The Kollege Klub was founded in 1953 by Jack Meier and his sons John and Jim. It replaced the Campus Soda Grill, a longtime student hangout dating back to the 1930s. The Kollege Klub was known for its iconic UW rowing shell that hung above the bar.

It's not clear how, why or when the Kollege Klub became a gay hangout, but it was listed in various national gay guides starting with the earliest in 1963 and 1964 and ending after the 1973-74 guides: so it likely became popular with gay men early on, until its relocation in 1972. (Five different national guides contribute to that date range.) However the bar was never named in any Wisconsin LGBT publications of the 60s-70s (that we have found).

Codes included in the various national gay guides reveal a little more: 1964 "beer bar", 1969 "Collegiate, Beer, popular spot", 1973 "Very mixed, popular spot", and 1971, 1974 "(Male) (Young and/or Collegiate types)". One of the photos we have of the business displays a sign which also reads "Snacks" and another shows dining booths, so it obviously had food available at some point.

The Klub was displaced in 1972 by the construction of the Library Mall. After relocating to the corner of Lake and Langdon Streets, the Kollege Klub seems to have fallen out of favor with gay men. It’s likely that the opening of the Back Door, the Pirate Ship, and other "community first" gay bars were more attractive to the Stonewall Generation than the earlier, more mixed venues.

The Kollege Klub was renovated (for the first time) in 2011. It remains open today, under the fourth generation of Meier family leadership- but is not recognized as an LGBTQ bar at this location.