BJ's Mint Bar (Mint Bar III)

Bar

819 S 2nd St
Milwaukee, WI 53204

State Region

Southeast WI

Neighborhood

Walkers Point

Year Opened: 1991
Year Closed: 1993

Exact Date Opened: Unknown
Exact Date Closed: Unknown

Clientele Primarily Identified As

Mixed

Logo:

After the retirement of longtime owner Bettie Aiello, the short-lived BJ's operated in the former Mint Bar II space at 819 S. 2nd St.

BJ's Mint Bar had been The Mint Bar II,  then briefly Angelo's until being called simply "The Mint" again. 

In December 1991, In Step magazine (vol. 8-25 p40) reported that  "The Mint is now BJ's Mint and is being run by Bob Dietz." 

It was the third bar to bear the Mint name, with new owners Bob Dietz and Jim Jones operating the business, and longtime Mint Bar owner Bettie Aiello often seen holding court.

Less than a year later, Bettie Aiello passed away from lung cancer, and the Mint Bar name disappeared from Wisconsin for the first time since 1949. Owners Bob and Jim combined their initials to give the bar a new name. After remodeling, they hosted a Grand Opening party in November 1992 to celebrate "BJ's."

The bar closed in early 1993 and was replaced by Zipper's.