The aniticipated opening of Edith Cocktail Bar will take place tonight at 228 W. Wells St. in a space that, unbelievably, once housed a Subway.
Thick velvet curtains, warm-hued paint on the walls, plants, classic statues, candles / low lighting, stacks of books, a collection of vintage mirrors and a wide variety of seating for couples as well as small groups provide a casual-upscale look and feel. But the stand-out feature is a large antique dining room table in the center of the room.
The owner, Rhondi Love, is friendly and welcoming and adds to the warm ambiance. "My goal is for everyone to be comfortable here," she says.
Love, who was born and raised in Milwaukee and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, has been fascinated by cocktail making and cocktail lounge decor for her entire adult life. After a career as a Police Officer for the City of Brookfield and an employee of Sojourner, she always wanted to open her own cocktail lounge.
In 2021, after a visit to a tree house bar and distillery in Chattanooga, Tenn. she decided it was finally time.
"I'm excited. It's been a long time coming. We had some pushbacks, but we made it through and here we are," says Love.
The drink menu features 16 signature cocktails created in collaboration with Ira Koplowitz from Bittercube. Other mixed drinks and red and white wine are also available.
"Our focus is on ingredients that are good for the body – no preservatives, fresh herbs. We also have a lot of exotic spirits," she says.
The names of the cocktails reflect the vibe of the space: Crimson, Forbidden Fruit, Chapel, 1920, Unholy, Burning Love, Sir John and more.
During our visit, we sampled the Mother Mary which is a take on a White Negroni. The flavors were well balanced and served in a glass with a single square ice cube and an edible flower.
Although people often guess the "Edith" name comes from a relative of Love's, it's actually the name of the main character in a 2015 horror movie, "Crimson Peak."
In the future, Love plans to offer happy hour specials and maybe mellow live music, but for now, she sees it as a spot for people to stop by after work, while on a date, during a girls' night out or for other special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.
"This is a place for many different events. It's a mix of a lot of different things: dim lighting, fresh cocktails, a touch creepy, a combination of new and antique pieces but, most importantly, a place that's comfortable for all," says Love.
Edith Cocktail Bar is open Wednesday-Sunday from 5 p.m. to "late." Follow Edith 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.
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