How a chance encounter, led Camp Bar to Cedarburg

The story behind the Art of Joy sale, and why the best real estate deals are never just about the property.

If you have ever spent a warm evening on Washington Avenue in Cedarburg, there is a good chance you have wandered past a property that stopped you in your tracks. The Art of Joy was exactly that kind of place. Cocktails crafted with care, fire pits glowing along the banks of Cedar Creek, a vintage camper turned into an outdoor bar, lawn games, live music drifting through the air, and  my personal favorite  ice cream served from a freezer mounted on a bicycle. It was whimsical, welcoming, and completely one of a kind.

The owner had built something truly special. Her vision was simple and beautiful: a place where families could gather, relax, and enjoy each other. A cocktail for the adults, something fun for the kids, and a setting that made everyone feel like they had found a little secret tucked into the heart of Cedarburg. She accomplished that vision completely  and when the time came to sell, my job was to make sure the value she had created was fully recognized and rewarded.

I knew this property was worth $1 million. The location on Washington Avenue, the liquor license, the loyal customer base, the uniqueness of what had been built there  it all added up. But knowing a price is justified and proving it to a buyer are two very different things. This is where, honestly, I feel I separate myself from other agents. My background in real estate investment means I never look at a property as just a transaction. I see it as a puzzle  and my job is to find every piece before anyone else does.

For this sale to work at full price, I needed to find the right buyer  not just any buyer. The property had two non negotiable requirements that would define the entire transaction. First, the coveted Cedarburg liquor license had to be preserved. Liquor licenses in a municipality like Cedarburg are rare and enormously valuable  lose it in a transfer, and you lose a significant portion of what makes the property worth $1 million in the first place. Second, the buyer would need a Food and Beverage tenant capable of paying rent that could justify and support a purchase at that price point. Those two conditions were inseparable, and they had to be solved together.

“I never want to leave a nickel on the table for my seller. Finding the perfect buyer wasn’t optional it was the entire strategy.”

The week before I was set to list the property, I ran into an old colleague in the Piggly Wiggly parking lot that I hadn’t seen in a few years. We caught up the way you do  life, work, what had changed. He mentioned, almost casually, that his boss had recently sold a building just a few doors down from the Art of Joy and was now looking to purchase another property in Cedarburg.

I said goodbye, started walking away and then it hit me. I turned around, and told him about the upcoming opportunity. Two days later, I was showing the Art of Joy to his boss. Within 24 hours, we had an accepted offer.

That kind of moment is not luck. It is the result of being embedded in this community for over 20 years, of maintaining relationships, and of having the instinct to connect dots that other people walk right past. The deal was moving  now I had to make sure it would close.

With an accepted offer in hand, I turned my full attention to the tenant search. The buyer needed a Food and Beverage operator  someone with the financial strength, the operational track record, and the vision to make a go of it in Cedarburg. I reached out to my network, followed every lead, and cast a wide net. One of the calls I made was to Paul Hackbarth, the owner of CAMP Bar a highly respected operator and entrepreneur with a clear and compelling concept.

As it turned out, Paul had been looking for a new venue and had long wanted to bring CAMP Bar to Cedarburg. The Art of Joy was not just a viable option for him  it felt like the right fit. His team moved quickly, worked through the details, and it became clear that this was going to happen. CAMP Bar was coming to Washington Avenue.

There was still one significant obstacle standing between us and closing. The liquor license  the single most critical element of the entire transaction  had to be formally transferred and approved by the City of Cedarburg. The buyer and I met with the City, who laid out the process clearly: only one license was available, and there was another interested party  a local establishment also seeking it.

Both parties presented their case to the Cedarburg Common Council. CAMP Bar made a compelling argument. So did the other applicant. In the end, the Council awarded the license to CAMP Bar. That decision was the final piece of a transaction that had required patience, strategy, persistence, and no small amount of problem solving at every turn.

The Art of Joy sale closed at a record price per square foot on Washington Avenue  a result that honored everything the seller had built and ensured she received full value for her vision and years of hard work. But beyond the record, what this transaction represents to me is something I care about deeply: bringing the right businesses to the communities I serve.

CAMP Bar is a tremendous addition to Cedarburg’s business district. It brings new energy, new visitors, and new commerce to a street I have called home for more than 20 years. That is not just a good real estate outcome  that is a good outcome for the community.

Real estate, done well, is never just about the sale. It is about seeing the whole picture the property, the people, the community, and the opportunity  and working every angle until the right result is achieved for everyone involved. That is who I am as an agent/broker, and it is the standard I hold myself to with every transaction I take on, at every price point.

If you have a property with a complex story  one that requires more than a sign in the yard and an MLS listing  I would love to have that conversation.