By 1969, Milwaukee's second gayborhood was taking shape at 2nd and Pittsburgh. The Rooster, opened by Al Barry in December 1969, was so popular that it guaranteed Barry the funds he needed to open the River Queen. The Rooster was known for its longtime doorman, James "Tiny" Kallas, and for younger, hipper, more counterculture crowds. After The Rooster closed, the space was home to Carrie's and The Flame, before the Easter Sunday Inferno of 1974 ravaged the building. Six years later, Art Guenther opened Just Art's at this address, which ran for 45 years before his death in 2025.