Sally's Cocktail Bar

Bar Cruising | Dive Bar

731 N 4th St
Milwaukee, WI 53203

State Region

Southeast WI

Neighborhood

Westtown

Year Opened: 1941
Year Closed: 1944

Exact Date Opened: Unknown
Exact Date Closed: Unknown

Clientele Primarily Identified As

Gay

Sally's Cocktail Bar, a WWII Milwaukee bar popular with gay men, gay hustlers, prostitutes, and servicemen, was called a "moral hell hole" by police and cited by military and health officials as a known venereal disease hotspot. (Although unaccompanied women were targeted, it's unclear whether the superspreaders were male or female.) Owner Peter Antross lost his license in 1944, but the Common Council reneged if he changed the "offensive" name. (At the time, "Sally" was slang for an effeminate man.) Antross chose The Gaytime Bar, and the Council, seemingly unaware of the sarcasm, reinstated his license.