Photo by Tom Jenz
Rachaad Howard and Tiffany Miller of Fruition MKE
Rachaad Howard and Tiffany Miller of Fruition MKE
There is a new “kid” on the block in the inner city, the block being North 27th Street between Kilbourn and Wisconsin Ave, which formerly featured boarded buildings, blight and criminal activity. No longer. The new “kid” is Fruition MKE located in the new block-long Concordia 27 development. In collaboration with Near West Side Partners, Fruition MKE represents a significant step towards transforming the community. By providing resources and employment opportunities, the project aims for positive change and development.
Fruition MKE was founded by Rachaad Howard and Tiffany Miller, two veteran entrepreneurs rooted in community development and innovation.
"Fruition MKE is more than just a space, it’s a community where ideas flourish and collaborations thrive," said Howard. Tiffany Miller hopes that Fruition MKE will become a spot for community wellness and connections, welcome changes to the old, wounded neighborhood.
For more information, I cornered Howard, who was busy with the finishing touches in the new space, which will open for business in mid-July.
He gave me a quick tour.
The first-floor space is vast, covering a half block. A long stretch of individual computer desks line one wall. There is also a private room for workstations, and nearby, the executive office. Down the hall is a food and coffee shop partnered by Colectivo Coffee. Nearby, a pleasant dining area with tables stretches along the front windows. We walked down the hall and entered a sizable “Maker” space to house equipment and tools to support T shirt screening, jewelry design, candle making, and sewing machines, all for business owners to create their merchandise. Further on, the space opens up into a considerable conference room for meetings. And there is even a media studio for photography, video editing, and podcasts.
Eventually, Howard and I sat on a couch and chatted. He has a short speaking style that shrouds his enthusiasm for the new project.
What about your background? How did your journey take you here to the new Fruition MKE workspace on North 27th Street in the inner city?
I grew up on Milwaukee’s North Side in a single mom family. I went to Milwaukee Madison and graduated from Milwaukee Vincent High School in 2001. After high school, I worked different jobs, then went to the Arts Institutes and earned my degree in graphic design and marketing. Later, I got into T shirt design and printing.
I understand you had some success with your T shirt business.
Yes, I created a lot of shirt designs for the Boston Store. In fact, our shirts were in 100 of their stores. After the George Floyd incident, I partnered with Kohls to create Equality T shirts. Other clients were the Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Public Museum and the Art Museum. For five years, I owned a business, Cream City Print Lounge. I still do corporate orders, but my business has now relocated here to Fruition MKE.
You’ve been at this project for quite a while.
I’ve been working for two and a half years on Fruition MKE. My partner, Tiffany Miller, and I came up with the business idea to create a space where dreamers can come and bring their dreams to life. We will be leasing space to entrepreneurs and commercial artists.
How does the business work? Do the dreamers, artisans, and entrepreneurs rent a space from you?
We are member-shipped based. They buy a monthly membership, and they can use all our co-working spaces, private desks, Hi-speed Wi-Fi, media and conference rooms and an event space. We will also have a cafe catered by Colectivo Coffee. The food served there will be healthy. We are planning to host events or workshops aimed at the local community, such as health and wellness seminars, art exhibitions, or networking events. The new creative space will also offer mentorship programs, access to resources like business planning assistance, funding opportunities, and showcasing local artisan products in their spaces.
You’ve received help and guidance from Near West Side Partners, who have recently relocated to this building.
Without the help of Near West Side Partners, we could not have gotten started on Fruition MKE. And Near West Side Partners is now headquartered on the first floor in this building. But Rick Wiegand owns our building. He also owns the Ambassador Hotel. Eventually, there will be low-income apartments on the upper floors.
Perhaps, some of those apartment residents would be working here in your first-floor space.
That is our hope.
When will you open for business?
We have a grand opening planned for mid-July. We’re excited to open our doors and welcome the community to see firsthand what a creative co-working space is all about. And as a Black-owned business, we're eager to show the public how Fruition MKE is going to help shape the future of the North West Side community.”
If you are a budding entrepreneur and are looking for support, you can find out more information at their website: fruitionmke.com.
