcomes you in to her second floor studio.

Portrait photographer Helen Bertelson wanted somewhere special for her home studio. So in 1927 she hired MartinTullgren & Sons’ to design this very unique Spanish Colonial / Mediterranean Revival. Featuring walls and doorways festooned with terracotta sculptural elements, wrought-iron Juliette balconies, and plenty of large arched windows, the Bertelson Building is truly one of a kind. Adorned with faces both grotesque and angelic, and animals both local and mythical, the ornate attention to detail has been impressing visitors for almost 100 years.

Visitor Experience

Historic Bertelson Building will participate in Doors Open Milwaukee Saturday September 28th. Paloma Wilder will be opening her goldsmithing studio upstairs for tours with live demos and featuring for the first time ever a walk though of the space that was the previous home to the (in)famous ‘Avant Garde’ cafe.

2nd floor walk up access only.

Address
2105 N Prospect Ave

Saturday Hours
10 am - 5 pm

Sunday Hours
Not Open

Photography
Videography allowed, Photography allowed

Handicapped Accessible
Not accessible