Featured Site: The Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA) offices

Long before Downtown Kenosha became the vibrant mix of businesses, restaurants, residences, and lakefront attractions we know today, the area surrounding 6th Avenue and 55th Street was home to one of the city’s earliest industrial success stories.

Today, the Kenosha Area Business Alliance (KABA) calls this historic corner home – but the site’s story stretches back nearly two centuries.

From Wagons to a Worldwide Reputation

Manufacturing began on the site in the late 1830s with the wagon-making firm Mitchell & Quarles. In 1852, industrialist Edward Bain purchased the factory and established what would become Bain Wagon Works. As business boomed, the operation grew into a sprawling, multi-block industrial complex along Kenosha’s downtown waterfront.

At its peak, Bain produced more than 10,000 wagons annually, earning an international reputation for rugged agricultural and freight wagons marketed as “The Best on Earth.”

Those wagons traveled far beyond Wisconsin. They carried homesteaders and freight across the American West and were exported around the globe – from Canada’s Klondike gold rush to Australia and South Africa.

Helping Build Kenosha’s Manufacturing Legacy

Bain’s impact on Kenosha extended well beyond wagon production. As one of the community’s earliest major employers, the company provided skilled jobs to hundreds of workers and helped establish the manufacturing culture that would eventually become synonymous with Kenosha.

The site even featured a skywalk spanning 55th Street, connecting the building that now houses KABA with another portion of the factory complex across the street.

After Bain ceased operations in 1926, the enormous complex was divided and repurposed for automotive garages, showrooms, offices and other businesses. Much of it was eventually demolished as Downtown Kenosha evolved and 55th Street was widened.

The property later became connected to another legendary Kenosha company, Jockey International. Today, the Jockey Factory Store continues to occupy the building’s lower level.

History Meets What’s Next

Today, KABA’s offices beautifully blend historic preservation with modern design, maintaining the character of the building while creating a contemporary space for doing business.

It’s an especially fitting home for KABA. More than 170 years ago, this site helped build Kenosha’s economy through manufacturing, entrepreneurship and innovation. Today, KABA works from that same historic footprint to support businesses, attract investment, strengthen the workforce and advance economic development throughout Kenosha County.

KABA is participating in Keys to Kenosha to give the community an opportunity many people haven’t had before: to step inside and explore the building.

Come see a unique downtown space where Kenosha’s industrial past and economic future come together under one roof.