It seems like just yesterday we were wearing low-rise jeans, listening to Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera on our Discmans and oblivious to the imminent explosion of “the world wide web.”
And despite some bad decisions – like getting the frosted tip hairstyle or drinking too many Cosmos at a “Sex and the City” party – many of us have a soft spot, maybe even a yearning, for the 90s and early 2000s.
90s2K Cafe is here to help us relive this era – one Green Day song, one payphone call, one VHS tape, one Tamagotchi cocktail at a time.
Although the name might suggest 90s2K Cafe is a coffee shop, it ain’t no Central Perk. Instead, the name of the nightclub and soon-to-be-restaurant is a bucket hat tip to the Hard Rock Cafe.
Brothers Seth and Jake Dehne opened the club last month at 1103 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. The space formerly housed Howl At The Moon, Pub Club and Have A Nice Day Cafe.
“It’s been a really great couple of weeks,” says Seth.
The very-Instagrammable decor is a work-in-progress, but already filled with images and technology from the beloved era. A massive brick wall mural – painted by Ego the Artist – features a collage of graffiti-style, old school depictions including Nirvana, “Baby Bieber,” Metallica, Bart Simpson and more. There’s also a wall of vintage gadgets – Nintendo controllers, Palm Pilots and the like – and an extraordinary VHS mural created by the Dehne brothers.
"We temporarily paused on the decor because we're now just listening to what customers would like to see added," says Seth.
The large-screen TVs show DVDs – yes DVDs – of period sitcoms and films from “Happy Gilmore” to "The Boondock Saints" to "Friends" and the music is a treasure trove of sounds recorded before, after and during the century’s turn. 90s2K Cafe will have live DJs and, eventually, live music.
“We’ll have all the mainstream music from the era as well as some forgotten songs,” says Seth. “Music that will evoke good memories and emotions. Everybody loves remembering the good times and this is a welcoming environment to do that."
The drink menu features themed-cocktails like The Britney Bitch, The Fresh Prince, The Y2K and the afore-mentioned Tamagotchi, along with a strong selection of beer, NA beverages, seltzers and hard Sunny D beverages.
The food will start to roll out next week. The menu will be a mix of throwback items like Pop Tarts, Bagel Bites and pizza rolls, along with large pretzels, salads, wraps and sandwiches.
“It’ll be a simple, fun menu,” says Seth.
The club attracts a slightly older crowd and, consequently, is usually packed on weekends by 9 p.m. The clubgoers are from all walks of life, something the Dehnes value greatly.
"We crafted this space to appeal to people of all shapes, sizes and colors. All different people who are all out to have a good time. This is something Milwaukee needs and hasn't had in a long time," says Seth. "We've seen a very eclectic, diverse crowd in here and that makes us really proud."
90s2K Cafe is open from Wednesday through Saturday evenings from 4 p.m. to close. It will also be open for select Fiserv concerts and events.
"We're really excited about where this is going," says Seth. "It’s a flashback. It’s a vibe. It’s fun."
Follow 90s2K Cafe on Instagram and Facebook.
Here are more pics and an Instagram reel of 90s2K cafe:
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.
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