MILWAUKEE — Professor Stein the 'Bear on a Tightrope' statue has officially returned back to its original home. It's on display at the 3rd Street Market Hall at 275 W. Wisconsin Ave. which is now occupying the space that was originally the Grand Avenue Mall.
Professor Stein was "resurrected from hibernation" to be put on display at the Public Market in 2013. The redeveloped Market Hall now offers the chance for Professor Stein to return to its original location.
The story of Professor Stein dates back to 1982, when the Rouse Company developed the Grand Avenue Mall. It featured a 7' bear dressed in a top hat and suit coat riding along a tightrope on a unicycle. But when the mall was redeveloped in 2004, the bear came down and went into storage, according to organizers.
“I enjoyed working with the Milwaukee Public Market team to bring Professor Stein home,” stated 3rd St. Market Hall co-owner, Omar Shaikh. “They were very generous to house him for the past nine years and very helpful with his grand return home.”
The 3rd Street Market Hall is a new food hall in downtown Milwaukee that opened in Jan. 2022. There are currently six vendors with three more set to open in the coming months.
