This story was updated to reflect new developments effective April 10, 2019 at 2:15 p.m
Both venues have been dark for weeks; but there’s news on the horizon for both Bad Genie, 789 N. Jefferson St., and Phoenix Cocktail Club at 785 N Jefferson St.
After 10 years of operating bars together, Robert King and Ryan Bonen, the owners of Bad Genie and Phoenix Cocktail Club, have parted ways.
Bonen, who has retained ownership for both venues, says the popular Bad Genie bar has been closed temporarily to accommodate numerous much-needed cosmetic upgrades including a refresh of the bar’s upstairs restrooms and the replacement of a variety of fixtures.
Bonen noted that the ownership change also prompted the need to update numerous records with the city, further delaying the reopening.
Bonen says Bad Genie will reopen again yet this spring, but a firm date has not been set.
As for Phoenix Cocktail Club, which shut its doors in early March, Bonen initially expressed his intention to sell the property.
However, he retracted his initial statements in a phone conversation with OnMilwaukee this afternoon, noting that he has made the decision to retain the property and plans to reopen the bar. He did not indicate when those plans might come to fruition.
Watch for updates on both venues as information becomes available.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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