New Sports Bar Proposed Near Marquette
Scoreboard Sports Bar hopes to attract a mix of students and area residents.
2117-2131 W. Wells St. in 2022. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
The Near West Side could soon gain a new game day destination. Scoreboard Sports Bar is proposed to open at 2127 W. Wells St., giving the longtime tavern space new life as a laid-back hangout for fans of all kinds.
Owner Telly Lock has a rich history in the neighborhood, dating back to his days playing peewee basketball just blocks from the future business.
“My family grew up in that area,” said Lock, who went on to play high school basketball with dreams of becoming a sports broadcaster. He later launched painting and trucking companies, also working as a contractor for CertaPro Painters, 360 Painting and Two Day Painting.
Lock’s work is visible throughout the neighborhood, including at Windsor Court Apartments, which he painted several years back. Meanwhile, his passion for sports has remained a constant.
“I just love sports,” he said. “I’m glued to the TV once the sports come on.”
Lock hopes the upcoming tavern will attract more enthusiasts like himself, saying it would fill a gap in the neighborhood.
“With a lot of stuff that’s going on in the world, it’s certain areas that Milwaukee forgets about,” he said, noting that other college campuses, like the University of Wisconsin – Madison, are surrounded by sports bars. “I just think with the Marquette campus so close, there should be more options and more opportunities. Not everybody is going to have a big establishment to get five, six, seven, 800 people in.”
The upcoming tavern would also welcome more mature patrons, aiming for a customer base that mirrors the surrounding community.
Scoreboard Sports Bar would fill a portion of the former Conway’s Smokin’ Bar & Grill, which closed at the end of 2024. The adjacent kitchen space, once behind Conway’s smoked meatloaf, chicken wings and other signature dishes, will be rented to a caterer, Lock said. A Mexican restaurant, Taquero Vaquero, briefly took over the kitchen last fall, but proved to be short lived.
Lock is now collaborating with the building owners for small upgrades, including new windows and, of course, a fresh coat of paint. He also plans to install additional outdoor lighting and about a dozen TVs. Otherwise, he plans to keep the tavern space as is, honoring its decades-long history as a local watering hole.
Pending city approval, Scoreboard Sports Bar is expected to open this spring. In the meantime, Lock said he plans to host several meetings with neighbors to introduce the business and further discuss his plans.
Once open, the tavern’s proposed hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily, according to a license application.
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