Have you walked by the old Norris Court Laundromat the past few months and wondered what Bugs Bunny was doing staring out at you? Well, the answer is it is part of the funky décor of Speedjump Java Joint, a coffee shop that recently opened at 908 E. Johnson Street.
Stosh Kowalski, co-owner with Jeffery Foss, hired Tommy Reichenberger, Jr., a student at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, to "tag" the walls with Bugs Bunny, Speed Racer, Rocky, Bullwinkle, the Tasmanian Devil, and other popular cartoon characters.
The art fits in with the eclectic retro look which includes vintage cushioned chairs and sofas in the totally rehabbed space. Stosh spent seven months reconstructing the space which involved resurrecting the tin ceiling and laying a new floor. Jim Vinson, a local architect whose work includes Dotty Dolly's and the State Street Bar and Grill, helped Stosh with the design.
Speedjump Java Joint is not Stosh's first business. In the early 90's he owned a baseball card store near East High and in the 80's he had a nightclub off of State Street called the "City Club."
Asked why he wanted to open a coffee shop, Stosh said it's because he "likes cookies and coffee and people." He said Willy Street has a number of coffee shops but this part of the near east side was missing someplace where groups of people can hang out and socialize.
Gourmet Italian cookies baked by Scordato's Bakery in Milwaukee are a highlight of Speedjump. There are twelve different varieties of cookies ranging from vanilla bonbons to chocolate coconut macaroons. Arizona teas, Italian sodas, hot chocolate and many kinds of coffee are also offered.
Art from local artists will be rotated periodically. Niki Slaets is the current exhibitor. Plans for an Internet computer for customers to read email are also in the works.
Hours for Speedjump Java Joint are 6:30-midnight. The phone number is 663-8130. The grand gala opening is scheduled for December 7.
It looks to be a happening place. As Keith, a recent customer said, "if this place can't get every synapse in your brain firing simultaneously, something is egregiously wrong."
- Bob Shaw