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In 1995, Charles Herlitz and Ken Witkowski opened Foundation Bar, 2718 N. Bremen St., as a skateboard-themed bar. A few weeks later, their friend, Don Nelson – who was a skateboarder as well as a lifelong enthusiast of Hawaiian/Polynesian culture – started bartending there.
“I told them ‘If I’m going to work here, you gotta let me do a Tiki night,’” says Nelson, who started throwing Tiki parties in the ‘80s in the iconic Sydney Hih building.
For the next eight years, Nelson hosted the very popular “Tiki Tuesday” featuring a special menu with strong, (mostly) rum-based, umbrella-and-flower garnished drinks in ceramic mugs and glasses shaped like mermaids, sharks and tiki gods. Tiki Tuesdays also featured DJs spinning vinyl Exotica and lounge records.
In 2003, Witkowski decided to move in a new direction, and Herlitz offered Nelson the opportunity to manage the bar. Nelson agreed to take over operations under one condition: Foundation would go full-on Tiki.
“Charles agreed, and without looking back, every night became ‘Tiki Night,’” says Nelson, who now refers to his job title as “Head Tiki.”
Today, 100 percent of Foundation’s interior is Tiki-fied – hook, line and sinker. The ceiling and walls are packed with hanging puffer fish lights, decorative bamboo shoots, fishing nets and ships, masks, paintings, surfboard-shaped tables, thatched roofs, wood carvings, a large aquarium stocked with colorful tropical fish, wobbly hula girls and more. But the abundance of items doesn’t make the space feel schlocky or disorganized – quite the contrary. Instead, thanks to Nelsons’ artistic and meticulous curation, the interior is a Seven Seas paradise rather than a Riverwest watering hole.
Occasionally, customers will question the authenticity of the Polynesian theme. “We collect this stuff. It’s entirely out of love and respect for the art from these places,” says Nelson.
Many of the bar’s Tiki items and materials came from the now-defunct, California-based Oceanic Arts, which served as the world’s largest supplier of Tiki decor for 66 years before closing in 2021.
Most of the carvings were created by Milwaukee artist Dave Hansen. Hansen, who researched all of the designs thoroughly to ensure he was making legitimate replicas, started his career with Foundation and now takes commissions from Tiki bars and restaurants all over the country.
Nelson’s father grew the bamboo canes on his 10-acre property in Florida. “He would bring up truckloads of freshly cut bamboo for us,” says Nelson.
Foundation's lengthy, decadent drink menu features both classic and reimagined Tiki cocktails created by beverage director Michael Koktke. The menu is organized into categories: “A Bit Sweet” (Blue Hawaiian, Lonely Virgin, Tonga Punch); “Refreshing” (Dark & Stormy, Singapore Sling, Floridita Daiquiri); “Spirited and Strong” (Zombie, Kill-Devil, Mai Tai, Shark’s Tooth) and “Non-alcoholic” (Coco Noa, Nuku Punch, Tiki Garden). Specialty drinks like the Bikini Kai and Rum Barrel are served in souvenir Tiki cups. Beer and wine is also available.
Foundation does not offer food, but guests are welcome to bring in Middle Eastern food from Shawarma King located across the street.
Music is just as important an element at Foundation as the drinks and decor. Nelson, founding member and drummer/vocalist of The Exotics, has collected records since he was a kid.
“I dig deep into into the music and have a very large, curated mix,” says Nelson. “This is a place to escape after a bad day – or a great day – so when you come in you’re gonna hear birds and crickets and waves and all sorts of music.”
Foundation is both a neighborhood bar as well as a travel destination. In the past decade, tiki-themed vacations have become more popular, with people traveling from the coasts to check out Midwest Tiki bars. Often they rent cars and go on a self-guided “Tiki Tour.” Thus, there’s a “stumbling distance” Tiki-themed rental flat above the bar called “The Captain's Quarters” that’s available through Airbnb. “The Captain's Quarters” is also rented by locals for staycations, bachelor/bachelorette excursions and more.
Tiki bars were popularized in the United States primarily as basement bars after World War 2 soldiers returned from bases in Guam and Honolulu and longed for Polynesian night life.
“So they created a faux culture,” says Nelson. “Hawaii is obviously a real place, but this is a romanticized version. This is pretend. This is escapism.”
Huli pau, Milwaukee!
Foundation Bar opens daily at 4 p.m. Follow on Facebook and Instagram.
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.
