This Is It
Milwaukee
Summary
This Is It opened in 1968 at 418 E. Wells Street in downtown Milwaukee, founded by June Brehm, who reportedly named the bar on first seeing the location. It became Wisconsin's longest-running LGBTQ bar, recognized for keeping a welcoming, mixed crowd across decades and for steady support of community causes. Ownership passed from June to her son Joe Brehm, then to George Schneider, with drag performer Brian Firkus (Trixie Mattel) joining as a co-owner in 2021.
The bar doubled its footprint in 2018, added a stage for drag shows, and celebrated its 50th anniversary that year. After nearly 57 years and a difficult stretch of street construction, it closed abruptly on March 9, 2025.
In Wisconsin bar history, This Is It is often the yardstick other rooms are measured against: longevity, downtown visibility, and a clientele that cut across scenes. Its advertisements and photographs in community papers remain among the most cited Milwaukee nightlife sources in this archive. For wider city context, see the Milwaukee LGBTQ history primer.