Two East Town Bars, Restaurant Left in Limbo
Business group drops applications for sports bar, cocktail lounge and burrito restaurant.
750 N. Jefferson St. Photo taken Jan. 8, 2025 by Sophie Bolich.
A trio of East Town businesses is in limbo after a potential new ownership group pulled its proposals late last week.
As of March 6, Homewood Hospitality Group, LLC is no longer pursuing licenses for businesses at 750 and 782 N. Jefferson St., the former sites of SportClub, Experts Only and Barrel Burrito Company.
License Division Manager James Cooney confirmed during a Tuesday hearing that registered agent Henry Meza had submitted a request to withdraw the applications. Milwaukee Licenses Committee members subsequently moved to accept the withdrawals.
The businesses, previously operated by Caravan Hospitality Group, remain closed pending new plans.
In January, Homewood Hospitality Group filed license applications to take over the East Town businesses, all located in the 770 Building, shortly after their abrupt closures.
The group had planned to reopen SportClub under a slightly different name, Sports-Club, saying it would largely continue in its current form, offering draft beers, cocktails, champagne and a casual food menu while screening professional sporting events.
Just north of the corner tavern, the partners also planned to take over the co-located Experts Only and Barrel Burrito Company. According to the application, they intended to drop the après-ski-themed lounge and open Burrito Donkey in the combined spaces, with a proposed menu featuring burritos, burrito bowls, nachos and soup, along with bar snacks such as sliders, chili, chicken wings and pizza.
Pending city approval, the transfers were expected to take place in February. All three businesses have been closed since at least Jan. 6.
SportClub and Barrel Burrito, both licensed under Caravan Hospitality Group, are marked temporarily closed online, while Experts Only is listed as permanently closed. Signage and furniture remain at each location.
Meza did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
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