The owner of Von Trier, John Sidoff has announced plans to close, renovate, and rebrand one of Milwaukee's favorite bars as an 'upscale midcentury cocktail lounge'. This type of bar is a soulless, overdone and trendy concept that has generally not been well received in Milwaukee, and is certainly not a good replacement for such a unique and well-loved establishment. 

Von Trier is an east side icon and carries a heritage of over a century. To many residents it's a standby that feels like home, and to out-of-towners it's a reason to visit the area. With it's impressive chandelier, wall of steins, and excellent German beer list, Von Trier's fills a cultural gap in a sea of generic, unimaginative bars. Once this gem is gone we can never get that culture or history back. Let's persuade the owners not to abandon the iconic status that Von Trier has earned.