If you were driving along Wisconsin Ave in Grafton, the historic cream city brick building off to the left probably would have looked pretty unsuspecting.
There are a lot of buildings with character in that area. However, this former blacksmith turned auto repair shop now houses one of the most unique social spots in Ozaukee County: Ember Social.
It’s part event space, part co-working, and entirely chic. After major renovations, the space embraces its historic charm while providing an interior ambience you’d find in any Milwaukee loft.
We talked with Ember Socials’ owner, Amy Fallucca, to find out how she fanned this spark to life.
How did Ember Social get its start?
My husband grew up in Grafton so we moved here from Milwaukee in 2019 when we were expecting our 2nd child. It’s a wonderful place to raise a family, but we missed some of the unique experiences and restaurants the city has to offer.
When we saw the beautiful historic space at 1329 Wisconsin Ave – right in the downtown area of Grafton – sitting vacant for so long after being devastated by a fire, we felt it was important to revitalize it and bring something new to the community.
We came up with the concept of having an event space on the first floor, and coworking offices on the 2nd floor. We renovated and opened our doors in October 2024.
After almost a year, we’ve hosted everything from weddings and baby showers to our own “Ember Experiences” like our Chef Dinners and a Taylor Swift cover band party.
It’s been really fun to come up with lots of creative ideas for events we think people will enjoy – without having to make the trip to Milwaukee.
What is your background?
My background is pretty unique – I started in Human Resources and progressed to leadership roles in tech companies until I started my own consulting business in 2016. Over the years as we acquired real estate I began to manage our commercial properties and our short-term rental property. in 2021 I started a clothing company called COMFYIST which makes tops with sewn-in (rather than removable) bra cups. And now Ember Social is my most recent venture! I love learning and trying new things.
How long have you been in business? Have you faced any major challenges with growing your business or any triumph stories?
We’ve been open for 1 year. Restoring a historic building was definitely a challenge, but we are so pleased with how it turned out. Business has been good so far – we’re really pleased with the interest and feedback we’re getting from the community. We have 36 5-star reviews on Google! That feedback really confirms for me that we’re on the right track and fulfilling a need.
What’s the mission behind Ember Social?
Our mission is to enrich our community by creating meaningful connections & unforgettable experiences.
What is it like being a small business? If you’re a woman, minority, or LGBTQ+ owned business, please feel free to touch on your experiences as an entrepreneur in that space as well.
It’s tough to be a small business that is open to the public. I’ve started other companies but never had to deal with things like building code, safety, liquor compliance, etc. It takes a lot of time and resources to meet the requirements.
I think it can be a challenge for small businesses to be held to the same standards as new development. I can see that is does discourage people from renovating or bringing a new business concept in because they’re worried about the cost of bringing everything up to standards vs. being grandfathered in.
I’ve had a lot of positive experiences as a female entrepreneur. There are several other female business owners in the area and we are rooting for one another and enjoy collaborating!
What do you like about being in the Grafton community?
People in Grafton want to support locally owned businesses. They like to hear our story and they see that we’re invested and care about Grafton – not just because of our business but also because we’re raising a family here. I like that Grafton is evolving and growing, it’s fun to see.
What’s your favorite part about what you’re doing?
I think it’s so special and wonderful to celebrate milestones and major life events with people. Nick and I got married at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee and it brings a smile to my face every time I see it when I think about how wonderful our wedding was. It’s pretty cool to see that we can play that role in someone’s life!
As I said before, I also love being creative and bringing unique concepts here – like our chef dinners or theme parties – and seeing people enjoy them!
What can people expect when going to Ember Social?
You can expect an elevated but welcoming vibe – we pay a lot of attention to the little details and it adds up to something special. The space is intimate and we enjoy getting to know our guests and treating them like family!
Anything else we should know about your business or anything you’d like to mention? Any favorite stories?
We’re working on building a small coworking community on our 2nd floor and still have a few spaces left! It’s a great group of people that are wonderful to be around. We are also enjoying hosting more corporate and networking events!