"State Street The Address Of Entrepreneurial Spirit"

Adding to the charm and unique character of State Street are its many historic buildings.  Take the time to study the building facades and you'll be amazed at the work of artisans past.  And while you're considering their labours, don't be surprised if you look up and find stone gargoyles and cherubs staring back at you.

One building's craftsmanship especially stands out among the others - the Caputo-Milsted building at the triangular junction of state and Mifflin Streets.   Owned by Maria and Daniel Milsted, the Caputo-Milsted building is home to a number of entrepreneurs: Madison's own Miles Teddy Wedgers, Milsted Enterprises, Renaissance Travel, Clary's Popcorn, plus, eight walk-up apartments.  The Caputo-Milsted building was built in 1855 by Stephen Vaughn Shipman using stone quarries from the Town of Westport and transported to the site by horse.  Maria and Dan have put a lot of time and hard work into rejuvenating the building.  They renovated its interior, restored the original sandstone exterior and overall sought to maintain its original historical integrity.  Their hard work and determination recently paid off.  In 1995, the Caputo-Milsted building was recognized by the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation, a recognition that is bestowed only on a handful of buildings and their owners.

The Caputo-Milsted Building is just one example of many historic storefronts that add to the physical charm and unique character of State Street.   State Street's wonderful blend of culture, character and entrepreneurial spirit, make it the Great State Street of Madison.

Small Business Catalyst.  Firstar Bank, Third Quarter, 1996.

"A Virtual Family Business"

One area family we talked to chose to diversify and encourages the individuals to run their own businesses while helping each other where they can.

Maria Milsted could have followed her father, Carlo Caputo - a long-time Madison entrepreneur who operated a grocery store and several restaurants, including Rosemary's on Atwood Avenue and the Club Hollywood in Monona - into the family business.  But she had seen the toll it took on her family growing up.  "We never had holidays at home as a family together," she remembers.  Milsted decided she wanted a different life for her children.
Milsted Enterprises represents a more atypical family business - one that's an eclectic combination of endeavors and generations.

Maria and her husband Dan own Milsted Enterprises, located in one of Madison's recently designated landmarks at the top of State Street.  A combination home restoration, remodeling and repair business, they also manage about 30 properties around the city.

Son, Timo, is owner of www.Timo.DJ.  Daughter Renee runs Sew What, a clothing design and alterations business, and Satin Reflections, which creates wedding apparel (www.ReneeChapman.com).

Only Michael, the youngest, is currently employed with Man Power International.

At Milsted Enterprises, each family member actively supports the success of the individual businesses, whether they're directly involved or not.  For example, the 15th of August represents a key date in turnover in some of the apartments owned and/or managed by Milsted properties.  The children know not to schedule anything then.   "Everybody's here with their paintbrushes and we help (the tenants) move in or move out.  We'll all shampoo rugs, paint and clean up," Maria Says.

Sibling rivalry between Timo and Renee is nonexistent as each recommends the other to their clients.  "They work together in their businesses," Maria explains.   "With weddings, she knows a good DJ and he knows a good seamstress."   And after the wedding, Timo adds, they both know of a good home repair/remodeling person for their former clients' starter homes.

Maria handles the bookkeeping and the booking calls for all the businesses in the recently restored Caputo-Milsted Building at the top of State Street.  She admits clients are occasionally confused when the phone is answered "Milsted Enterprises" and they're calling for Timo's DJ service.  But the Milsteds view it as a marketing opportunity for their other businesses.  Phone call are routed to family members at their homes if no one is available to cover the office.

The family businesses promise to be one of Dane County's future economic growth areas.

In Business Magazine, August 1995

"The Caputo-Milsted Building
It's the oldest Structure on Capitol Square"

The building isn't very tall.  It is only three stories high.   It is shaped like a triangle.  It is the oldest business building on Capitol Square (almost on the Square).
The exterior sandstone walls have been covered with beige paint.  With a bit of imagination, it appears like the prow of a battleship, except for the windows, if you look at it from the Street corner of Capitol Park.
The Caputo-Milsted building at 101-105 State Street was erected in 1865 by two Yankee brothers.  They were Willett S. Main and Alexander H Main, who was for years older.
With considerable foresight, they put up the building on the outer fringe of Madison's "Little Germany," a district of Vaterland immigrants living in a radius encircling Holy Redeemer Catholic Church on Johnson Street near State.
The building was only half as long as it is today.  It was lengthened eight years later.
The Main brothers opened a general store at 101 State Street and leased the mid-section at 103 to John and Philomen B Marvin for a grocery store.
They disposed of their interest in the general store in 1860 and leased the quarters to other businessmen.  As the population of the German settlement increased, it soon became evident that people of the community would become tenants in the building.
The name of Germans - saloonkeepers, cigar makers, grocers, hardware men and other entrepreneurs - who occupied the shops in the buildings over the years provide colorful history of the past.
There were names like Casper Mayer, Anton Steinle, Julius Schadauer, F.L. Hesse, Nicholas Weber, John P. Meuer, John Blied, Edward Toepelman, and J.P. Switzer many decades ago.   More recently there was a Brodt, whose name has continued in the Ward-Brodt Music Co. Today.
The Main brothers were aware of the value of advertising to obtain the attention of shoppers on their side of Capitol Square.  Their first advertisement in June 1856, carries the following message:
"The tendency of the city is to extend westward, and there is no good reason why persons residing on the west side of the square should go to the extreme eastern portion of the city to buy their groceries, when they can be found so much nearer home."
The Main store was the first building on upper State Street.  The remainder of the street leading down to Park Street was dotted here and there, but not completely, with small homes.
Trees and brush and a muddy wagon road marked the road leading down to college Hill, today's Bascom Hill.
A thick woods covered the slope rising to the recently opened North Hall.  A crude path led through the woods  the University's first site.
Three blocks from the new flatiron building, around the corner from 341 State Street, stood the Voigt Brewery which in the mid-1860's was sold to the Hausmann family.
The first grocery store on State Street was five blocks distant.  It was build and conducted by Jere T. Marston, who cam to Madison in 1852, on the site of the building occupied today by Bigsby and Kruthers.
Marston's tall-pillared stone mansion stood for a century at the corner of Henry and Langdon Streets.
Slowly homes along State Street were converted to shops.  Shoemakers, harness makers, and blacksmiths, most of the Germans, conducted business form the ground floor and occupied the back portion or upstairs for residence.
The Madison Fire Engine Co. No 2, volunteers all, was organized in July, 1857. 

For information see the Madison magazine/September 1986, p.113-116

The Caputo Building, 101-105 State Street
Built in 1855-56, it is the oldest building facing the Capitol, and was the first major commercial structure west of the Square.

Designed for a newly arrived Yankee, it has been a dry goods store, fraternal hall, Cornish pasty take-out shop, and skateboard store.

Post World War II remodeling and neglect took their tool.  The building had been painted, and erosion robbed the stone of some detail.

Current owners, Maria and Daniel Milsted had the building power-washed to chemically dissolve the paint, a difficult task because of the lead content.  A mason got stone form the original Town of Westport quarry and carved matching stone window hoods and brackets.

The wooden cornice that wraps around the building was painted to accentuate its style.

© Copyright 2007 / Milsted Enterprises / Milsted Properties