Restoring Classic Bars and Restaurants Requires a Light Touch

John Dye is the owner of Bryant’s Cocktail Lounge, Jazz Estate and At Random in Milwaukee.

My 30 years in the restaurant business has led me to a unique specialization: I restore and preserve historic cocktail lounges in Milwaukee, one of America’s most underrated cities.

My latest project involved purchasing and restoring At Random Cocktail Lounge, a gem of a mid-century cocktail lounge located in the Bay View neighborhood of...