Brandon David, 26, lives in downtown Milwaukee, but works four days a week in large cities as a technology consultant. Impressed with a social club he stumbled upon in Atlanta, he decided to start something similar in Milwaukee.
At first, his friends laughed at his idea to start a drinking club. But David's idea was more than that: He wanted to start a club to unite young professionals so they could socialize and network while contributing to a charitable cause.
Determined to launch one of Milwaukee's first social clubs and call it "The Thursday Night Drinking Club," David designed a Web site last spring and planned his first event at the Ale House in May 2002. With the help of a few friends (namely Sarah Gilbert, Jake Dombrowski, Kristie Gillen and Cornelius Holt), he spread the word through e-mails, e-vites and word-of-mouth.
After the first party was declared a success, David decided to organize a TNDC party every month, on Thursday nights, at different Milwaukee bars.
For each event, a $5 donation is collected at the door. The first 100-150 drinks served are free, and after that, drinks are discounted. Because the bars do not officially sponsor the events, half of the cover charge contributes to the free and discounted drinks. The other half is donated to a non-profit organization, currently the MS Society.
Other perks include door prizes such as tickets to movies or sporting events, and participation in ice breaker-type games. Between 100-150 people have shown up for each of the club "meetings," and David believes winter will result in even larger crowds.
{INSERT_RELATED}The attendees are predominantly young professional in their 20s and 30s who live in many different Milwaukee neighborhoods. "There's a wide variety of folks," says David. "It's never the same group of people. The club isn't a clique or tight group of friends. A lot of times people show up not knowing anyone, just to get acquainted with new people and network."
Surprisingly, David says usually an equal number of men and women attend events. He said TNDC is not a singles club, and that even married people have attended in the past.
"It's important that people realize we don't promote binge drinking, " says David. "It's more for people to get out and be social and to help charity. And because it's a Thursday night, people are of a moderate mentality because they have to contribute at work the next day. We just want to make Brew City an even more pleasurable place to live."
The next TNDC event is a Halloween '70s party scheduled for Thur., Oct. 24 at The Safe House. For more information, go to www.thursdaynightdrinkingclub.com
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.
