NorthSouth Club is taking reservations again
Milwaukee ax-throwing and shuffleboard bar NorthSouth Club in Walker’s Point is starting to take reservations again, even before the city gives bars the OK to reopen.
Bars & Recreation has opened up reservations for ax-throwing and shuffleboard at NorthSouth Club starting 4 p.m. Friday. It’s a proactive move so that the bar can reopen in an organized manner, said owner Marla Poytinger.
“We can’t and won’t just open the doors when the order is lifted,” Poytinger said. “We want to open in a way that’s organized, safe and respects our employees.” She said 90% of the company’s customers come through reservations. Bars & Recreation also owns east side activity-based bars Axe MKE, Nine Below and Splash Studio.
Milwaukee bars and restaurants have been closed to customers since Mayor Tom Barrett issued a stay-athome order in March. The order does not have an end date. Barrett has said that he could be easing some restrictions Friday but did not give details.
“If the City of Milwaukee does not allow us to reopen on Friday, we will contact customers with reservations,” the company wrote in an email to customers.
When NorthSouth does open, the 12,000-square-foot facility will be limited to 25% capacity. The large garagestyle doors will remain open. Bar seating at the NorthSouth Club has been removed and customers must be participating in an activity to be in the facility. Employees will wear masks and customers are welcome, but not required, to wear one. The liability waiver will be used to ensure contact tracing is possible.
The company launched its own virtual trivia game during the pandemic, Head Space Trivia. It plans to continue the game after stay-at-home orders are lifted. Splash Studio has sold at-home art kits. These new lines of business make up for about 1% of the revenue that the company typically makes, Poytinger said.
The patchwork of rules around the metro area since the statewide stay-athome order was thrown out by the Wisconsin Supreme Court has made business even more challenging during the pandemic, Poytinger said.
“We’re inside this island of businesses that can’t open,” she said.