These three Waukesha restaurants rebranded during the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s what that means for them. – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

WAUKESHA - As limitations imposed by the coronavirus pandemic were lifted, the same could be said of thesigns bearing the old names of three newly rebranded local restaurants.

Taco Amigo is now The Spanish Traveler Comida Latina. Boomerangs is now Waukesha Evolution Bar & Grill. And, as previously reported, Christina's is now The Coop.

In each case, the name changes only coincided with the spread of COVID-19 and the resulting loss of the dining-in option for customers. But the changes aren't limited to names only.

There's a tale behind the former Taco Amigo's new name, both in terms of the idea behind the new brand and the menu it represents.

"The Spanish Traveler is a story of one who travels from Latin America to here, and shares with you what they have to offer," said Joe Woolfolk, who in October 2018 bought Taco Amigo from his uncle and slowly began ushering in changes. "(The restaurant) has its roots not only in Mexico, but it can be from Guatemala, Venezuela, Honduras, or go back even further to the Old World, Spain."

Woolfolk, whose grandfather emigrated from Guatemala decades ago and eventually settled in the area after living in both Louisiana and Texas, began toying with the idea of a name change more than a year ago, but it wasn't as easy as simply ordering new signage.

Taco Amigo, in the Silvernail Shopping Center in Waukesha, has been renamed The Spanish Traveler, reflecting on the restaurant's roots beyond Mexican cuisine. Owner Joe Woolfolk said the process to change the name preceded the coronavirus pandemic and involved a complete rebranding of the restaurant.(Photo: Jim Riccioli/Now News Group)

"It's a long process," he said, noting the carefully plotted decision to tie the name change to a complete rebranding.

The restaurant, located in the Silvernail Shopping Center just south of Interstate 94, has been remodeled, the menu has been revamped and the website and online ordering elements have been enhanced, Woolfolk said.

But the restaurant remains in the family, as it has since the mid-1980s, he added.

The restaurant, which as Taco Amigo maintained curbside-pickup service throughout the state-induced restaurant closures in response to the pandemic, has again opened its doors for dining in its now-remodeled space.

One of Waukesha's many bar and grills doesn't carry the same long history as The Spanish Traveler, but it does sit on the apex of the city's long history downtown.

Waukesha Evolution picks up where Boomerangs left off at the Five Points intersection that marks the heart of downtown last winter. In fact, the bar/restaurant tried to reestablish the business in mid-March, until a certain virus made that impossible.

Boomerangs, which in turn succeeded Meli which succeeded Generations at Five Points at a location long known for its eateries, was opened as a sports bar late last summer. Is Evolution following in those footsteps?

Waukesha Evolution Bar & Grill is the new name of the bar restaurant most previously occupied by Boomerangs at the Five Points intersection in downtown Waukesha. The sign images atop the awning depicts an evolution from ape to a guitar-playing man, a nod to Les Paul.(Photo: Jim Riccioli/Now News Group)

"Not right now, because there's no sports," said co-owner Henry Gacek, with a laugh. But it will be in part, as well as an intended hot spot for downtown patrons.

The name has some significance, Gacek said. For one, it plays on the idea of Waukesha evolving into the Guitar Town, honoring the history of its famous entertainer and music industry tech wizard Les Paul. But it's also about how the previous sports bar can become something more.

"It's kind of going to be a multipurpose bar," he said, with karaoke, DJs and live music at certain times, or a meeting place and birthday party center at other times. "We can do sports during sporting events, and other times we can do other stuff.That's kind of the Evolution thing. We'll evolve into what people want."

Gacek, who partners with Joey Gudgeon in the new venture, had a clear view of Boomerangs' short-lived efforts in recent months. That's because he also owns and operates the Picky Picky Resale Shop directly across the way at Five Points.

Boomerangs didn't fail because it was a poor business decision from the start, he said. With tighter inventory controls and deeper restaurant management experience Gudgeon owned several George Webb locations, including the Sunset Drive location in Waukesha in the past he believes Waukesha Evolution will grow with downtown's modern draw as an arts and entertainment district.

"It's just the kind of a place people can come around to and enjoy," Gacek said.

While it isn'tnews that Christina's All-Day Cafe is transitioning to The Coop, the process isn't yet final.

In a Facebook message, the restaurant acknowledged the remodeling of the Delafied Street building near Waukesha City Hall, is still underway. It's a process that began with the closing of Christina's in March as a result of pandemic control efforts.

A new sign stands for The Coop stands outside the restaurant known for decades as Christina's All Day Cafe on Delafield Street in Waukesha. The restaurant, which changed hands recently, is still in the midst of remodeling.(Photo: Jim Riccioli/Now News Group)

As previously reported, the previous ownersGeorge and Peggy Papagiannis allowed the pandemic to hasten retirement plans already in the works, putting the business into the hands of brothersJoseph and Nicko Sifnaios.

Together, they will operate the longtime Waukesha restaurant site as a breakfast and lunch business, eliminating the suppertime element that previously was part of the menu.

The ownership change puts the former Christina's and the Tuscan Hall Banquet Hall under the same ownership flag again. The banquet hall briefly operated as Christina's II a decade ago.

An opening date for The Coop has not been announced.

Contact Jim Riccioli at (262) 446-6635 or james.riccioli@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jariccioli.

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These three Waukesha restaurants rebranded during the coronavirus pandemic. Here's what that means for them. - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel