The Retlaw Hotel Bar, briefly known as Aphrodesia Lounge, was named in multiple national gay guides between 1973 and 1976. However, it was locally known as a queer space long before that. Built by famous Milwaukee hotelier Walter Schroeder (1878-1967) as part of a regional luxury hotel chain, the 265-room Retlaw (Walter spelled backwards) was designed by Herbert and Martin Tullgren. Schroeder's ghost is reported to haunt its halls. By the early 70s, the Retlaw Hotel was down on its luck, and even a $3M 1976 renovation didn't help much. In 2018, an ambitious $25M restoration led by Kahler Slater and Legendary Hotels transformed the Retlaw into a Wyndham Trademark Collection property.