Trixie gay bar
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The closing of a venue like This Is It! is a painful reminder that queer spaces are not guaranteed—they need community support to survive.
For now, Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ nightlife has lost one of its oldest, most cherished pillars.
Like Michael Jackson’s final tour, the name turned out to be prophetic.
This Is It!, a Milwaukee gay bar and LGBTQ+ institution serving the public for nearly 60 years, has closed its doors.
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He admitted to personally draining his savings to keep This Is It! alive but ultimately concluded, “It would’ve been irresponsible of us to think that throwing more money at the problem would fix it.”
Naturally, the internet went wild with speculation. With so many historic gay bars shuttering due to financial hardships, the loss of this institution feels particularly heavy.
And for those who spent their nights at This Is It!, the memories—and the legacy—will live on.
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The bar, which has stood since 1968, was co-owned by George Schneider and drag superstar Trixie Mattel.“This is It! has been so much more than a nightlife spot for the queer community,” a Facebook message from co-owners George Schneider and drag superstar Trixie Mattel read. With Trixie’s massive success—including her cosmetics empire, TV projects, and even the pink fantasyland that is Trixie Motel—many questioned why she didn’t just bankroll the bar’s survival.
We want you to know that we did everything we could to keep our doors open for you.”
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“When I bought in during COVID, every gay bar was doing horribly — every bar, every restaurant, every business,” Mattel on her podcast, The Bald and the Beautiful, after This Is It!
shut down suddenly on March 9.
“And I came in during COVID and it was like, ‘Alright, now we got two people on CPR instead of just one, let’s try to troubleshoot this,” Mattel said of reviving the business with co-owner Schneider, who bought the bar from founders June Brehm and her son Joseph in 2012.
This Is It!, known by locals as Tits, opened in 1968 and was Wisconsin’s long-running gay bar and one of the oldest in the United States.
The bar was a center for fundraising for both the LGBTQ+ community and its Milwaukee neighbors, with beneficiaries like the Milwaukee LGBT Community Center, AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and the G/L Community Fund.
“It has been a gathering place, a safe place, a second home, and the memories made at the bar will stay in our hearts forever. The news came as a shock to many fans, who didn’t realize the establishment was in danger of shutting down. “For nearly six decades, this iconic establishment has been more than just a bar — it has been a sanctuary, a safe space, and a vital gathering place for Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ community.”
“To the dedicated staff, talented performers, and unwavering friends who made This is It!
a home for so many, we thank you. But as Schneider bluntly put it: “The money ran out.”
This is It!, the Milwaukee bar announced to be co-owned by Trixie Mattel in 2021, has sadly announced their closing. A cocktail of financial struggles, post-pandemic fallout, and never-ending construction that crippled business.
I’ve done dozens of shows there over the years.”
This Is It! closed despite Mattel’s efforts to raise its profile nationally. But as of March 9, the party is officially over. A home for Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ community, a stage for drag talent, and a place where generations of queer folks found chosen family.
However, after years of financial struggle, including the impact of construction projects and pandemic restrictions, Schneider closed its doors for good on March 9.
Trixie Mattel also posted a tribute, sharing her memories of the bar as the first queer space she ever visited.
Happening Out Television Network
Trixie’s Gay Bar Bows Out for Good
For over 50 years, This Is It!, Wisconsin’s oldest gay bar, stood as a beacon of queer history, a safe haven for LGBTQ+ locals, and a nightlife staple in Milwaukee.
In 2024, she worked with friend and Real Housewives of Salt Lake City castmember Whitney Rose to bring the show to Milwaukee for a party at This Is It!, after a trip to her Trixie Motel in Palm Springs the previous season.
But the publicity couldn’t overcome the bar’s financial difficulties.
City officials joined in commemorating the bar’s passing.
“On behalf of the city and the entire community, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to This is It!
for its incredible and far-reaching impact over the years,” Alderman Peter Burgelis and Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa said in a statement after the closure. pic.twitter.com/reiudURNLw
— Drag Crave (@Drag_Crave) March 10, 2025In an emotional social media post, Schneider detailed the uphill battle the bar faced—pandemic closures, skyrocketing inflation, and a disastrous eight-month construction project that tanked revenue by more than 50%.
Founded by June Brehm and her son Joseph, This Is It! was Wisconsin’s longest-running gay bar.
The location was the oldest queer bar in Wisconsin and is closing just months before their 57th anniversary. In a heartfelt message on social media, Schneider expressed his deep sadness and gratitude.
In 2016, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the first out senator, lauded the original owners for their contributions to Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ community.
But the community largesse didn’t extend to the bar’s own finances.
“The business was struggling when I came in and we’d been circling the drain,” Mattel said.
Mattel cited the pandemic and a recent eight-month street closure around Tits as reasons for the final curtain.
“It was really sad,” she said.