今日吃瓜

Wisconsin’s oldest gay bar, This is It!, partially owned by drag icon Trixie Mattel, will be closing down after more than fifty years of service.

“This summer would have been the 57th anniversary of This is It!,” read a statement shared on the bar’s Facebook and Instagram pages over the weekend.

“Unfortunately, that celebration will not come to pass. As of today, we have closed our doors permanently. The COVID crisis and the years following 2020, coupled with the 8 month closure of our street and sidewalk last year, put the business in a position that we could not ultimately overcome.

“This is It! has been so much more than a nightlife spot for the queer community. It has been a gathering place, a safe place, a second home, and the memories made at the bar will stay in our hearts forever. We want you to know that we did everything we could to keep our doors open for you.”

The bar was opened in 1968 by June Brehm, with her son Joe managing the bar for several decades before her death in 2010. George Schneider assumed ownership of This Is It! in 2016 after six years of bartending there, with the venue undergoing significant expansion in 2019.

In a on his social media, Schneider said that the venue had been facing financial trouble for some time.

“Losing an institution like This Is It! is shocking and surprising. Let it be a reminder to continue to support local businesses however we can. We are all at risk in this unstable world. Sentiment, nostalgia, and memories don’t pay the bills.”

Owner gave “literally everything” to keep bar afloat

Like many other businesses at the time, the bar struggled financially over the 2020 lockdown, and was almost forced to close, with Trixie Mattel assuming co-ownership of This Is It! in 2021 to ensure its post-COVID survival.

However, Schneider said that “endless annual construction” around the area was the final straw.

“We also have had no neighbors for nearly all the time. We never had an opportunity to fully recover.

“I held on as long as I could. We did our best, and we tried. I have given This Is It! my blood, sweat, tears, and every last dollar I had to try and keep it afloat. I gave the bar my all 鈥� literally everything 鈥� and I am proud of that. I just wish it was enough to keep us open.”

Schneider was forced to release a follow-up statement the next day after many on social media questioned why the bar had to close while one of its co-owners, Mattel, appeared to be very financially successful.

“We never called for fundraising or alerted people that we were struggling because guess what people would’ve said: ‘Trixie has money, make Trixie pay for it,'” he said. “Again, that’s not smart business practice. And we would’ve been dragged for asking for help, or at the very least ignored. Kind of a catch 22 situation.”

Trixie Mattel has not issued a statement following the bar’s closure.

According to the , the final hours of operation at This Is It! were like any normal night. As they closed for the day at 2am on the morning of Sunday 9 February, employees weren’t aware it would be their last shift.

This Is It!聽will be remembered as a fundamental part of Milwaukee鈥檚 queer history, and a staple of its community.