Area Woman-Owned Businesses Show Support For International Women's Day

MILWAUKEE, WI — Today is International Women's Day and women all over the world are expressing their pride and solidarity to support equal rights.

March 8 has also been designated as A Day Without Women the second major demonstration of social activism organized by the group behind the Women's March on Washington. Many women are participating by taking the day off work, avoiding shopping for the day (except to support women- or minority-owned small businesses) or by wearing red in solidarity with the strike.

The Statue of Liberty went dark last night to show support for A Day Without Women.

Here in Milwaukee, a significant number of woman-owned businesses are taking a different approach. Instead of closing their businesses, they are staying open and donating a portion of the proceeds to the Milwaukee Women's Center, reports onmilwaukee.com.

Katie Rose, co-owner of Goodkind in Bay View explains to onmilwaukee.com:

"As a female business owner, it's much more difficult to consider not showing up for work. So, in lieu of shutting down and not offering the services that we're so proud of, and that we've worked so hard to get going, we're taking the opportunity to rally together, to create awareness for female-owned businesses and do some good in the process."

The group of businesses will be donating at least 10 percent of Wednesday's earning to the Milwaukee Women's Center, some are even having specials to bring more people in to shop.

Here's current list onmilwaukee.com's of "Lady Business" participants check back to onmilwaukee.com for updates:

Bars & restaurants

• Blackbird Bar, 3007 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., will donate 20 percent of sales.
• Burnhearts, 2599 S. Logan Ave., will tap woman-owned New Glarus Brewery's Cabin Fever and serve a special cocktail with Appleton Estate rum, a spirit blessed by the rum industry's first female blender, Joy Spence. Proceeds from both drinks will be donated to MCW.
• Cafe Corazon (Riverwest and Bay View) will donate a percentage of sales.
• Cafe LuLu, 2265 S. Howell Ave., will donate all profits from the sale of the Pacific Rim Roasted Pork Loin Salad (a Cam & Sarah/LuLu original creation) and the Thai Garden cocktail made with female-distiller-owned Hangar 1 Kaffir Lime vodka.
• Classic Slice, 2797 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. will donate 20 percent of all sales to MCW.
• Goodkind, 2475 S. Wentworth Ave., will offer a special kegged rose petal gin & tonic using gin donated by Great Northern Distillery with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the MWC.
• Hello Falafel, 2301 S. Howell Ave., will donate 10 percent of sales.
• Honeypie, 2643 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., will host a tap takeover featuring all women-led breweries. Customers will get $1 off taps if they wear the color red. In addition, 20 percent of the entire day's sales will be donated to the MWC.
• Lazy Susan, 2378 S. Howell Ave. will donate 10 percent of proceeds from its special date night dinner for two menu with dishes inspired by female chefs.
• The National Cafe, 839 W. National Ave., will donate 10 percent of sales.
• Odd Duck, 2352 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., will donate 10 percent of sales.
• Palomino, 2491 S. Superior St., will host a tap takeover featuring all women-led breweries. Customers will get $1 off taps if they wear red. In addition, 20 percent of the entire day's sales will be donated to the Milwaukee Women's Center.
• The Roman Coin, 1004 E. Brady St., will feature three rounds of trivia focused on women's health, intelligence and courage. It will donate $1 from each Spotted Cow or Cabin Fever sold. Wear red and you'll get a 50th anniversary Roman Coin red mug.
• The Ruby Tap (Wauwatosa and Mequon) will accept donations for the MWC all week long. It will also donate 10 percent of profits from March 8 from both locations.
• Sugar Maple, 441 E. Lincoln Ave., will donate a percentage of its earnings. It will also feature special brews from female brewers.
• The Tandem, 1848 W. Fond du Lac Ave., will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from every order of hush puppies sold.

Retail and other

• Alive and Fine (vintage shop), 2652 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., will donate 30 percent of sales.
• Barre District, 2121 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., will donate 50 percent of sales.
• From Milwaukee with Love* will host a T-shirt sale through March 10 during which $5 from every From Milwaukee with Love tee sold will go to support the MWC.
• Ginger Snaps MKE Photographaphy will donate 50 percent of the profits from mini-sessions scheduled on March 8.
• Healium Hot Yoga, 2475 S. Howell Ave., will have a special sale class package from March 7 to 9, and 15 percent of sales of that package will be donated.
• Nail Bar Milwaukee, 2580 N. Downer Ave., will donate 10 percent of sales.
• Nourish Massage, Bodywork & Skin Therapies, 1301 N. Astor St., suite 26, will donate 10 percent of all services and retail sold.
• Olson House (home goods), 4326 N. Oakland Ave., will donate 15 percent of sales.
• Orchid Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture, 2120 E. Rusk Ave., will donate 20 percent of sales.
• South Shore Gallery & Framing, 2627 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
• Stag Barbershop, 3064 S. Delaware Ave., will donate 10 percent of total service sales (haircuts, shaves, shoe shines, beard trims) and 10 percent of total retail sales for the day.
• Waxwing, 1800 E. North Ave., will donate 15 percent of all sales.
• Wild Haven Fiber Company, 2658 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., will donate 10 percent of sales.

So, wear red today and visit these businesses to show your support. If you can't make it to any of the participating businesses today, please consider shopping there another day and make a donation to the Milwaukee Women's Center online.

To learn more about what others are doing nationally, check out A Day Without Women on Patch.

Image via Pixabay