Get ready to soak up more bar articles, imbibable stories and cocktailing content, brought to by Miller Lite. For more of our Bar stories click here!
The vintage Miller sign still hangs from the facade of Lou's Lucky Penny, 739 W. St. Paul Ave. in Waukesha, but the interior – and the patio – are fresh, clean and modern.
Three years ago, husband-and-wife team Cindy Becher and Andy Marquardt bought the tavern, which was called Blue Ribbon and, before that, Crabby Joe's. The couple proceeded to remodel just about every inch of the building, including new paint, flooring, sinks, light fixtures, electric, windows, siding, roofing, HVAC and more.
"Many people have walked in and said they can't believe this is what it looks like now. Basically, everything is new," says Becher. "It was a very large investment."
Lou's also now boasts a sizeable patio that wraps around two sides of the building which increased summer business exponentially. Year 'round, the clientele is a mix of regulars who have been visiting the location for decades to people coming in for the first time.
"We also get a lot of customers who stop in on their way to or from going somewhere Downtown," says Becher.
For the most part, Lou's is a beer-and-a-shot tavern. They also sell a lot of tall boys and offer a small cocktail menu. On Tuesdays, tall boys are $2, which is a big hit. Packers games are well attended at Lou's and during the games they give away prizes and touchdown shots.
The food menu is more eclectic than the drink. Originally, Marquardt, who is also the day chef, wanted Lou's to specialize in burgers. And they do have a solid burger. But the customers have made it clear their favorite menu item is the wings. Lou's wings are breaded and available in eight different sauces or three rubs. They were voted Waukesha's No. 1 wings by Waukesha Eats.
Lou's offers 75-cent wing night on Tuesdays and Fridays which have become the busiest nights of the week. They've sold 700 wings in a single evening.
"People love our wings," says Becher. "They are very large. We are very picky about vendors and only have one or two that have very good-sized wings."
Lou's also has a Friday night fish fry that includes fried haddock and a choice of sides including potato pancakes, onion rings, fries or homemade cheesy potatoes.
"The cheesy potatoes are my mom's recipe," says Becher. "It's a good one. Tastes like a homemade side at a Thanksgiving dinner."
Every fish fry is also served with fry bread. Marquardt, who is Native American (there is also a Native figure on the penny in their logo), makes it daily. He also serves it with their chili and on Wednesdays, Lou's offers a fry bread taco special.
"It's been a big hit," says Marquardt.
Lou's kitchen is open late – until 1 or 2 a.m. nightly. This appeals to late-night partiers and second-shift workers in the area.
The name "Lou's Lucky Penny" has a multi-faceted origin. Cindy's mom calls her "Lou" – short for "Cindy Lou" – and the lucky penny part of the name comes from the Chris Stapleton song "Staring Over." The lyrics are "I can be your lucky penny/You can be my four leaf clover." Marquardt kept hearing that song right before he made the difficult decision to leave his longtime job as a machinist and buy the bar.
"It was a very big lifestyle change for Andy. He never imagined himself in the service industry and he was truly starting over," says Becher. "And, like the song, we need this to be our lucky penny and our four-leaf clover."
Becher, who has 20 years of bartending experience, says it was always her dream to own a bar "Up North." But when this opportunity came along, the couple decided to take it and bring a little northern Wisconsin to Waukesha.
"We have a hometown-bar feel here. If you come in by yourself, someone's going to talk to you," says Becher. "It's a very friendly place."
Lou's Lucky Penny opens daily at 11 a.m. and closes at 1 or 2 a.m. Follow Lou's on Facebook and Instagram.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
