By Molly Snyder Senior Writer Published Apr 18, 2013 at 8:08 PM

According to an employee, Thurman’s 15, 1731 N. Arlington Pl., is closed for repairs. The bar, he says, will reopen in the future but was unsure when. I really hope this is true.

I started going to Thurman’s in the early ‘90s, when I lived on Warren Avenue during college. It was a small, two bedroom apartment, and there were three of us, so Matt had to sleep in a closet.

We spent a lot of time at Thurman’s, drinking $3 pitchers, playing shuffleboard and listening to Grateful Dead tapes of shows during the famous Thursday evening "Tape Nights."

The fact that Thurman’s reminds me of a very carefree time of my life is only part of the reason why I really want to see the bar reopen. It’s such a strange brew of vintage sports memorabilia and jam band culture that, despite what anyone thinks about either of these things, it contributes to Milwaukee’s urban individuality.

Sure, I like many of the trends in new bars: micro beers served in to-go growlers and creatively concocted cocktails infused with homemade bitters.

But there’s also a place in my heart for cheap taps, bad dreadlocks, potlucks during Packers’ game and a dazed dog walking around with a bandana around his neck – as was the way of Thurman’s.


Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.

Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.