Teddy's
Milwaukee
Summary
Teddy's was a Milwaukee bar and discotheque on North Farwell Avenue run by Tony Machi, who opened the venue as The Barn in the late 1960s and renamed it Teddy's in 1973. After a substantial 1975 investment transformed the small club into a dance venue, Teddy's became a world-class discotheque, advertising a big-city disco experience and welcoming a mixed gay and straight crowd. Located about a block from Gay People's Union headquarters, the bar was remembered as inclusive despite its reputation as a singles spot.
As disco faded it shifted to live bands and briefly a country-western theme. Teddy's closed on July 31, 1985; the site is now the music venue Shank Hall.