Barb Caprile and Bruce Krajcir are the wife and husband partnership of Galleria Greendale at 5640 Parking Street in the Historic Downtown Business District of Greendale. Barb and Bruce are longtime art collectors and enthusiasts – and have had a wonderful 26 years of marriage (and still counting!).
When they are not at the Galleria, Bruce is helping his Internet clients with their online marketing needs, and Barb publishes “Life in the Village” along with two other community magazines. Barb and Bruce also enjoy the retail world, talking to all kinds of people and sharing creative marketing ideas.
These two art aficionados are perfectly content immersing themselves in the art world and helping others select handsome art pieces, gifts and accessories. They LOVE what they do and are eager to grow Galleria Greendale into a destination for art lovers all over the Milwaukee area. There really is nothing quite like their store in the area, representing more than 50 talented artists from across the U.S.
When two very creative people put their heads together, you never know what the outcome will be! Thanks to Greendale for opening its arms and community to this creative couple who LOVE THE VILLAGE!
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Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
Barb and Bruce initially met when Barb was working at an ad agency in Milwaukee, and Bruce was one of her clients. (They spent lots of time meeting over long client lunches.) After an 8-year courtship, they tied the knot on a beautiful fall day at Hubbard Park Lodge in Shorewood.
Bruce and Barb have two adult sons, Alan and Ben. They also have an adorable 3-year-old grandson, Ethan.
Q: Please tell us about your current career. What do you love most about what you do?
While Barb has had her own marketing and graphic design business for more than 25 years, Bruce’s background is a bit different. He used his creative side while he was the sales and marketing director for a chain of golf stores for more than 20 years. He then changed his profession to work for a digital marketing company in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward.
Along the way, they both shared their love of art and enjoyed buying their favorite art pieces from friends at art fairs, as well as purchasing artwork from several well-known international artists. Barb continued with her creative endeavors with a part-time job as the manager of the Morning Glory Gallery inside the lobby of the Marcus Performing Arts Center in downtown Milwaukee for 14 years. It was after that facility closed in March 2020 (due to COVID-19) that she recognized how deeply she missed her prior side job in the art world. She got together with her former colleague from the Marcus gallery, Veronique Gillick, and together with Bruce they brainstormed about how to go into the art business for themselves. It was then that Barb learned of a soon-to-open space in Greendale, and the rest, as they say, is history.
It did not take long to make the decision to open an art gallery – as the location, the timing, and just about everything else associated with opening a retail business just clicked into place and “felt right.” Barb used the winter months of 2021 to plan her vision of what to sell, what the shop should look like (paint, furniture, display fixtures), etc. – and they made the plunge. Galleria Greendale proudly opened in July 2021.
Q: Please tell us about any interesting or unique hobbies that you have?
The Krajcir men all love to golf and have quite the collections of the latest golf equipment. Bruce has taught golf for years, working with beginners to low handicappers – so if you are looking to improve your game, you can always ask his advice! Barb, on the other hand, started out making handmade paper in graduate school, and used to do the art fair circuit each summer. But papermaking is not for the faint of heart, and driving back and forth to Madison on the weekends to make paper in the co-op studio she shared with others became too challenging. She really just enjoys her time now sitting at the computer, churning out magazine pages, writing occasional articles, helping clients with their marketing needs, and planning next season’s merchandise for the Galleria.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in Greendale? What do you love there?
The couple work a lot of hours and do a fair amount of eating out. Barb told us, “Of course we love Ricardo’s like everyone else, and Sugar and Flour Bakery Café is a favorite lunch spot. We also love the supper club vibe (and the food!) at The Steakout on Loomis Rd, and the new Noche restaurant.”
Q: How long have you lived or worked in Greendale?
Barb has been producing the “Life in the Village” magazine over the past 2-1/2 years. Galleria Greendale opened in July 2021 and is one of Greendale’s newest businesses.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
Their lifestyle does not necessarily allow for many vacations or travel, but they always talk about exotic places to visit when they have the time. They are huge Cirque du Soleil fans and have seen every one of this acrobatic troupe’s shows in Las Vegas multiple times. (Ask Bruce about being selected from the audience to participate in the show “Mystere” at the Treasure Island hotel – THREE TIMES!!)
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about Greendale?
Barb fell in love with Greendale while producing the “Life in the Village” magazine over the last few years. Although the couple live in nearby Oak Creek, they are particularly fond of the Greendale Village. “I absolutely love this community,” she exclaims. “Everything about it – the warm and friendly residents, the exciting special events and the vibrant business district all have such an appeal.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
What’s on the horizon 5-10 years from now for these art lovers? Probably more of the same that they are doing right now. These are not folks who are yearning to retire, but rather are always planning their next artistic endeavor!
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Barb and Bruce believe in following their dreams, and making them a reality. They feel everyone should have a vision of what they would like their future to look like – and then to “go for it.” Do what you love and the money will follow seems to be their mantra – and it has surely worked for them!
