A new Deer District sports bar is celebrating its grand opening this weekend.
The Spread MKE, 1137 N. King Drive, officially opens Thursday, June 25. Co-owner Aaron Ohlsson said the bar aims to bring a vintage, community-focused feel to the Deer District.
“The Spread’s not just a sports bar. We’re creating a place where Milwaukee can gather – a place built around sports, community and that kind of camaraderie that keeps people coming back,” Ohlsson said. “We want that classic ‘Cheers’ atmosphere where regulars know each other, fans connect over the game, everyone feels welcome.”
The new bar is at the former location of Local Pub, or LP, which closed earlier this year. LP took over the space, which was previously home to the bar Loaded Slate from 2011 through 2022, in 2023.
At a City of Milwaukee Licenses Committee meeting June 9, the committee approved the transfer of LP’s LLC from the former bar’s owner, Edward DeShazer, to new owners of The Spread, Ohlsson and Paresha Pesqueira. The transfer was made official at the June 23 Common Council meeting.
At the Licenses Committee meeting, DeShazer said he’s leaving the hospitality industry, but carefully selected who would carry on the location after him, saying he was excited for new owners’ plans for the space.
“We put a huge amount of money into that space, as anyone that saw it from the previous business to what it looks like today (can see) … so as we were making decisions on what to do next, it was important for me to find people and partners who would not let that go to waste and to be a good fit for the street,” DeShazer said.
Ohlsson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he and Pesqueira previously worked with DeShazer as consultants, before officially taking over the business’ licenses.
“This spot has kind of always been known as a go-to spot here in the Deer District, and we’re just excited to continue on with our own legacy,” he said.
With 15 TV screens and a prime location right near Fiserv Forum and the new Landmark Credit Union Live venue, The Spread will be in the heart of the action for sporting events and concerts, Ohlsson said.
“It’s our goal to become Milwaukee’s go-to gathering spot for sports action here,” he said.
The Spread will be open from 1 p.m. until bar close – 2 a.m. weekdays, 2:30 a.m. Friday-Sunday, for World Cup matches. After the World Cup ends, the bar will adjust its hours to open closer to 4 p.m. for dinner during the week, and at 11 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, he said.
However, Ohlsson said they’ll watch to see how business goes and remain open to the possibility of opening for lunch in the future.
Along with drinks, The Spread will offer a menu of “elevated game day bar food,” including smash-patty burgers and “triple threat” chicken wings, which are baked, fried and grilled, Ohlsson said. The bar also has a back room available for private parties up to 50 people.
Ohlsson said The Spread’s name is a play on words, referencing the spread of a deer’s antlers – a nod to the Bucks and the Deer District – as well as the point spread in sports betting, and the bar’s serving of different types of spreads, like cheeses, to eat.
In addition to owning The Spread, Ohlsson owns the Miramar Theatre at 2844 N. Oakland Ave, while Pesqueira owns Revel Bar in Bay View, 2246 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Ohlsson and Pesqueira have worked on hosting events together for several years, but this will be both of their first times owning a sports bar.
Ohlsson’s brother, Kyle Ohlsson, is the The Spread’s general manager, and has more than 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry, including with Lowlands Hospitality Group and Drink Wisconsinbly, Ohlsson said.
Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ArseneauKelli.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New vintage-inspired sports bar, The Spread, opening in Deer District
Reporting by Kelli Arseneau, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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By Kelli Arseneau, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
