Milwaukee Wisconsin

Shaker’s Cigar Bar

“Since we are stuck where we were murdered, might as well interact and have some fun!”

“I still enjoy being here, even though I can’t drink or smoke.”

“I moved inside because this is a great place to play!”

DESCRIPTION

Oh My! The atmosphere of this place knocks the socks off! Stepping inside this genuine, 1920s bar feels like we just stepped back in time. Yet, none of the architecture or antiques/antiquities are original. For example, the tin ceiling originally came from the torn down Plankinton Mansion.

The beautiful long bars and much of the rich, dark woodwork were brought in to recreate an upscale establishment with class and elegance, making Shaker’s Cigar Bar more beautiful than it ever originally was in reality.

shaker's-cigar-paranormal The front part of the first floor is for smoking and drinking. Shaker’s prides itself on its many vintage brown alcoholic spirits and wines, even Absinthe, to go along with its fine offering of cigars.

Death in the Absinthe cocktails are made of Prosecco, European Absinthe and proprietary bitters in their own sugar cubes.

Shaker’s Cigar Bar have an outside source brew their name-brand beer, such as Shaker’s Ghost Ale, and Shadow People Lager.

The back part of the first floor is the cafe-style, restaurant area that also has a wooden bar, lovely wooden tables, and large mirrors on the west and east wall. There is also an outside dining area.

Sometime after the current owner, Bob Weiss, bought the business, the whole third floor area was turned into the Shaker’s Penthouse, right in a hotspot of paranormal activity.

For $365.00 a night, guests were invited to stay in the heart of the old brothel and hopefully experience the paranormal activity from a mischievous young female spirit who met a bad end and was entombed there. The Penthouse has been closed since 2019, probably for remodeling.

Meanwhile, Bob Weiss has branched out, running other tours in other places. Visit the website to get more information.

HISTORY

This four story structure along with a row of buildings was built IN 1894 on land that was once a cemetery with an orchard behind it. It was designed to be a Schlitz Brewery cooperage house where Schlitz built huge wooden barrels built for brewing beer, and transporting Milwaukee’s favorite form of alcohol!

In 1905, the building was put back on the real estate market and was sold to be used as a distribution center.

In 1922, Al Capone bought the building to set up one of his Milwaukee Speakeasies. (Another one his Speakeasies was set up in the Brumder Mansion). The legal front business was supposedly “The ABC Soda Company,”an innocent bottling Soda Pop outfit. Not! They were in reality importing booze from Canada, brought over Lake Michigan in beer barrels.

In the back was the Speakeasy run by Mob enforcers, not known for their forgiving nature. It was the full sports package, including illegal booze, gambling in the basement, and the ladies of course in a large brothel on the second and third floors.

These prostitutes were all teenage girls, young and beautiful, and sure to be irresistible to clients. Using underage girls was common in Prohibition Speakeasies in Milwaukee. As Milwaukee has long been a favorite place for conventions, this brothel was active until 1945.

Throughout the years, many bar establishments were open for business at this location, providing beer and drinks to local workers who were employed by businesses in the Warehouse District.

The Shaker’s Cigar Bar came into being when Bob Weiss bought the building in 1986. He soon learned that the building was already occupied by spirits. Some were mischievous, some were friendly, and some were surly or grumpy when disturbed.

“When I opened up in 1986, almost out of the gate we had contractors – otherwise rational people – starting to talk about their experiences here. The staff, again almost out of the gate, had talked about things taking place,” said owner Weiss. “You can talk to any of the staff and they’ve got myriad experiences that are as fresh as yesterday or last week that take place.”

When he decided to renovate the third floor room, now known as the penthouse, they found a female skeleton in the wall. Uh oh!

While Weiss bought the place to create a bar with a 1930s flavor, he decided to use these spectral residents as assets, putting them to work so to speak, while providing entertainment for these same spirits as well.

Friday and Saturday nights are hopping! Patrons partake in the bar’s “island-inspired fare, absinthe and prohibition-era cocktails and also take the entertaining ‘ghost tours’.”

“Most Fridays and Saturdays we do five or six tours,” said Weiss. “I suppose it’s easy to paint this as some sort of charlatanism, but there’s no strings attached. It’s not a Disney ride; we don’t dummy anything up, and there’s not anyone jumping out at you. It’s all authentic, historical things that can all be documented.”

History of Manifestations

Bob Weiss and his team did some research to find out the identities of some of the resident spirits, and the causes of their deaths.

It is a bad idea to build on top of a cemetery or graves.

Cincinnati Music Hall, OH (This beautiful building was built right on top of a mass burial ground for paupers, disease victims and the insane asylum that once stood here).

El Campo Santo Cemetery, CA (Buildings and roads were built over part of a large graveyard).

Shaker’s Cigar Bar, WI (When they constructed this 1894 building, a graveyard was already there, so they just built on top of it without removing the remains. The spirits from this graveyard are not very happy with the living).

Spirits who are connected to land before anything is built on it, sometimes will move into whatever new structure is constructed on it.

Custer House, ND (When Custer’s House was rebuilt on the exact land where it once stood, spirits moved right in, happy as can be).

Capitol Record Building, TN (Two elderly spirits moved into this building as their beloved home once was located here).

Shaker’s Cigar Bar, WI (There was an apple orchard located behind the graveyard before construction of the Shaker Cigar Bar took place. A young girl fell from a tree and broke her neck and died).

Prostitution has long been in a risky profession. The spirits of women in this profession who were murdered often are restless, wanting justice and perhaps are afraid to go to the other side.

The Dumas Brothel Bed and Breakfast, ND (A prostitute was brutally killed in her crib in the basement).

O’Henry’s Roadhouse Building, IL (A young prostitute was beaten to death).

Shaker’s Cigar Bar, WI (One 16-year-old teen prostitute was brutally hacked to death by a disgruntled and perhaps jealous client, who himself may have wound up in Lake Michigan wearing cement shoes. Or perhaps she may have offended a mobster with a temper issue).

Often in speakeasies, unforgiving enforcers hired by the mob were in charge of security. Serious transgressions of the rules got offenders a ticket to be executed.

The Rex, MT (A bartender who was skimming from the mob’s gambling winnings was killed by the enforcer).

Brumder Mansion, WI (An Italian gambler tried to cheat in a card game and suffered the consequences).

Shaker’s Cigar Bar, WI (At least two men were killed in the basement; one over a card game).

People who enjoyed an establishment while alive, sometimes don’t let being in spirit-form get in the way of enjoying their favorite spot as well as they can without a body.

Brothers Sebastian’s Steak House and Winery, NE (A spectral patron isn’t letting the fact that he is a spirit stop him from enjoying himself).

Hangman Tree Ice Cream Saloon, CA (Spirits enjoy ice cream by being near the living as they eat dessert).

Shaker’s Cigar Bar, WI (Past patrons in spirit form still enjoy coming to Shaker’s to watch and sense the drinking, cigar smoking and perhaps the dining here).

Restless spirits have been known to volunteer at a job to help the living.

Lucky’s Tavern, FL (The spirit of a dead gangster is the volunteer floor manager, and boy is he strict).

Brumder Mansion, WI (A spectral security crew who used to work for the Speakeasy here now are providing their services for free; keeping out negative spirits and keeping an eye on people like Ghost Hunters).

Shaker’s Cigar Bar, WI (Spirits in the basement love to participate in Ghost Tours).

MANIFESTATIONS

General Paranormal Activity

Owner Bob Weiss:

“Ghosts, Shadow People, full apparitions, extreme sudden cold, a fog over your head, the sensation of the building swaying, a sensation of imminent harm, voices, knocking, doors opening/locking, faucets turning on, lights coming on, going off—that’s just for starts… I have over 30 years of stories. Come take my tours.”

The Spirit of young Elizabeth

She died after falling out of a tree.

Her apparition has been seen in the bathroom several times.

She gets her chuckles by knocking on the stall doors, giving the occupants a fright.

Some women in the stalls have seen a pair of a girl’s legs with 19th Century shoes on the feet.

The Spirit of Murdered Prostitute

This spirit likes to enjoy the Penthouse, when she isn’t restless from being murdered.

She may try to communicate with the living who rent the room hoping for a paranormal experience.

Better be careful what you wish for; you just might get it.

She may turn the lights on and off, play with the TV, speak to guests, touch them, move items, or doing anything to let them know that she is there. She could be lonely, wanting attention or she may cry.

Many scared guests have turned in the key after spending just an hour and a half in the Penthouse.

The Spirits in the basement

They seem to be territorial of this space but have some fun at the expense of the living. They enjoy the parlor games, like divining rods and recorders that pick up EVPs.

Beer delivery folks and some Federal Officers have picked up on the heavy negative energy there that gives off a strong uncomfortable feeling of not being wanted.

Federal Officers and Police Officers like to come to Shaker’s. On one occasion, two Federal Officers pulled their guns when going down the steps to the basement for some reason, feeling the dense energy.

When the beer delivery man came to drop off the beer in the basement and collect the empty bottles, he became scared and hightailed it back up the steps after delivering the beer.

Active Male Spirit in Basement

This male spirit was seen wearing overalls. One female tour participant saw this spirit for a minute in the basement.

This spirit is thought to be the one who cooperates with tour guides and works the divining rods, saying yes or no.

The Spirit Patrons of Shaker’s Cigar Bar

Apparently the staff have all had experiences with spirits who still enjoy Shaker’s Cigar Bar.

They may enjoy watching other living people drink, smoke and eat; perhaps reliving their good times through the living’s energy.

PARANORMAL FINDINGS

The staff, owners, penthouse guests, and patrons have experienced the full sport package of paranormal activity throughout the years, since the late 1800s.

Guests who have gone on Shaker’s Ghost Tours have had real experiences, sometimes for the first time, thanks to the cooperative gents in the basement area.

One site on the internet reports the Shaker’s Cigar Bar has become a “Haven for ghost hunters.” Many groups have investigated here with promising results, though I couldn’t find anything shared with the public online.

STILL HAUNTED?

Big Yes Indeed!

There have been boatloads of experiences reported at this location by patrons, penthouse guests and the staff and owner of this fine establishment. Special paranormal events, as well as the every week tours, haven’t left participants disappointed!

Al Capone set up Speakeasies all over Milwaukee, wanting to get a piece of the profit pie selling alcohol, sex and gaming to vice-loving people in Milwaukee who hated Prohibition, yearned to take a chance, and be sexually satisfied.

Speakeasies are notorious for being haunted because of all the pain, pleasure, and loss of life that happened in these Mob-controlled establishments.

LOCATION

422 South Second Street,
Milwaukee, WI 53204

Shaker’s Cigar Bar is located in the historic Walkers Point area that is also the Milwaukee’s Historic Warehouse District. Shaker’s Cigar Bar is sitting on the part of 2nd Street that runs north/south between West Virginia Street and West Florida Street.

milwaukee