Greetings and Salutations,
Welcome to Thursdays has been going strong for almost two years, and it still amazes me every week to find fantastic establishments that really make Milwaukee a melting pot for pubs, bars, and clubs. This week is no different as we travel to The Palm Tavern. Don’t let the outer appearances fool you here: the Palm Tavern is truly a treat. They feature an absolutely incredible drink selection, just look at the advertisement outside: “25 rare beers on tap and hundreds of liquors.” Travel inside and you are greeted with a cozy bar, a long line of exotic tappers, and a wall of different liquors. This Thursday you can bet that the Palm Tavern will be in good company as we enjoy a night of fantastic drinks, excellent service, and amazing people.
The Palm Tavern opened in 2003 and has been serving up exotic and mysterious drinks from all over the world ever since. Many are baffled by how this Bay View establishment is able to get such rare finds, but luckily this writer was able to get the inside scoop. After doing much digging, my investigation found me tracking this legend all the way to Cairo, Egypt, inside the small Café Riche. It was here I met an old man by the name of Giuseppe, who poured me a small cup of tea so potent that all my senses tingled. He went on to explain that long ago a young man by the name of Manuel Calavera was on a mission to travel the world. He had nothing but the clothes he wore and a determination to better understand beer and where it truly came from. While flying to his next destination, he found himself in a great storm that caused his plane to crash onto the brown ocean of sand we know as the Sahara.
Awakening from the crash, Manuel had thoughts of home. His home was Milwaukee, and he knew there was a very strong chance that he may never see it again. He stood up, grabbed what little he could salvage, and started walking. Minutes became hours, and soon the sun felt like a thousand pounds beating down on Manuel. He fell to his knees, and with all hope of survival gone he laid down defeated.
Suddenly the most beautiful voice spoke down from the heavens, calling to Manuel. The voice asked, “What is it that you seek?” Manuel answered, “I seek to gain knowledge and better understand beer.” It was then that a massive, beer-filled pint glass appeared out of the sky. It shined down on an Oasis of Palms and said, “Take one of my palms, place it over a doorway, and the knowledge of beer will come to you.” Manuel thanked the mysterious floating glass, but told it the palm was useless, because he was stuck in the middle of the desert. Suddenly, the pint glass tipped over and all the beer spilled onto Manuel. Startled, Manuel opened his eyes to find himself in a dark booth in Café Riche. He looked up to find Giuseppe cleaning up for the night. Giuseppe looked back at Manuel and simply smiled. Slowly, Manuel reached into his pocket and found a single palm. The next day he was on a flight back home to Milwaukee where he would open a bar simply called “The Palm Tavern”.
Cheers my Friends!
Your co-founder and Friend,
Jeremy Blandin
*Keeping your glass filled and spirits high one Thursday at a time, this is Welcome to Thursdays: a local social group determined to make your Thursdays more fun. Each Wednesday, The Squeaky Curd features a (generally) fictitious story of a Milwaukee County bar that we gather at on Thursday evening. Join us this Thursday, October 19, 2017 at Palm Tavern, 2989 S Kinnickinnic Ave at 7:30pm.*