Diplomat Musical Lounge
Milwaukee
Summary
The Diplomat Musical Lounge opened in August 1958 in a former Pabst tied-house saloon on Milwaukee's West Juneau Avenue. After new operators redecorated the space in vivid colors, it became a flashy, midcentury cocktail lounge remembered as a New York-style piano bar. Aggressive advertising made it an immediate success. The bar drew large numbers of gay customers, and authorities repeatedly challenged its operators and licensing.
It lost its license, briefly reopened as the Aristocrat Musical Lounge, and closed in early 1960. Though brief, the venue is regarded as one of Milwaukee's earliest bars deliberately marketed to a gay clientele.