A weekend shooting seems to have been the last straw for Pure, 162 W. Wisconsin Ave. Westown Association executive director Ellen Winters received a call today from Marv Berg, the owner of the downtown nightclub Pure, saying he was calling it quits.

According to Winters, Berg "expressed his dismay at the events that have taken place at his club in the last few days and informed me that he has willingly surrendered his Class "B" license to (downtown police) Captain Haynes and he is closing down the club effective immediately."

Said Winters, "He apologized for the negative effects Pure has had on the Westown neighborhood and hoped that we would be able to recover from the negative PR this latest incident may bring." 

Downtown leaders held an urgent meeting on Monday at 10 a.m. at the Milwaukee Downtown, B.I.D. #21 offices at 600 E. Wells St. to discuss multiple early Saturday morning shootings allegedly involving patrons of the downtown nightclub. Representatives from the Police Department, the Milwaukee County Sheriff's office, the mayor's office, neighborhood residents and downtown Ald. Bob Bauman were in attendance.  

Reports indicate that two people were shot in the alley across Plankinton Avenue from Rock Bottom Brewery at about 1:30 a.m. on Saturday. The Milwaukee Police Department confirmed that one person was treated and released. The other victim was in stable condition at Froedert Hospital, as of Saturday afternoon. Witnesses in area buildings said they heard up to six shots and OnMilwaukee.com learned Sunday that many residents in the downtown neighborhood were already calling for Pure to be shut down immediately. 

Pure opened to rave reviews and controversy in 2002, and had its liquor license temporarily suspended by the Utilities and Licenses Committee in January 2004. There is no word on whether the club will relocate although early rumors have suggested that Berg will relocate his club to his native Detroit.