Stalled Tavern Coming to Williamsburg Neighborhood?
Yacks on Richards, first proposed in 2017, applies for license.
The outside of Roth’s Inn, which may soon be Yacks on Richards. Photo by Dave Reid.
A new tavern, Yacks on Richards, is proposed to open in the former Roth’s Inn at 3805 N. Richards St., according to a liquor license application filed with the City of Milwaukee.
The April 29 filing marks a revival of an earlier plan that never came to fruition, though city records show steady progress at the Williamsburg building over the past several years.
Co-owners Tumara and Ramon Davis purchased the building in 2017 and were granted occupancy in 2022. Since then, they’ve completed plumbing and electrical work, and in April, submitted plans for a kitchen remodel.
A floor plan for the 2,320-square-foot tavern space includes two seating areas and a bar, along with a small outdoor smoking area and parking lot along the north and west sides of the property.
The nearly century-old, two-story building features Tudor Revival-style architecture. According to the application, its second floor operates as a rooming house, though it is currently vacant.
The previous tavern, Roth’s, was a longtime fixture of the neighborhood, where new developments are now colliding with existing establishments. One block north, D&D’s Lounge operates in the former Valent’s Bar. Across the street, a Walmart store now stands in place of the American Motors factory, which closed in 1988.
Kuumba Juice and Coffee, a health and community-focused cafe, opened in February 2024 several blocks south of the proposed tavern, along Keefe Avenue. It’s part of a broader effort to activate the area surrounding the Beerline Trail, which runs diagonally from the Milwaukee River and N. Humboldt Ave. to W. Capitol Dr. near N. 3rd St.
A license application for Yacks is pending before the Milwaukee Common Council. If approved, the tavern plans to open as soon as possible, with operating hours Monday through Friday from noon to 2 a.m. and Saturday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Neither Tumara nor Ramon responded to multiple requests for comment by the time of publication.
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