Punch Bowl Social Milwaukee to Host Grand Opening Party on Saturday, March 9, 2019

Punch Bowl Social. Rendering by Rinka Chung Architecture.

Feb. 12, 2019 – MILWAUKEE – The countdown is on. Punch Bowl Social, the nationally-recognized lifestyle brand known for its industry-changing approach to experiential food and beverage, will open its doors to the public with a grand opening party starting at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, 2019. Tickets cost $20 and include samplings from the entire Punch Bowl Social menu, craft beverages, and unlimited game play for the evening.

All ticket sale proceeds will be donated to Running Rebels, a local nonprofit that engages, mentors and guides Milwaukee youth toward positive alternative paths. The organization offers tutoring, open gyms and leadership training that help keep our young people away from the street life of gangs, crime and violence.

Additional grand opening event details, including entertainment and ticket information, will be shared on the company’s Milwaukee Facebook page in the coming weeks.

Punch Bowl Social has received numerous awards for its highly innovative execution of the eat, drink, play concept, pairing made-from-scratch dishes and craft beverages with social gaming, all in a design-forward environment. Recent accolades include being named one of The World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2018 by Fast Company as well as being singled out by Nation’s Restaurant News as one of its five 2018 Hot Concepts winners.

Founded in 2012 by restaurateur Robert Thompson, Punch Bowl Social’s genesis is rooted in placing food and beverage on equal footing with games and social activities, a disruption of a previous model that featured games first, with food and drink as an afterthought. Today, Thompson’s commitment to the culinary and beverage programs is evident across Punch Bowl Social’s 15 locations. Thompson works in partnership with chief culinary and beverage officer Sheamus Feeley, who joined the leadership team in 2018 following a notable career at Hillstone Restaurant Group, to ensure the continued innovation and excellence of both programs.

Eat, Drink, Play: Punch Bowl Social Style

Situated in the new Bucks Entertainment Block by Fiserv Forum at 1122 Vel R. Phillips Avenue, the 24,500-square-foot Punch Bowl Social Milwaukee will feature the concept’s high-integrity culinary menu with scratch-made items such as Chicken-n-Waffles with Chipotle Syrup, Fried Bologna Sandwiches, Street Tacos, and an expanded selection of shareable dishes including Pork Rillettes and Green Chorizo Fries. Guests will select from a craft beverage program that features creative non-alcoholic cocktails, local beers, select wines and the company’s namesake punches, as well as an expansive selection of social activities including ping-pong, darts, board games, classic video games, bowling, private karaoke rooms and more.

Punch Bowl Social Milwaukee will include a custom-built 360-degree bar, outdoor patio space on both the first and second floors, and various lounges and gathering spots ideal for groups large and small.

Architecture and Design

The design of Punch Bowl Social is as much a part of the experience as are the food, drinks and games. CEO Robert Thompson brings his love of architecture and design together to create unique gathering spaces that merge design concepts of mountain lodge, Victorian, mid-century modern and industrial design, plus a final design element which speaks to influences found throughout Milwaukee.

This translates into an eclectic gathering place with a nod to the area’s beloved lake culture, German roots and deeply entrenched beer industry. Each of the three private karaoke rooms invokes playful design references to local “celebrities,” including the Steve Miller Band (think “Space Cowboy”), Liberace and his fabulously flamboyant taste in fashion, and the pride of Wisconsin: cheese. Other whimsical Wisconsin design elements, freshly interpreted and interspersed throughout the space, include custom wallcoverings and eye-catching tabletops that feature fishhooks, topographical maps and more. Scholars of German architecture will notice the familiar vertical, diagonal and horizontal patterns known as fachwerk on several of the building’s interior walls.

For Thompson, Milwaukee represents the ideal location for his latest grand opening. “Milwaukee is a rapidly changing city with sophisticated tastes and residents who want the latest offerings in food, drink and lifestyle,” he said. “The Entertainment District delivers on all three fronts and we’re pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to this elevated experience.”

Punch Bowl Social opened its first location in Denver in 2012. It now counts 15 properties in its nationwide portfolio including Arlington, VA; Atlanta; Austin; Chicago; Cleveland; Denver; Detroit; Indianapolis; Miami; Minneapolis; Rancho Cucamonga, CA; Portland, OR; Sacramento; San Diego; Schaumburg, IL; and Stapleton, CO.

Renderings

ABOUT PUNCH BOWL SOCIAL

Punch Bowl Social is the first experiential food and beverage brand to bring a made-from-scratch and craft beverages together with social gaming in one design-forward environment. Punch Bowl Social serves weekend brunch, lunch, dinner and late-night snacks while serving up a variety of creative punches, microbrews and craft non-alcoholic beverages. Punch Bowl Social has been honored with more than a dozen national and regional awards. For more information, please visit www.punchbowlsocial.com.

For more information about Running Rebels, please visit: https://runningrebels.org/

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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