(The following history of the Columns was written by Michail Takach, for an historical panel (see image to right) created by this project in 2019. The panel is on loan to the 'This Is It' bar in downtown Milwaukee.)

June 16, 1961: The Columns, a "Romanesque" cocktail lounge, opens in the lobby of the Pfister Hotel (424 E. Wisconsin Ave.) Heavily inspired by the 1960 film Spartacus, the popular bar features shirtless Centurions, waitstaff in togas, live drumming, and volcanic cocktails. It was Caesar's Palace BEFORE Caesar's Palace!

At the time, the hotel was owned by a group of New York investors who has absolutely no idea what they were doing. The Pfister was ancient, out-of-date, and long overdue for a remodel. Yesterday's first class hotel was nobody's favorite in 1961.

It appears they did ONE thing right. Swank and seductive, offering glitz and gladiators, The Columns quickly became a popular gay hangout. Visitors would bar-hop between The Columns and Seaway Inn to flirt with the stoic waitstaff. For a brief moment in time, it was a little taste of Vegas in otherwise stuffy East Town.

In 1962, the Marcus Corporation bought the bankrupt Pfister from NYC investors and began modernization for 1970. Over the next few years, the Columns was slowly but surely toned down-- from a madcap nightclub to a somber waiting room. The anything-can-happen vibe was pretty much gone by 1970. Seeking a change, the Marcus Corporation closed the Columns in January 1971 and reopened the space as Cafe Ole in April 1971.

The Columns remains one of THE most elusive venues in Wisconsin #LGBTQ history. This was one of the top nightlife and tourist attractions of its era. We're certain tons of photographs exist -- somewhere -- but we've never seen ONE. And the Columns is barely mentioned in Pfister history. Why?

Was someone in the Marcus family embarassed by the swarthiness of it all? If there's anything for the Marcus family (or corporation) to be embarassed about, it isn't running a gay-friendly Roman Era cocktail bar throughout the 1960s.

Its the over-the-top racism of Cafe Ole, the "Latin lounge" that replaced The Columns in April 1971. "Come out smelling like a Rosa!" Que lastima!

As mentioned above, while not meant to be "gay", it was quickly popular enough with gay men to be listed in a few national gay guides- see below. (Note the advertisement to right mentions only waitresses- but the webmaster can attest to the shirtless Centurion male waiters!)

Listings in early "Gay Guides": (For more information on the Guides, click here.)

1963, Lavendar Baedeker   History of the Baedeker Guides   Index	1964, "Directory 43"   Title Page   Introduction	1966 Male World Guide     Index, excerpt