The Flame was an LGBT bar briefly in 1973. We have very little information about the bar from that time.

According to a 2017 article about the bar's next life, as the bar "Just Art's" (on the OnMilwaukee website), present owner Art Guenther related:

"Just Art's was originally a gay bar called The Flame which closed in the '70s after a fire. "I always found it 'interesting' that a bar called The Flame caught on fire," says Guenther.

The damaged building sat vacant for a few years until Guenther was hired to repair the roof and perform other carpentry duties. He decided to buy the bar-- originally with three other people, who all decided not to pursue the purchase. Hence, Guenther bought the bar in 1980 by himself and aptly named it "Just Art's Saloon."

Although the above article mentions that "The Flame" closed due to a fire, we have other information that the building held another LGBT bar, named Dionysus, about a year later: around 1974- although it apparently used the address 183 S. 2nd Street. Further research is needed to confirm these dates and bar names.

Note in the photos here (taken in 2006) the front part of the building is a single story, with the back portion being 2 floors. We believe the entire building was a 2-story building when it opened as "The Flame". The subsequent fire referred to above likely gutted the forward part of the second story, so that the building was reduced to a single floor at the street when it was subsequently repaired.

Outside of building, October 2006 (photo by Don Schwamb; facing WNW)	Outside of building, October 2006 (photo by Don Schwamb; facing WestE)	Outside of building, October 2006 (photo by Don Schwamb; facing WSW)