New plans for former Punch Bowl Social space include food and drink, entertainment, retail

Milwaukee-based Bars & Recreation — which owns a handful of Milwaukee bars including Amped, Axe MKE, NorthSouth Club and Nine Below — has proposed a new concept for the former Punch Bowl Social space in the Deer District.

The proposal is for the 24,500-square-foot space to be transformed into The New Fashioned, which will bring "local food and drink favorites, immersive entertainment and a curated retail marketplace," and will feature "local traditions, rediscovered in a modern state-of-the-art facility," according to a news release from Bars & Rec.

“It will be a must-visit destination for Milwaukee locals and tourists alike," Marla Poytinger, CEO of Bars & Recreation, said in the release sent out on Wednesday.

Poytinger is in discussions with area restauranteurs to partner on the project, according to the release.

Bars & Recreation also filed a liquor license application with the city of Milwaukee on Wednesday, where it listed its anticipated opening date as March 13.

The application said The New Fashioned plans to be a full service restaurant, tavern and bowling alley. It anticipated its sales would be made up of 35% food, 32% entertainment, 27% alcohol and 6% merchandise.

The new concept will move in after Punch Bowl Social permanently closed in October. It was riddled with financial issues coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Colorado-based parent company announced foreclosure in March 2020.

A new ownership group took over Punch Bowl Social and reopened the Milwaukee location in March 2022. Fourteen Punch Bowl Social locations remain open, according to its website.

Deer District Guide: A guide to restaurants and bars around Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Former Milwaukee Punch Bowl Social space to open as The New Fashioned