Bars in certain Milwaukee suburbs can stay open until 4 a.m. during the RNC. But are they taking advantage of this? This is what we know.
Although bars and taverns in the Milwaukee suburbs may extend their bar hours to 4 a.m. during the Republican National Convention next week, many told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel they will not take advantage of it.
And some said they will stay open if the bar is busy when it is slated to close.
"We talked about staying open," said Josh Hansen, manager at The Crooked Crow in West Allis. He said they took the staff needed to stay open as well as the potential sales of staying open into consideration. While he said they are not planning on staying open, he said if The Crooked Crow is busy at its typical closing time, they will not turn people away. "We will not tell people to leave," he said.
Chris Paul, owner of Reunion Restaurant in West Allis, echoed those thoughts: "We are prepared to stay open if a group calls or it it is busy, but we are not going to automatically stay open."
Are there any bars in the Milwaukee suburbs open for extended hours during the RNC?
The only bar that confirmed to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that they are staying open until 4 a.m. is Elder + Rime in Wauwatosa at 2300 N. Mayfair Road. They also have an attached restaurant that the RNC can patronize during the convention.
The officials at Camp Bar in Wauwatosa said they will not decide until next week. Currently, they are open until 2:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday and until 2 a.m. on the other days of the week.
How many bars are staying open in Milwaukee until 4 a.m.?
In Milwaukee, more than 20 bars are staying open until 4 a.m. during the Republican National Convention, which is from July 15 to 19. Most of its events will be at the Fiserv Forum, where the Milwaukee Bucks play.
What is the law about bars staying open during the RNC?
On Dec. 6, 2023, Gov. Tony Evers signed an act to allow bars in certain municipalities to be open until 4 a.m. during the Republican National Convention. Normally, bars must be closed from 2 to 6 a.m. Monday through Friday and from 2:30 to 6 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The 14 Wisconsin counties that have the option to extend their bar time are: Kenosha, Racine, Walworth, Rock, Milwaukee, Waukesha, Jefferson, Dane, Ozaukee, Washington, Dodge, Columbia, Sheboygan and Fond du Lac.
What if a municipality does not want to take part in bars extending its hours?
If a municipality wanted to "opt out" of the law, the city council, village or town board needed to approve an ordinance to "opt out." Municipalities such as the cities of Franklin, New Berlin and Oconomowoc passed such an ordinance.
What are some of the bars not staying open longer?
The bars in Wauwatosa that said they are not staying open for extended hours are 1st and Bowl, BelAir Cantina, Big Head Brewing Co., Cafe Hollander, Crafty Cow and Ferch's Crafthouse Grille.
The Hot House Tavern in Menomonee Falls will not be open longer and neither will The Destination in Waukesha, citing the distance from Milwaukee.
Woody's Bar and Grill in Hartland also will not be open extended hours during the RNC.
How do I know which bars are open for sure?
It is entirely at the discretion of the bar if they want to remain open until 4 a.m., so contact the bar directly to ensure it will be open.
If a bar will be open until 4 a.m. during the RNC, contact Cathy Kozlowicz at cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com to be included in this story.
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Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on X at @kozlowicz_cathy.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Many bars in Milwaukee suburbs are not extending bar hours during RNC
