Nicole's Third Ward Social, 333 Broadway St., has closed its doors in the Historic Third Ward.
The intimate cocktail and dessert lounge and live music venue, opened its doors in 2019 as a a collaboration between Red Elephant owner Richard Koenings and longtime industry veteran Jake Dehne.
Dehne says the venue, which was named for his wife Nicole, was forced to shutter after the landlord refused to renew their lease.
There's a chance the venue could reopen in a new location, Dehne says, noting that he's been keeping his eyes open for an appropriate space in either Brookfield or Downtown Milwaukee.
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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