History of Gay and Lesbian Life in Wisconsin - Businesses - Bars and Clubs (Milw.)

 
PUMP!
Location: (various- see below), Milwaukee WI

Opened:
Closed:

approx December 2002
approx 2008
Clientele:

Male/ Female
Dance/ Lounge

 

 
       
 

'PUMP!' was a series of one-night-a-week 'gay' pop-up bar events hosted at various other business locations on various nights, when the host bar's normal business was low.

The business had a generous advertising budget (probably necessary as it moved around based on day of week end over time), which included many hand-out cards scattered around the city's bars. None of these cards in our possession showed the year of a given event, so additional research is needed in contemporary LGBT periodicals to nail down dates and locations of operation.

Locations and nights of business included: (Additional events were held one-time-only to capitalize on 2006 Pridefest weekend nights or other special dates.)

  • PUMP! -- Sundays at Three Lounge, 722 N. Milwauklee St. (2002-2007)
  • PUMP! -- Sundays at Decibel, 1901 E. North Ave. (basement of Beans & Barley) (2008)
  • 'Serve Chilled' -- Wednesdays at Good Life, 1935 N. Water St. (2004, 2007)
  • Rouge -- Wednesdays at Balzac Wine Bar, 1716 N. Arlington (2006)
  • Babylon -- Thursdays at Red Light/ Trocadero, 1758 N. Water St. (October 2006- August 2008)
  • Babylon -- Thursdays at Moct, 240 E. Pittsburgh St. (October 2008-?)
  • Bent -- First Fridays at Three Lounge, 722 N. Milwaukee St. (2007)
  • 'Pumped with Pride' -- single event at Moct, 240 E. Pittsburgh (2007)

The webmaster was never impressed by these attempts to draw business. While they were sometimes popular as a single-night-a-week event, and usually when other LGBT bars were slow anyway, we consider it preying on the LGBT customer base and removing one night's revenue from the genuine LGBT bars in the city on those nights.

Ad, Boat Party
(August 2004)
 
Ad, Drag Review
(Sept. 2005)
 
Ad, Pridefest events by PUMP!
(June 2006)
 
Article: Babylon celebrates First Anniversary at Red Light/ Trocadero
(OutBound vol. 5-10, October 2006)
 
Article: Fourth anniversary of PUMP!
(OutBound vol. 5-12, Dec. 2006)
 
Ad: PUMP! events including Babylon, etc.
(OutBound vol. 6-02, Feb. 2007)
 
Ad, Events and Locations
(May-June 2007)
 
Ad, Pumped with Pride: Pridefest weekend event at Moct
(June 2007)
 
Flyer: Grand Pride weekend finale
(June 2008)
 
Ad: 'Pump' events
(OutBound vol. 7-01, January 2008)
 
Article: 'Babylon' now continues at Moct; PUMP on Sundays at Decibel
(OutBound vol. 7-10, October 2008)
 
Bar listings showing Babylon and PUMP!
(OutBound vol. 7-10, October 2008)
 
Article: 'Pump Sunday night is going strong at Decibel'
(basement of Beans & Barley on East side)
1901 E. North Ave.
(OutBound vol. 7-09, Sept. 2008)
 
Ad, Grand Opening party for Intermezzo bar
Wine & Martini lounge, 703 S. 2nd St.
(date unknown)
 

 
Photos: Babylon/ Red Light
(OutBound vol. 6-01, January 2007)
 
Promotional card, Babylon
(date unknown)
 
Article: Babylon/ Red Light on Thursdays has ended
(OutBound vol. 7-09, August 2008)
 
 


PUMP!- Every Sunday ad
(date unknown)

 


PUMP!- handout card
(date unknown)

 


Ad
(date unknown)
 

Credits: web site concept, contents, design and arrangement by Don Schwamb.
Last updated: July-2022.

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