Whitewater, Wisconsin has seen significant growth in economic development and interest recently. Numerous business chains and entrepreneurs have recently moved to Whitewater. The momentum continues to build as new businesses arrive in town.

New Businesses Opening Doors

From the east side of town to the west side of town, new locally owned and operated franchises as well as national chains have moved into town.

2024 – Aldi opened a grocery store on Main Street.
2023 - Dollar General, a bargain retail chain, opened on Bluff Rd.
2023 – Starbucks is located in front of Walmart on Main Street.
2023 – Pet Supplies Plus opened a locally owned and operated store in June.
2023 – Ace Hardware moved in where Winchester True Value was located.
2022 - Tealux Café, a high-quality bubble tea shop, is located on West Center St.
2022 – Kwik Trip opened two locations. One on Elkhorn Rd and another on Janesville Street.

Not only has Whitewater experienced interest from businesses moving into Whitewater, but also several entrepreneurs who started a business & chose Whitewater.

2024 - Lon Jon’s is a family-owned and operated porta potty rental company
2024 – Stellar Vintage is a curated clothing store featuring fashions from decades gone by and is located on 1st Street.
2023 - Red Tail Massage & Wellness opened on Janesville Street.
2023 – BaristaCats Café, a cat café, offers a place to sit, sip, & study.
2022 - On The Bias Designs, a quilting store, opened its store on Janesville Street.
2022 - Little Local is an itty bitty market celebrating creativity in our small town and is located within the SweetSpot Café on Whitewater Street.

Many of those entrepreneurs have opened storefronts throughout the City of Whitewater. For those in the startup phase, the Whitewater University Innovation Center provides office and lab space to start and grow your business. RaritiesMarkets build software solutions for the rare coin industry and recently moved into the Innovation Center.

Aerial view of the Whitewater University Technology Park & Innovation Center.

The Whitewater University Innovation Center is located within the 130-acre Whitewater University Technology Park. The Technology Park is located on the southeastern side of the 450-acre Whitewater Business Park. The Business Park has sites from ½ acre to over 200 acres. Most sites are ready to build with existing infrastructure.

More developments are happening with the business park. For example, Property X specializes in Bitcoin mining and recently completed commercial development within the Business Park. The City of Whitewater Fire Department is in the planning phase of a training facility that will be built within the Business Park.

The City of Whitewater is the ideal place to expand your business opportunities and provides all the ingredients for profitable business growth including a highly educated workforce, economic resources & incentives, below-average cost for labor and utilities, one of the lowest tax rates in Wisconsin, and a success-focused innovation community that values a balanced quality of life.

Supporting Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Together, the Whitewater Community Development Authority, the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, the Whitewater University Technology Park, and the Whitewater community strive to foster entrepreneurship and innovation.

Most recently in 2024, the City of Whitewater in partnership with the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater staff and students launched the Whitewater WindUP business pitch competition. As part of the process, applicants were required to submit a two-minute video pitch and participate in a series of workshops to provide guidance and support the development of their business ideas.

Whitewater WindUp Event held at the Whitewater University Innovation Center

The contest winner received a year’s rent plus a partial cover of renovation costs for a storefront in Whitewater, WI. Barista Cat Café took first place and Stellar Vintage was runner-up in 2nd place.

A Renewed Focus on Economic Growth

What changed in Whitewater, WI? The recent surge in economic growth aligns with new leadership. In the fall of 2022, John Weidl was appointed as the permanent City Manager. Weidl brought a wealth of economic development knowledge and served as the Interim Economic Development Director. In the spring of 2024, Taylor Zeinert was hired as Economic Development Director.

The change in leadership brought a renewed focus on economic growth and a proactive approach to attracting new businesses. Economic development efforts include marketing vacant land, reaching out to businesses, and engaging with existing businesses.

Zeinert shares, “Whitewater is evolving into a destination of opportunity, where businesses of all kinds—from family-owned shops to national brands—can thrive. We’re committed to supporting this growth with a proactive approach, creating a community where entrepreneurs and businesses feel valued and connected.”

The Community Development Authority has also stepped up its business recruitment and expansion. In 2024, they visited over 30 businesses surpassing their goal of 25 visits per year. During a business visit, the Community Development Authority meets with the business owner to discuss what is going well and what is not going well. The goal of each visit is to learn what the city can do better to support existing businesses. In addition to supporting existing businesses, the Community Development Authority is actively recruiting businesses. They meet with local businesses in surrounding communities that are looking to expand and market Whitewater as a fantastic place to work and live.

The Community Development Authority has also begun to host bi-annual developer events. The May 2024 developer event involved two presentations including a Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (SEWRPC) presentation on housing and a Tracy Cross Study presentation detailing the specific housing needs in Whitewater. The November 2024 event involved a meet and greet as well as a tour. The event brought together developers, bankers, realtors, city officials, and all those who make developments happen. After the meet and greet, they took a bus around the City of Whitewater to look at the vacant parcels, acreage, zoning, public amenities, etc.

Contact Whitewater Economic Development

Interested in learning more and discussing the next steps in expanding and relocating to Whitewater, WI? Whether you are looking for more information on available sites, workforce, incentives, or infrastructure, the Community Development Authority, the Economic Development Department for the City of Whitewater, is here to help.

Questions?
Contact Taylor Zeinert
Economic Development Director & CDA Director
262-473-0148
Send a Message