February 29, 2024
MADISON (WKOW) -- A bar and restaurant near the UW Madison campus that was set to be demolished, won't be anymore.
For the last 14 months, Vintage on the corner of University Ave. and North Frances St., was preparing for its final day before demolition to make way for student apartments. But according to city records, the developers have put the project on hold for the foreseeable future.
"We've kind of held back on a lot of things that we wanted to do just because we were unsure," Brittany Kraemer, Vintage owner, said. "Now, the floodgates are open. We're like, 'what are we going to do with the patio this summer? We need more apparel.' It's just exciting for everybody here."
Vintage staff says it was hard to contain their excitement when they heard the news.
"I was getting coffee at the time on State St. and I wanted to start yelling, running down the street. I was honestly in shock," UW Madison junior, James Fox, said.
For Fox, Vintage always felt bigger than a job.
"I think it's a community and I think it's a place of love," Fox said. "That was one of the reasons why it was so frustrating that [it] can be taken away from us. And I think that's why it deserves to stay."
Staff says the crew at Vintage really feels like a family and it means the world they'll be able to stay together and keep serving Madison.
"It's really nice to know that I can have a home here for a long time," Fox said. "Whether we were leaving or not, that home was always going to remain with the people I've met and the people that make this place what it is."
"At the end of the day, it's community," Kraemer said. "This isn't my place. It's everyone's place."
Kraemer says seeing the outpouring of joy and support from the community has felt like a "pinch me" moment and she can't wait to keep working in Downtown Madison.
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