Relatively little is known about The Regency East, except that it was a semi-elegant bar in a less-than-elegant neighborhood 'where car break-ins and muggings were common'.

Even the address is confused in the scarce LGBT documentation. The first 'gay' listing we've been able to locate is in the 1964 national 'gay guide' "Directory 43", where it is listed as being at 1400 N. Water St. But all later guides typically listed it as being at 1840 N. Water St., the current site of the Red Lion Pub. A single 1970 national gay guide (Bob Damron's) lists it at 1758 N. Water St, so we speculate that the bar may have moved around a bit, or addresses were given to these national directories incorrectly at times. However, everyone who remembers the bar places it in what was to become well known by Milwaukeeans as 'the Trocadero' bar, which is the 1758 N. Water St. location which we believe to be accurate.

According to various contributors, the bar may have originally been run by George Defenbach(sp). It's said that while the level of alcohol in bottles went down as drinks were poured throughout the day, by night shift all the bottles were full again, and thus drinks became tastless & business went elsewhere. Another contributor remembers it being run by Dick Shannon, and they say one of his bartenders was named George, who opened the Ten Hundred East Bar about 1970. (Are these the same 'George'?)

The building was built in 1890 by the Schlitz Brewing Company as one of the earliest examples of brewery-owned bars. The location already had a growing East side neighborhood of residences, but also was within easy walking distance of a number of tanneries (including Galun right across the street), providing a ready customer base of thirsty workers. It had a steady series of different names (such as Pleasant House, East Side Bar, Young Bachelor's Tavern, and Mr. B's), sometimes as bar and other times including food.

An excellent history of the building was the subject of one of Bobby Tanzilo's 'Urban Spelunking' articles on the OnMilwaukee website. In that article, Tanzilo indicates a seriess of quick turn-arounds for the location:

In 1950, the tavern was operating as the East Side Bar, with Joseph Brunetta at the helm, before William tried his hand at running it, beginning that summer. However, by 1952, Pecoraro had returned... Although the bar was listed for rent again in the mid-50s, Pecoraro was running it until Biro Laszlo arrived and dubbed it Young Bachelor’s Tavern, who gave way in 1961 to Sam Cefalu, who appears to have called it Mr. B’s Tavern. In 1962, Jack Costa and Jeffery Guenther operated it briefly as Jack and Jeff’s Tavern. From 1965 until the end of the decade, Richard (Dick) Shannon ran it as a gay bar, calling it Regency East Lounge."

After it was the gay Regency East Lounge, the building became well known first as 'Little Caesar's Cocktail Lounge' (1970-1976), then 'Under the Bridge' (1976-1984).

During the year 2000, the upstairs (then known as 'Red Light') once again became 'gay' on Thursday nights as 'Babylon', one of a series of traveling or pop-up LGBT venues collectively known as 'Pump!'.

The location is best remembered today as 'Trocadero' mainstream bar and restaurant, which operated from 2001-2017. (See above article for more info.)

More information about this business is welcomed from anyone who can contribute it.

Recollections: The following are recollections of others who have been kind enough to submit their personal memories to the webmaster. You are welcome to do the same!

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

1964, "Directory 43"   Title Page   Introduction Listed as 1400 N. Water St.	1964 Lavender Baedeker Guide   History of Baedeker Guides Listed as 1840 N. Water St.	1966 Bob Damron's Address Book     Publisher note Listed as 1840 N. Water St. Notes: PE = "Pretty Elegant"
1966 International Guild Guide     Title pg   Editors note Listed as 1840 N. Water St. Notes: Semi E = "Semi Elegant"	1967 International Guild Guide     Title pg Listed as 1840 N. Water St. Notes: Gay	1968 Bob Damron's Address Book     Title pg   Editors note   Codes Listed as 1758 N. Water St. Notes: * = "Very Popular"
1969 International Guild Guide     Title pg   Editors note   Codes Listed as 1840 N. Water St. Notes: Gay	1970 Bob Damron's Address Book Listed as 1758 N. Water St. Notes: YC = "Young and/or collegiate types"

Photo as 'Little Caesar's Pizzarea' (1970-1976)	Photos as 'Under The Bridge' (1976-1984)
Photos as 'Trocadero' (2001-2017)