Rod's

Rod’s was a Madison LGBTQ landmark associated with Rodney Scheel and the Hotel Washington complex. Succeeding earlier nightlife at the Back Door, Rod’s helped define a generation of Madison social life in which bars, performance, and community fundraising shared the same downtown address.

At its height the hotel housed multiple LGBTQ businesses under one roof — commonly remembered as two bars and a café — making the block a destination for students, locals, and visitors. Ownership and branding shifted over time, as is common in bar histories; follow predecessor links to the Back Door and related people entries for the fuller chain.

For citywide context, see the Madison LGBTQ history primer.