July 2, 2008: Madisonian John Martens, of Martens Design, will present this talk:  "Bitters and Sweets: A History of Food and Drink on Williamson Street."

In 1990, on a complete whim, local architect/builder John Martens put in a second offer on a derelict warehouse building that he had always loved, but was slated for development.  One unexpected thing led to another, but eight years later he finished an adaptive reuse of the building, now known as the Madison Candy Company and on the National Register of Historic Places.  It currently houses Eldorado Grill, Ground Zero coffee, and a variety of office users.

In the process he became a staunch advocate of historical preservation and local community values, as well as a founding member of Friends of Historic Third Lake Ridge and much appreciative of the colorful history of food and drink on Williamson Street.