Re-discover Milwaukee at Schuster Mansion B&B

Schuster Mansion B&B Milwaukee, WI taken by Tamera Bourne

As winter approaches many people want to batten down the hatches and tuck away for winter, but there still is an opportunity to take a vacation.  The type where there is no travel involved except for the 30 minutes in the car, depending where in Milwaukee area people reside.

"Treat it like it is a distant vacation minus the transport," in-keeper Laura Sue of the Schuster Mansion bed and breakfast stated when describing why locals should visit bed and breakfasts.

With the cost of gas being unpredictable and hotel rooms subjected to noisy neighbors or unwanted hall guests, bed and breakfast's are a perfect option for families, couples, and individuals who want a quiet and relaxing atmosphere.

Upon walking into the foyer of the Schuster Mansion bed and breakfast, the eyes are greeted with a multitude of antiques.  The lady's sitting room, where the interview occurred, has a deep chestnut brown cabinet with a circular cut glass door holding teacups. The mirror on the cabinet has a milky look to it because of the aging process. According to Rick and Laura Sue, the luckiest fine they had in the antique shopping was their Chippendale dining room set.  The hutch, table and eight chairs were found for $1,500.  This normally would cost close to $10,000.

Bed and breakfasts can offer more than a traditional hotel. For Rick and Laura Sue they want people to come, relax, and be pampered.  Rick and Laura Sue believe in high customer service.  They want their guests to live like a family.  It is common for people to feel so comfortable at the mansion they will leave their shoes, coats, and other items throughout the house. Bedroom doors are left opened and each guest is given a key to the mansion, providing a stronger connection to the lodging.

The mansion is a place to explore history. It is considered a historic landmark and is in minutes of multiple other locations in Milwaukee. The Pabst Mansion is ten minutes away, Miller Brewery is eight blocks south, and the Miller Stadium is a mile. Downtown is only 30 blocks away.  The Schuster Mansion bed and breakfast, located at 3209 W. Wells Street, is in the center of all Milwaukee has to offer.

Locals forget what Milwaukee can provide.  Take time to plan a vacation and re-discover Milwaukee.  As residents of the city, locals can participate in free days at the museums. Milwaukee Public Museum is free on Mondays, Milwaukee Art Museum on Wednesdays, and Haggerty Museum of Art every day. Other local museums include the Harley Davidson Museum, Betty Brinn Children's Museum, Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum, Eisner Museum, and Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin. The free museums do require proof residence.

Instead of doing a traditional weekend plan to stay during the week and take in a local museum and see a play that night, or in the spring catch a Brewer's game. The Bucks are in season starting in the autumn and the Admirals in the winter. Step out of the ordinary routine of driving through downtown but go for a walk along the river and look at the art along the banks.  Try a new restaurant. Milwaukee offers over 1,000 different types of restaurants.  There is always something new to experience.

Driving along Wells street will lead right in the theatre district.  See a play at the Pabst, a musical at The Rep, or see what the Shorewood Players are planning next. Find a babysitter for the night and stay out all night.  Take a drive along the lakefront, which is untouched unlike so many other of the Great Lakes borders.

The Schuster Mansion is breath taking and the city evaporates once a person walks through the door. Jane Austin's Pump Room in Bath, England materializes in front of the guests eyes when walking into the dining room for breakfast.  Bed and breakfasts are required to provide the morning meal to comply with bed and breakfast guidelines.  Laura Sue provides options so her guests can choose their breakfast and guests also can choose when to have breakfast, unlike other bed and breakfast where the menu is set and the time is set.

Each room at the Schuster Mansion bed and breakfast  is themed and named by the owners.  Laura Sue's favorite is the room she named after herself. Its decor is of lush reds and pinks with off whites for contrast.  There is a sun room that even in the heart of fall transports a person to a sun filled beach house.  Rick's favorite room is the Pias room, which is named after his family. The room is masculine with tans and moss greens threaded throughout the room.  There is a a old fashioned desk to do any writing or business work at .  All the pictures throughout the house are of Rick and Laura Sue's family dating back to the time of the house.  The pictures add to the intimate atmosphere.

The Schuster Mansion was originally built in 1891 for George J. Schuster, a prominent tobacco industrialist of his time. The private home was built for $23,000 at the time, which during the 19th century was a considerable amount of money.  Schuster had six children; one of his sons at age 13 died and no one knows why.  The mansion is not haunted from the son or any other Schuster. George Schuster bought three plots on Wells street and built his mansion on the middle while building a boarding house in 1909, which still operates today.

Rick and Laura Sue bought the place in March 2008 and opened the doors of the bed and breakfast in July 2008. Rick and Laura Sue, after they first married, decided to spend a weekend at a bed and breakfast.  While speaking with the owner, it came into the conversation that the bed and breakfast they were staying at was up for sale.  Laura Sue had stayed at plenty of bed and breakfasts and heard it before but Rick was a new to the whole experience.  The idea took root and has they drove home to Chicago they talked of what they liked and would do different if they owned a place. 

On a return trip to Milwaukee Laura Sue asked Rick to drive around and when they pulled up to the Schuster Mansion Laura Sue knew this was the place, but it was not for sale. Dreams are never impossible to achieve; just a little patience is needed. Within two weeks after driving to the mansion, Laura Sue saw it on a reality listing.  The bid was put in and accepted.  The house in Chicago sold and with two semi-trucks full of bed and breakfast items the couple drove north to their new home.

For Rick and Laura Sue the most rewarding aspect of owning the bed and breakfast is seeing their guests transform.  Many come in with heavy shoulders like a 30lb. dumbbell is sitting on each one but by the end no one wants to leave. Some guests will book for one night and stay for two or three.

To help promote the Schuster Mansion bed and breakfast Laura Sue provides a Victorian High Tea the first Thursday of every month and in December it is every Thursday.  Laura Sue wanted to offer this because she loves going to Victorian High Tea. It is an English tradition where people sit at a dinner table instead of sitting on the couch in front of the coffee table, which is considered low tea or afternoon tea. The guests are served savories, little sandwiches, scones and then pastries in that exact order.

Laura Sue offers a buffet of tea so all can sample and not just have one kind like other Victorian High Teas. Each Victorian High Tea is themed and people are encouraged to to dress in Victorian style. If a person should forget one can rent one of the hats Laura Sue made for the Victorian High Teas and transport to the 19th century.

People can come for the tea and stay the night or stay the night and experience a Victorian High Tea.  The Schuster Mansion bed and breakfast wants to provide an unique experience for its guests. Through high customer service like carrying bags to guests rooms, providing an option at breakfast, allowing guests to customize their experience.  If there is a unique request Rick and Laura Sue will try to accommodate to the wishes, like when a couple requested for an anniversary to come from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. because that is all the time they had to spend together on their anniversary.  Rick and Laura Sue brought them breakfast in bed and the couple stayed until it was time to leave for their sons soccer game. Rick and Laura Sue want to make each guest feel at home.

When thinking of a vacation stop thinking distance and look into the city's backyard.  A destination is only 30 minutes away or less. Look beyond the name brand hotels and find a little piece of history at a bed and breakfast while re-discovering why the city appealed in the first place.