SHEBOYGAN, Wisc. — Wayne Emmer's go-to spot in his bar has always been in the far corner where he has a full-range view of the doors, pool tables, and multi-purpose area.
He marks it with a cone that fits perfectly on top of a drink. It reads: "Save my seat." Wayne said he kicks almost everyone out if they steal his chair.
"This isn't my bar, this is my family room. You're coming to my family room."
But soon, he'll be giving it up to the next owners of his bar, Emmer's, which has been serving Sheboygan for nearly four decades.
Watch: 40 years of memories — Sheboygan's Emmer's bar set to close
"It's been a good run," Wayne said. "You have to do it yourself. My first three years, I never had a day off really and that's how you make it."
The tavern has been a staple in town since 1986. He first opened up off of Pennsylvania Avenue and 14th Street, where he met his wife of 18 years, Tamie Emmer.
They then took over the current location on Maryland Avenue and 15th Street in 1995.
"I've had many customers that came in and they met their spouses here," Tamie remembered. "And some of them we had their weddings here."
"It's sad to go, but it's time to go."
Scott Neuser feels that way too.
"If anyone deserves a retirement it's him," pointing at Wayne.
Wayne notes that he was probably one of the first to host live music in Sheboygan. Neuser's band was booked early on and played at the bar for years after.
"I'd be controlling the mixer in one hand and playing guitar and singing," he explained on the stage he occupied so many times before.
"I don't drink as much as I used to - which is probably a good thing - but you can always come here and enjoy a few. This is one of my favorite places to come in Sheboygan."
Neuser considers Wayne like a second father after his dad passed 15 years ago.
"I'm just appreciative of the time we got to spend together," he said, bringing Wayne in for a bro hug.
If Emmer's wasn't filled with crowds for live music, it was for a brat fry, darts, or corn hole.
"The camaraderie, the people you meet," Wayne remarked. "Any other job you have doesn't have the relationships that you do with the people in a bar business."
Emmer's will be open through at least Saturday for Wayne and Tamie's joint retirement party at 7 p.m.
The couple said the sale of the bar should be official within the next few weeks. The new owners plan to turn it into a restaurant — a fresh start for the building and a new chapter for the Emmers.
"I hope they do well. They have big plans and they're going to do a lot of remodeling," Tamie said. "I wish them all the best. They will do fine."
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