Duke’s on Water, a Water Street staple for more than 20 years, closed its doors for good on Friday, confirming the building had been sold and they declined a new lease amid rising rent and declining drinking habits. But Duke’s general manager Tim Sluga pointed the finger squarely at the violence and chaos that have consumed Water Street in recent years.
“It’s frustrating down here. Water Street’s amazing. Our downtown is amazing,” he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “At the same time, our downtown is embarrassing. You go to any other city, you’re not going to find a downtown that’s this unprotected by the city.
“The bars aren’t the problem. The food trucks aren’t the problem. The city’s got a bigger problem.”
Sluga told members of the Milwaukee Common Council to “do their jobs” and get tough on crime and lawlessness instead of misguided ordinances like a recent food truck ban after 10:00 pm on Water Street.
Duke’s is hardly alone in its struggles. Milwaukee is bleeding iconic bars and restaurants at an alarming rate. In 2025 alone, more than 30 establishments closed across the area, from neighborhood staples to newer establishments, with owners pointing to skyrocketing operational costs, higher taxes, staffing shortages, crime concerns, and customers dining out and drinking less.
Downtown has felt the pain especially hard. Rare Steakhouse abruptly shuttered recently amid legal and financial woes; Fixture Pizza Pub in Walker’s Point has been closed indefinitely over unpaid taxes and money troubles. Other long-term spots have folded under the weight of post-Covid difficulties and a tougher business climate.
Water Street, in particular, has become ground zero for the city’s nightlife woes. Large crowds, fights, and occasional shootings have city leaders scrambling. The recent surge in street takeovers only brings more violence downtown and MPD does not have the additional resources to allocate – exactly why it’s time to keep the National Guard on standby during the summer months to assist with perimeter security and crowd control.
Police are chronically understaffed – some summer shifts in District 1 had as few as three patrol officers on duty, and commanders admit they’re constantly shuffling resources to entertainment zones like Water and Brady Streets, leaving other neighborhoods operating with a skeleton crew.
The recent food-truck fiasco perfectly captures the dysfunction. In April, the Common Council rammed through a 10 p.m. curfew on downtown food trucks, blaming them for underage crowds and violence. Owners were blindsided, called it scapegoating, and sued with help from the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. A judge quickly issued a temporary restraining order, putting the curfew on ice.
Milwaukee is starting to resemble a smaller-scale Chicago. Crime, costs, and weekly chaos (which will only worsen now that we’ve entered the warmer months) are chasing away the very businesses that made downtown fun and attractive for Midwestern tourism. Wisconsinites who once packed the downtown on weekends and holidays are increasingly opting for safer suburbs instead of rolling the dice on a night that could turn ugly.
Duke’s walking away after two decades downtown should be a warning sign that many small businesses are reaching a breaking point. Owners cite ongoing concerns about safety, policing, and the lack of meaningful support for independent operators as confidence in downtown continues to erode. Milwaukee’s reputation as a great weekend destination will keep fading right along with them. Last call, indeed.
