Historic Building Housing Piggy’s & Uno Vente Up for Sale at $3 mil

Historic Building Housing Piggy’s & Uno Vente Up for Sale at $3 mil: This historic 19th Century building has plenty of space to dream.

Piggy’s owner Chris Roderique moved into the building in April of 2005 after Don Weber purchased his former riverfront location to build the first of the Logistics Health buildings, with the La Crosse Community Theater following. His purchase and renovations cost about $4 mil. Chris purchased the business in 2001 from Gary Roberts and a partner who, according to the La Crosse Tribune, started the restaurant in 1981 at 328 Front St. The current Lounge features Piggy’s former bar from the now demolished property. The Piggy’s website says it was located in a St. Louis riverfront warehouse and dates back more than 110 years. It’s said to be built in Philadelphia for a paddle wheeler that was docked in Chris’ hometown of St. Louis.

The building’s prior tenant was Mike’s Building Supply, which moved up to Onalaska and then became Wisconsin Building Supply. The building was originally built in 1871 to be the Pioneer Foundry, which the Piggy’s website says made metal parts for paddle wheel boats docked in La Crosse.

The building is architecturally interesting due to the second floor was built similar to a suspension bridge, with steel rods supporting the floor above the first.

Unclear if they’re included in the sale, the front bar, church pew, and some stained-glass are from a Caledonia, MN church razed more than 30 years ago. Four chandeliers are from the old Stoddard Hotel (built in the 1900s and demolished in 1982). The lounge has two lights that were part of the old post office, razed in 1977.