Coakley Brothers

Coakley Brothers was founded in 1888 by two brothers Bill and Charlie Coakley. They opened their first warehouse in the heart of downtown Milwaukee on Wisconsin Avenue. During this period the only methods of commercial transportation in Milwaukee was boat or rail. Goods would be shipped in trunks and crates which Coakley Brothers picked up in the coaches and buggies of the time, and delivered them into town. Fast forwards almost two decades and the two brothers started running sightseeing tours along Lake Drive. During the week they would use the flatbed trucks for the deliveries, but on weekends, they would convert them by adding seats to be used for the tours. Then in 1933, Coakley Brothers became an agent of what is now one of the largest van lines in America, Allied Van Lines. This new partnership paved the way for a full-service, long-distance moving operation for Coakley Brothers. A few years after that, Charlie Coakley bought out his brothers share of the company. Since Charlie didn't have children, he allowed his two nephews, George and Charlie Coakley, of a different brother to work at the company. These two bothers George and Charlie, also had a sister, Georgia Coakley whom didn't work at Coakley Brothers. However, since George Coakley never had children, Georgia's children along with the children of Charlie Coakley, would inherit the business. Charlie and George Coakley represented the second generation of Coakleys to run the business until 1952. However they never owned the company as it was held in trust my M&I Bank for the next generation to inherit upon the death of Charlie and George. Now the children of Charlie Coakley and his sister Georgia Field, inherit the business out of trust from the bank. Charlie had 5 children and Georgia had 6 all with a portion of the company. The board held meetings to determine how to settle the ownership of the company. After much debate, the end result was that the two Coakley Brothers, Chuck and Neil bough out the Field children and eventually bought out their 3 sisters.