Downtown Menasha. April 29, 2026. PC: Fox 11 Online
MENASHA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Downtown Menasha is slowly growing, and city officials expect that to continue.
“There’s more cars on the street now and the nightlife has improved,” said Kari Mulder, owner/general manager of Rusted Roost Bar & Restaurant in downtown Menasha. “I think that’s due to more businesses coming in in the downtown area.”
Downtown Menasha has a few restaurants, a board game cafe and some art studios. For expansion, the city doesn’t have specifics yet, though it is aiming for a mix of housing and business. That may include developing the old Germania Hall and filling the other vacant buildings. That combination could make the area similar to downtown Neenah, just on a smaller scale.
“I want it to be a livable downtown,” said Menasha Mayor Austin Hammond. “Where folks have an opportunity to have that mixed-use housing incorporated in a lower space, retail space, salon space, restaurant space.”
The city can’t just unilaterally make its downtown more vibrant, but what it can do is gradually revitalize buildings around the area and hope for a trickle-down effect. If a good business goes somewhere, like right off Tayco Street, the downtown area benefits.
A few miles north of downtown, multiple businesses are moving into the former Shopko site, and county leaders announced Tuesday the former UW-Oshkosh Fox Cities campus will begin hosting events.
“Just driving more visitation, having more events, certain magnets to sort of bring people into the community,” said Community Development Director Andrew Dane. “I think helps overall with enhancing the image of the community and providing a great experience for visitors.”
The city’s goal is to increase housing and business in all areas of the city, and as a result, hope downtown will benefit.
“This is a gem, and the more people we get down here to see that, it’s just going to boost the economy down here,” said Mulder.
Menasha’s Common Council also recently decreased the minimum lot size to 6,000 square feet for homeowners, which the city hopes will allow for more homes to be built in older neighborhoods.
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