7 Businesses Located Inside RNC ‘Hard Zone’

Photo taken July 2, 2024 by Jeramey Jannene. All Rights Reserved.

With the start of the Republican National Convention less than a week away, it’s crunch time for local businesses, elected officials and the hundreds of people involved in organizing, staffing and executing the large-scale political event.

That’s especially true for the handful of bars and restaurants located within the pedestrian-restricted security perimeter, or “hard zone,” which encompasses Fiserv Forum, UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, the Baird Center and the immediate areas surrounding each of those venues.

Due to increased security measures, access to those establishments will be limited to credentialed or ticket-holding individuals for the duration of the RNC, which runs from Monday, July 15 through Thursday, July 18.

While businesses will miss out on serving the general public, they can expect heavy traffic from RNC attendees seeking food and drink without having to navigate through security checkpoints.

Also of note, businesses within the City of Milwaukee that hold class B tavern licenses are permitted to operate until 4 a.m. from July 15 to July 18.

Official closures for the downtown perimeter will go into effect Sunday, July 14 at 6 p.m. and continue through July 19. The full security plan is available to view online.

For a citywide list of businesses closing during the convention, see our earlier coverage.

Drink Wisconsinbly Pub

Located at 320 W. Highland Ave., Drink Wisconsinbly Pub is just steps away from Fiserv Forum, the epicenter of convention activities.

During  the convention, attendees can enjoy beer and cocktails at the bar, or peruse a selection of Milwaukee-centric merch in the tavern’s retail store.

Good City Brewing

Good City Brewing operates four locations across the Milwaukee area, one of which is situated within the Deer District.

The taproom, offering a wide variety of local brews and pub fare, will remain closed to the general public during the RNC.

Milwaukee County Historical Society

The Milwaukee County Historical Society, featuring an on-site event venue, is located at the southwestern edge of Pere Marquette Park, which emerged as a controversial site amid planning for the RNC.

After extensive debate among nearby business owners and members of the Republican National Committee, the hard zone was expanded to include the park, as well as the museum and event space.

The New Fashioned

Opened in April as a destination for Wisconsin-centric food, drinks and interactive entertainment, The New Fashioned is poised to welcome convention-goers during the RNC.

The two-level bar and restaurant, 1122 N. Vel R. Phillips Ave., features plenty of gathering and event space, as well as an on-site retail store showcasing local brands.

The Trade Hotel Restaurants

The Trade Hotel, situated at 420 W. Juneau Ave., near the northern edge of the “hard zone,” will serve as a home base for numerous convention attendees next week. Its three on-site restaurants, meanwhile, will benefit from the built-in traffic.

Each of the three concepts—Craft, Solomon’s, and Il Cervo—offers a unique experience, with options to accommodate everything from casual business lunches to late-night cocktails, and most occasions in between.

Craft, located on the hotel’s first floor, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner with an emphasis on locally-sourced ingredients. The restaurant also offers signature cocktails and a large craft beer selection.

Solomon’s, which opens in the evenings, offers handcrafted cocktails, craft beers and wine, along with a selection of shareable small plates.

The hotel’s rooftop restaurant, Il Cervo, showcases modern Italian cuisine with a side of stunning city views.

“Soft Zone”

A number of additional businesses are located within the vehicle-screening perimeter, or “soft zone,” which encompasses an area roughly bounded by W. Cherry Street to the north, W. Clybourn Street to south, the Milwaukee River to the east and N. 9th Street to the west.

The area, including the King Drive entertainment district, will be accessible to all during the RNC; however, patrons driving into the zone will need to first stop at a vehicle screening point in order to gain entry.

For more information regarding RNC street closures, demonstration zones and other logistics, see our earlier coverage.

UPDATE: The address of Drink Wisconsinbly has been updated to match the business address.

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