Two Downtown Bars Getting New Owners

Duke’s on Water. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

For the past five years, Tim Sluga has been a friendly face at Nomad World Pub, where he previously served as general manager and was often found slinging drinks during soccer matches. With additional experience at SportClub, O’Lydia’s and Monkey Bar, there’s no doubt that Sluga found his niche in the service industry; however, he never envisioned himself as a tavern owner — much less the managing partner of two downtown bars.

But that’s exactly what’s in store for Sluga, who, along with his two business partners, will purchase Duke’s on Water and the attached Scooter’s Pub at the end of the month.

In his new role, Sluga said he hopes to reinvigorate the conjoined taverns, 154-158 E. Juneau Ave., which are located at the heart of the Water Street bar district. The prospect excites Sluga, who sees endless potential in both the businesses and the broader neighborhood.

“These are two bars that are sitting right there in the middle of the downtown district and we just want to kind of blow them back up again, to bring a little excitement back to Water Street,” he said. “There’s just so much opportunity there. We’re excited to get in there and get started.”

Sluga, who previously pursued a different career path before he began bartending, is the first to admit that doesn’t have “a ton” of experience compared to other tavern owners. But he plans for the new venture to play to his strength of creating strong bonds among staff members to produce a positive and successful environment.

In previous jobs, Sluga said he was charged with revamping environments that had gone stale — particularly in the wake of the pandemic. He highlighted his time at SportClub, where he worked alongside Assistant General Manager Anastasia Knapinski to breathe new life into the business and its workers.

“We made it successful,” Sluga said. “We had the biggest year that the restaurant has ever had, so that was really cool.”

Sluga hopes to accomplish the same at Duke’s and Scooter’s. “When you inherit a staff like that, you’re inheriting the lifeblood, the vibe, the heart and soul of a business,” he said. “I’d love to keep everyone around and build off of that.”

Adding to Sluga’s enthusiasm is his belief that there’s no better time to be a downtown tavern owner. “Our city is culturally the best it’s been in 100 years,” he said.

And though he has big plans for the taverns, Sluga reassures patrons that nothing is going to change overnight. In fact, the experience at both businesses will remain largely the same — at least for now. The partners have discussed new names and other larger shifts, but are holding off on any big decisions until they’re well-established as owners, Sluga said.

Sluga and his partners will officially replace James Baade and Andrea Shafton as owners of the two taverns on April 1. The previous owners have operated the bars since 2006, following a remodel that converted the space into its current dual-tavern configuration.

Shafton’s history on the property stretches back further still. She’s been directly involved in operating bars and restaurants there since 1990, starting with Ken Elliot’s Casual Fine Dining and later Mel’s on Water.

Baade and Shafton also formerly owned Rascals on Murray, 2311 N. Murray Ave., but shuttered that bar in 2017. After relocating to Port Washington in 2016, the couple opened a new Rascals approximately 25 miles north of the original.

The couple are now occupied with a new project. They recently took ownership of Mortimer’s Pub, 7023 W. Adler St., just south of I-94. The business reopened last week.

For more about the downtown bars’ history, see our 2015 Bar Exam column.