Campbell's Irish Pub, at 4068 S. Howell Ave., which had been featured on the "Bar Rescue" makeover TV show, has closed.
The Tippecanoe neighborhood bar, which operated for nearly a quarter-century – mostly as Packy's in honor of co-owner Patrick "Packy" Campbell – was renamed during its makeover for its television close-up eight years ago.
"I had it up for sale for four years," Campbell says. "After 36 years in the bar business it was time."
While Campbell isn't retiring – "not yet," he says, "I'll be around" – he says he's not yet sure what's next.
After a going-away party was held last weekend, Campbell's stopped serving its beloved Packy's wings (some of which, once upon a time, were Bushmills-glazed) on April 27.
The building was listed for sale in 2017 and just recently sold for $325,000 to Guaves Homes, whose Hector Espinoza told Urban Milwaukee that he does not expect the building will house another tap.
Packy's/Campbell's was long a local favorite, serving full Irish breakfast on Sundays and hosting one of the most popular St. Patrick's Day celebrations in town.
May the wind be always at your back, Packy.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
.jpeg)
