*Keeping your glass filled and spirits high one Thursday at a time! We introduce The Squeaky Curd readers to Welcome to Thursdays, a local social group determined to make your Thursdays more fun. Each Wednesday we feature a hilariously fictitious history of a Milwaukee County bar that we gather at on Thursday evening. This week we go slightly out of character for a Milwaukee tradition and will instead celebrate Saturday, September 10th.*
Greetings and Salutations my most humble Thursdians,
I sit here today honored to be surrounded by such amazing people on Thursday nights. I encourage all who have not yet experienced Welcome to Thursdays to come out and join in on the good times! This week will be a little different; we will be traveling out on Saturday night instead of Thursday. The reasoning behind this is both exciting and sad: it will be the last Welcome to Thursdays outing for one of our original members, Bekah Lee. It is Bekah’s request that Welcome to Thursdays finally partake in the great Milwaukee tradition of closing Wolski’s Tavern! Come out this Saturday to celebrate the future of Bekah and Welcome to Thursdays as we both grow.
Wolski’s represents Milwaukee in many ways, but most importantly in honor and tradition. As many of you know, Wolski’s is known for handing out stickers to all those who stick it out and close the bar at 2 AM. As fun as this tradition is, it has quite the history around it that many do not know about.
It all started in the 1970’s, when Robert Uihlein, Jr. was running the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. Uihlein had the bright idea of changing the formula of Schlitz, one of Milwaukee’s flagship beers, to cut costs. In addition, he decreased the production of Old Milwaukee by half to further cut costs. As a result of decreased supply, many Milwaukee taverns had to stop serving the legendary brew. Most of the taverns did nothing and just doubled up on the new “Schlitz” – which did not go over well with patrons.
However, one tavern would not stand for this. The owners of Wolski’s and all of their regulars marched into Uihlein’s office and demanded that Old Milwaukee be produced at its previous amount. Uihlein was on the verge of saying no, but then offered a challenge: if Wolski’s Tavern could triple their Old Milwaukee sales in one month, the brewery would double the production of Old Milwaukee.
The Wolski’s crew knew that this would be no easy feat – something had to be done to spread the word. Not only were they fighting for their tavern, but truly for all taverns in Milwaukee. They needed a way to get patrons in the door and keep them there for hours on end drinking Old Milwaukee. It was then that the famous Wolski’s sticker was born.
Wolski’s campaign to save Old Milwaukee was simple and ingenious.
Cheers My Friends!
Your Welcome to Thursdays Founder,
Jeremy Blandin
Join us at the Milwaukee legend, Wolski’s Tavern, located at 1836 N Pulaski St. this Saturday, September 10, 2016. We’ll be there by 8PM (get your caffeine before getting your Old Milwaukee). Stick it out to bar close with us and claim your very own iconic bumper sticker.