Building History
This building was originally the warehouse & factory of Patek Bros., a paint, oil and glass firm established in 1895 by Geo & Mark Patek. The firm manufactured high grade paint and jobbed plate and window glass in what was described in 1922 as a "thoroughly modern" and "up to date" factory. Patek went out of business in the early 1960s, but its name was acquired by another local glass and paint dealer to become Lurie-Patek Glass Co. The building was altered in 1964 to become the warehouse and offices of A.L. Gebhardt Co., leather finishers."
Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory Citation
Wisconsin Historical Society, Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory
Patek Bros. Building/Patek Bros., Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, WI
Ref: 82916
"The building later became the long time home for the Mitchell Leather factory and retail store, where Jerry Mitchell sold handcrafted briefcase, purses, belts and other higher-end leather goods. The business was founded in 1968, three years after Mitchell, who grew up in Romania, moved to Milwaukee with his parents. It operated at other nearby Water St building before relocating in 1980 to the building now being redeveloped into Mitchell on Water."
Tom Daykin, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel