Milwaukee bars The Garage, Hi Hat permanently closed, to be sold
MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee bars The Garage and Hi Hat Lounge are permanently closed and expected to be sold in the next few weeks, according to a statement released by the owners Tuesday.
‘NO PLAY LIST’ backlash
The backstory:
The announcement comes after backlash over a "NO PLAY LIST" of Black rap artists posted at The Garage's DJ booth went viral online last week.
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Will The Garage, Hi Hat be sold?
Dig deeper:
Sale discussions began earlier this summer as the owners planned for retirement, they said, but in light of "recent events and resulting staffing concerns," the owners decided to move forward with the sale.
What's next:
Scott Schaefer, the owner of Jack's American Pub and Milwaukee Brat House, will acquire both establishments in the pending sale. Current employees will be paid for the next four weeks and also be given the opportunity for employment under the new ownership, the statement said.
Milwaukee's The Garage 'NO PLAY LIST' backlash, bar responds
The Garage, a Milwaukee bar, responded to backlash Tuesday after a "NO PLAY LIST" of Black rap artists was posted at the bar's DJ booth.
Official statement
What they're saying:
Read the full statement from the owners here:
"After several months of discussion, we are pleased to announce the pending sale of The Garage and Hi Hat Lounge to Scott Schaefer (owner of Jack's American Pub and Milwaukee Brat House) and his business partner Daz Towers. Effective immediately, both establishments are closed. Once the sale is completed and appropriate licenses are in place, the new owners will announce next steps.
"Sale discussions with Schaefer began earlier this summer as we planned for retirement. In light of recent events and resulting staffing concerns, we made the decision to move forward with the sale now, rather than attempt to continue operating in the interim. Our current employees will be paid for two weeks of time off and offered an additional two weeks of severance pay. They will also be provided the opportunity for employment under new ownership.
"While the last week has been challenging, we are very proud of more than two decades of helping create a welcoming and diverse Brady Street community. We want to again apologize for the hurt this situation has caused as we know it fell short of the values we have tried to uphold for the past 28 years. We also want to offer our deepest gratitude to our staff, our patrons and our neighboring businesses for their support over the years.
"We're grateful for the chance to pass this business on to someone who cares about Brady Street and this community the way we do. As we retire, we look forward to seeing these two establishments and the rest of Brady Street thrive for years to come."
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
The Source: The owners of The Garage and Hi Hat Lounge released a statement about the decision. Additional information is from prior FOX6 News coverage including a review of the list that was posted online, Google Reviews and additional statements from social media.