There’s an old adage that says friends should never go into business together, but Mary Moran and Kellie Hitchcock defied that 15 years ago. Since 2010, the two longtime pals have co-owned and operated Spanky’s Hideway, a bar and restaurant in Mequon.

“A lot people said in the beginning that this may not end up well,” says Moran, who lives upstairs from the bar. “But we’ve always had the steadfast rule to bring up issues or concerns right away, and we’ve remained very, very good friends.”

Spanky’s, 5208 W. County Line Road, is located in a residential area along the border that’s shared by Brown Deer and Mequon as well as Milwaukee and Ozaukee counties. The structure was built in the late 19th century and may have been a brothel at one time. Prior to Spanky’s Hideway, it was Howard's Pub & Grill.

“Originally, there wasn’t a kitchen, just one huge oval bar,” says Moran.

Spanky's kitchen is integral to the business today. The large menu boasts about 15 different sandwiches, burgers, ribs, fried chicken, stir-fries, salads, soups, wraps and many appetizers, including chicken wings (wings are 75 cents during weekday happy hour from 3 to 7 p.m.), nachos, cheese curds, spinach artichoke dip, shrimp cocktail, escargot and more.

“Almost everything is made from scratch,” says Moran. 

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Spanky’s Friday fish fry menu is extensive, featuring baked or breaded cod; pan or deep fried perch; grilled or panfied walleye; breaded shrimp; a sampler platter; and a weekly fish special depending on what customers request. All of the fish fries come with a choice of potato pancakes, cole slaw or rye bread. 

“Last week we had bluegill, and next week we'll have catfish,” says Moran.

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The most popular menu item, however, is the super-cheesy homemade French onion soup served with garlic bread rounds. The soup is also served with a scissors on the side – something we'd never seen before – so diners can, literally, cut the cheese.

“We go through gallons of our French onion soup a week," says Moran.

On the bar side, Spanky’s serves a lot of canned and tap beer, but also has a strong wine list and cocktail menu.

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Spanky’s has free pool on Saturdays and Sundays from 4 p.m. to close. The bar also hosts pool leagues, bags and horshoes in the summer, karaoke, trivia, music bingo and live music.

The vibe is friendly and neighborly, with hints of humor throughout. For Eastertime, there’s a large rabbit wearing sunglasses; the corner of the bar has a sign reading "corner of useless knowledge"; the ceiling trim is lined with tiny figurines brought in by customers.

“It started when a customer took the plastic army men from our kids' area and put them up,” says Moran. “Since then, when none of us are paying attention, customers will put little animals – cats, parrots, penguins – all around the bar. They make a good conversation piece.” 

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Moran credits the staff for Spanky’s ongoing success.

"Over 90 percent of our staff have been here the past 10 years. In fact, everyone returned after Covid," says Moran. “We are truly blessed to have such a dedicated and supportive staff that we consider our extended family."

As for the name, Spanky is the nickname of Hitchcock’s husband, Bob. Hitchcock has been in the service industry since she was 15 years old. Moran has a history of service industry work, and worked in real estate for 15 years prior to opening Spanky’s. She has no doubt she made the right decision.

"The biggest thing for me is talking to all the people. This is a family establishment. Everyone is accepting and welcome here," says Moran. "It makes coming downstairs to work every day a lot of fun."

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Spanky's is open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight or later, depending on the customer flow. Food is served from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Follow Spanky's Hideaway on Facebook here.