Downtown businesses hopeful to stay open during RNC

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Thursday's RNC Security meeting in Milwaukee brought some restaurant and bar managers a sigh of relief. That's because they tell us they just learned they're likely going to be on the other side of the inner perimeter.

Over the last year, restaurants and bars along Old World Third Street between Juneau and State have played a guessing game. While the date of the Republican National Convention was set long ago, what wasn't established were rules for businesses in the immediate area. Some, like Mader's Restaurant, moved forward on plans to staff the week of the RNC anyway.

"Booking parties, booking bands, all the excitement," said Tony Hood, Mader's Restaurant Executive Chef.

Now, in the shadow of Fiserv, these businesses are learning they likely won't be in the inner-security perimeter.

"We're happy. We'll take anyone that wants to come and eat and drink and have a good time with it. We're excited about the foot traffic as well," said Juston Calvert, Copper Bar & Restaurant General Manager.

Representatives of Copper Bar & Restaurant attended Thursday's meeting with secret security staff, Milwaukee aldermen and police, and were told right now, the alley behind them marks the cut off spot for the inner perimeter, which means they can keep their doors open for business.

"Our hours of operation won't be impacted by the RNC," said Calvert.

Mader's has been part of the downtown landscape for 100 years with German cuisine like wiener schnitzel, spaetzle and reuben rolls, and they didn't want to miss this historic event. So, management started party planning months ago.

"In our parking lot we're gonna put a couple bars out. We're gonna put a tent. We're gonna have a band out there, live band, live music, RNC you got to go big. Everybody's coming looking to see what Milwaukee has to offer," said Hood.

The photos of famous people who've visited Mader's line the walls. It includes four former presidents. Now, they wonder if President Trump will be the fifth.

The RNC is expected to draw some 50 thousand people to Milwaukee including delegates, media, staff, visitors and law enforcement from all over.

"Just let us know there are gonna be more police presence from outside agencies coming in -30 to help out with that so just put us at ease a lot, secret service was there," said Calvert.

Again, the RNC runs from July 15-18.