City Closes Bay View Sports Bar
Brown & Gibbs is closed after Milwaukee Common Council blocks its license renewal.
182 E. Lincoln Ave. Photo taken June 23, 2026, by Sophie Bolich.
Bay View sports bar Brown & Gibbs is ceasing operations after the Milwaukee Common Council blocked its license renewal on Tuesday.
The decision followed an earlier recommendation from the Licenses Committee, which cited owner Julio Maldonado’s failure to attend two consecutive license renewal hearings.
“I think we’ve used too much of the community’s time and your time on this,” Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic told committee members during a June 9 hearing, also noting a lack of communication from the business. “If it’s within our purview, I think denial is appropriate.”
Alderman Alex Brower moved for nonrenewal based on a second nonappearance. There were no objections.
Maldonado did not file written objections to the nonrenewal before Tuesday’s Common Council meeting, where members voted unanimously to uphold the recommendation, effectively closing the business.
Brown & Gibbs opened in March 2025 at 182 E. Lincoln Ave., replacing Satchmo’s in the corner tavern space. In addition to a full bar program, the business served Mexican cuisine from Montes Kitchen, including tacos and birria.
Service has been suspended since February, when the tavern’s liquor license lapsed. A subsequent request for a provisional license was denied because of outstanding fines. During an April licensing hearing, Maldonado pointed to catastrophic flooding early in the business’s operation as the cause of significant financial hardship, leaving Brown & Gibbs behind on taxes and other bills.
“Our hands are tied,” Assistant City Attorney Travis Gresham said at the time.
State tax records show two filings against Revival Bay View LLC, the business entity behind Brown & Gibbs, for unpaid state taxes.
Under city licensing rules, failure to appear at two consecutive renewal hearings can serve as grounds for nonrenewal. Maldonado missed both hearings following the April meeting.
The building is owned by Boomers Building LLC, whose registered agent is Ting Burazin. Burazin previously co-owned Satchmo’s with her husband, Sam, before Brown & Gibbs took over the space.
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