Paul Burgess loves the music, films and culture of the mid-1980s. So much so, he created his first bar, restaurant and lounge to honor the era.
Summer of ’85, located at 2213 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in the Bronzeville neighborhood, aims to transport guests back to what Burgess decribes as "the decade of decades.” And he's not playing.
Every inch of the two-story establishment is a visual nod to a sweet spot in the ‘80s, from a boombox neon to bold street art to a compelling replica of the flux capacitor. Plus, Run-DMC, Eddie Murphy, Max Headroom, My Little Pony, Leroy Green, The Karate Kid and more cultural references pop out from the walls.
Burgess – who owns the bar with his wife, Julie Lukas – says he was particularly inspired by '80s films.
“In 1984, ‘Ghostbusters,’ 'Karate Kid,’ ‘Beverly Hills Cop,’ ‘Purple Rain,’ ‘Gremlins,’ ‘Back to the Future,’ ‘Nightmare on Elm Street,’ all came out in the same year. This has never happened again. It was such a blockbuster, monumental year,” says Burgess.
“The culture from these movies, the soundtracks from these movies, the lingo, the dance movies, the fashion. It was brewing and brewing and brewing, and it fully emerged by the summer of ’85.”
Burgess, who grew up in Milwaukee’s Central City and graduated from Rufus King High School, always had very eclectic taste in ‘80s music.
“I was listening to Run-DMC and LL Cool J, but I was also listening to Aerosmith and Bon Jovi. Those I played real low on my headphones. I kept my interest in bands like that under wraps,” says Burgess. “But as I grew, I realized I was good with it. I didn’t want to fit into any one box.”
Summer of '85, not surprisingly, features an ‘80s-themed drink and food menu. The cocktail names include a Karamel Chameleon, Ice Man, The Firestarter, "I'll Be Back" and The 16th Candle. Plus, there are mocktail options and a secret drink menu that has to be requested.
The kitchen serves entrees like the Dojo, inspired by the Karate Kid, Totally Tubular Tacos and Hulk Hoagie, named after the late Hulk Hogan. There are also a variety of appetizers and desserts.
Summer of '85 houses an old school arcade featuring vintage games like NBA Jam, Mortal Kombat and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Pac-Man also makes his way into the decor.
Burgess and Lukas opened Summer of ’85 to the public on Sept. 4. The process was long and arduous – but worth it.
“I get paralysis from overanalysis. I need things to be right from the lines of the chairs to the direction of the lighting to the sauce shakers' style, stuff like that,” says Burgess, who has decades of service industry experience under his belt, and formerly worked at Brownstone, Skybox Sports Bar, MKE Daiquiri and more. “But that makes me – and hopefully my bar – unique.”
Live music, DJs and special events are already in the entertainment mix, and Burgess and Lukas have many plans for the future, including a karaoke room and a hip hop trivia night. But for now, they're letting it breathe and grow.
"This place is our first baby," says Burgess. “And we've built a solid foundation, but now it's time to see what kind of life it takes on of its own."
Summer of '85 is open Sunday through Wednesday from 4 p.m. to midnight and Thursday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Follow the restaurant and lounge on Instagram and Facebook.
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.
