After this morning’s announcement that the German-themed Von Trier would morph into a mid-century cocktail lounge by early 2018, a petition appeared on Change.org.

The headline reads "Keep North Ave. Authentic – Don’t Change Von Trier" with the following copy (unedited):

The owner of Von Trier, John Sidoff has announced plans to close, renovate, and rebrand one of Milwaukee's favorite bars as an 'upscale midcentury cocktail lounge'. This type of bar is a soulless, overdone and trendy concept that has generally not been well received in Milwaukee, and is certainly not a good replacement for such a unique and well-loved establishment. Von Trier is an east side icon and carriers a heritage of over a century. To many residents it's a standby that feels like home, and to out-of-towners it's a reason to visit the area. With it's impressive chandelier, wall of steins, and excellent German beer list, Von Trier's fills a cultural gap in a sea of generic, unimaginative bars. Once this gem is gone we can never get that culture or history back. Let's persuade the owners not to abandon the iconic status that Von Trier has earned.

At the time of posting this article, 280 people had "signed" the petition. 

Personally, I love Von Trier, too, but I think this petition misses the point. Von Trier – in its current state – isn't making enough money. All of us, myself included, who don't want it to change also didn't go often enough to keep it open. What's a business owner to do?