We are the Bars & Restaurants in the City of Milwaukee who have been denied the opportunity to safely operate our businesses & provide much needed financial security for our employees. We were the first Covid-19 related businesses shut down on March 16th 2020 for the safety of our customers & families.  As of June 2020, most businesses in the city are now open. These buisnesss are using protective measures, and these are the same protective measures that the City of Milwaukee Bars & Restaurants would adhere to if we were open, but we are not able to be open.

We respect the severity and health dangers associated with the COVID 19 Virus & supported the shut down in March to stop the spread and help contain the world wide pandemic. Available science shows that we have avoided the potential earlier reported disasters and are regaining control thus permitting businesses to safely reopen all over the State, but Bars & Restaurants in the City of Milwaukee are still not open!  The closure of the City of Milwaukee Bars and Restaurants can no longer be serving its main purpose of limiting the surge of COVID-19 cases when all surrounding businesses are open.

We are capable of implementing all of the same safety practices and guidelines that all other currently open businesses are using now -in fact we even have a higher standard then most businesses due to already regularly required health inspections.  Being the last allowed to open puts an unfair burden on us, keeps thousands of city residents out of work, and without a path to return to work anytime soon.  The harm this is causing City of Milwaukee Bars & Restaurants will be irreparable.  Almost 3 months in we are at a tipping point -the City of Milwaukee, its tax payers, owners & employees will suffer long term from this devastation.

Mayor Barrett / Jeanette Kowalik must give us a definitive date that we can open so we can begin to operate effectively & safely.  Watching the rest of surrounding communities, some -less then a mile away, return to business as usual and thrive while we are left in blind uncertainty of the future of our businesses is stressful and unfair. We respect the validity of this virus and the impact that it has made on our state- but the Corona Virus does not recognize borders, all other businesses are open- we have the right to be too.

If we do not receive opening information -City of Milwaukee Bars & Restaurants will open Monday, June 8th from 4 PM to 7 PM as a show of solidarity.  We question the constitutionality of the order & the limitations on our individual liberties.  City of Milwaukee Bars & Restaurants are capable of being open safely & effectively and we demand you let us have the opportunity to do so.