Well, this sucks. This Is It!, Wisconsin’s oldest gay bar and an absolute institution in Milwaukee’s queer scene, has officially shut its doors. After 56 years of slinging drinks, hosting drag shows, and giving generations of LGBTQ+ folks a safe place to just be, the bar announced its closure on March 9. And yeah, Trixie Mattel co-owned it, but even a drag superstar couldn’t save it from the brutal reality of running a queer business in an economy that doesn’t care about sentimentality.
The bar didn’t close because people stopped loving it. It closed because the world keeps throwing punches at small businesses, and this time, This Is It! couldn’t dodge them all. Longtime owner George Schneider laid it all out in a statement: COVID hit them hard, then their street was blocked off for eight months due to construction, and at the end of the day, love and nostalgia don’t pay the bills.
“This summer would have been the 57th anniversary of This is It!. 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.
“We would like to thank all the staff, performers, and friends who made the magic of This is It! happen over the years. We also thank everyone in the community for the many years of loyal patronage. 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.
“One last time, we honour our founders, June and Joseph Brehm. While they are no longer with us, they would have been fighting the last few years alongside us. Their memory and legacy lives on in our hearts, too.
“It’s with much sadness, but with so much love, we bid all of you farewell. Take care of each other, and please continue to support local and queer-owned businesses.”
If you ever set foot in This Is It!, you know it wasn’t just another bar. It was history, it was home, and it was community. It first opened in 1968, was founded by June Brehm, and then passed to her son, Joseph. Schneider started as a bartender in 2010 before taking over in 2012. When things got dire in 2021, Trixie Mattel came in as co-owner to try and keep it afloat. But even with all that queer power behind it, the financial strain was too much.
The Cruel Reality of Running a Queer Bar
Schneider made it clear: they tried everything. “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,” he wrote.
A Heartfelt Goodbye (and a Reminder to Show Up for Your Spaces)
The news hit Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ community hard. Social media is flooded with memories, messages of gratitude, and heartbreak. This was a place where so many people found their people, where drag careers started, and where countless nights of queer joy played out under neon lights.
Schneider signed off with a message that hurts, but damn if it isn’t true: “I wish all the best to our queer community, our performance community, our staff at the bar over the years, and to our loyal patrons who kept us going—even when things got rough. You were the magic of it all for me. I’ll be seeing you. Thank you.”
Queer spaces don’t survive on vibes alone, mama. If you’ve got a local LGBTQ+ bar, go support it. Buy the drink. And no, it doesn’t have to be alcoholic. Tip your bartenders. Show up. Bring your friends because these places don’t just happen. They exist because we fight to keep them alive. Let’s not take ’em for granted.
