MILWAUKEE -- An east side Milwaukee landmark has poured its final drinks after nearly 90 years of service.
Vitucci's has officially closed, co-owner Mike Vitucci told TODAY'S TMJ4. The North Ave. bar, just a block east of N. Oakland Ave., was originally opened in 1934.
Vitucci said the ownership group has been considering the move for a couple of years, and that now was the right time to close. He said he's open to selling the property to someone else.
The neighborhood staple, whose slogan was 'historically a good time,' was known in part for its nostalgia and great deals. In recent years, the everyday happy hour, karaoke and step back in time were the latest draws to one of the remaining original watering holes on North Avenue.
"Friends have been meeting at Vitucci’s since 1934, but the Vitucci’s have been one of Milwaukee’s nightlife founding families from as early as 1903 with Mike Vitucci, the current owner’s great-grandfather’s Third Ward restaurant which earned him the nickname of 'King of the Third Ward,'" a statement on the bar's website reads. "Since then, Vitucci’s has stayed in the family, with the now fourth generation keeping the doors open and the drinks coming for a new generation of Milwaukee’s social scene."
Vitucci says to expect a press release with more details in the coming days.
