New restaurant and lounge planned for South Side » Urban Milwaukee

5121 W. Howard Ave. Photo taken August 16 by Sophie Bolich.

A new, diverse store is set to open in a south Milwaukee shopping center, but the current tenants will have to make room.

Mariana Herrera recently filed an application to open Arcane Lounge Bar and Banquet at 5121 W. Howard Ave. According to a license application, the plan is to serve food and beverages, offer catering services and host events in the basement.

Arcane also wants to appeal to a broad range of customers, offering in-house entertainment for those who prefer to eat in, and drive-thru and delivery services for those who don’t.

The 2,937 square meter restaurant space currently houses the Brewtown Eatery & Sports Bar, which is located under Scott Kwapick And Martin Gulzcynski in 2014.

The company is now owned by Dino Shackelford Jr.who operates it as a sports bar serving alcoholic beverages and pub fare like pizza and chicken wings. The business is also known for hosting live musicians and has an outdoor patio.

On the afternoon of August 16, Brewtown Eatery appeared to be closed, with the lights off and the doors locked. The restaurant normally opens at 3 p.m.

Arcane is expected to open in November and will feature entertainment including live music, comedy acts, DJs, competitions, dancing, karaoke, a jukebox and five slot machines.

A sample menu includes breakfast, lunch and dinner offerings with dishes such as chicken and waffles, macaroni and cheese, gumbo and barbecue with various sides.

The company expects its revenue to be split equally between food sales and alcohol sales.

In addition to its dictionary definition – mysterious or secret – “Arcane” is also the title of an animated series by Christian Linke And Alex Yee.

A liquor license for Arcane Lounge Bar and Banquet is pending before the Milwaukee City Council. If approved, the business plans to be open daily from noon to 2 a.m.

Gulzcynski, the previous owner of Brewtown Eatery, owns the 17,000-square-foot shopping center that also houses the restaurant space.

A Dollar General store, Cousins ​​Subs, a pet grooming store and a hair salon are also located in the building.

Shackelford has made several attempts to open bars throughout the greater Milwaukee area. In 2022, he opened Dino’s Sports at 4671 S. Lake Dr. in Cudahy. The following year, he planned to open Enigma Sports Bar at 1123 N. Water St. None of those ventures came to fruition.

Shackelford and Herrera did not respond to requests for comment by publication time.