Famed Major Goolsby's sports bar becomes a 'cop bar' and event space during the RNC.

Long-time sports bar Major Goolsby’s is in a sweet spot at the intersection of Kilbourn Avenue and Vel R. Phillips Avenue. It’s across the street from the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, a block away from Fiserv Forum and the Deer District, and a block away from the Milwaukee County Historical Society and Pere Marquette Park.

But all of those places sit behind tall metal fencing inside the hard security perimeter for the Republican National Convention.

Although Goolsby's is surrounded by the 'hard' security zone, it can be accessed by those without credentials due to a quirk in the map. Customers must walk in a corridor adjacent to the 'hard' security zone south on King Drive from State Street and then turn west on Kilbourn to the bar entrance.

The staff at Major Goolsby’s can see thousands of people walking past but not coming in because they decided to stay within the hard security zone.

“If we had been in the red zone, in the hard perimeter, I think it would have worked out a little bit better for us just because the people in there could access us a little bit easier,” manager Jessica Mullins said.

However, it hasn’t been difficult for the thousands of law enforcement and first responders in Milwaukee from the convention to get there.

“We have kind of become the cop bar,” Mullins said adding the restaurant gives uniformed first responders and military 50% off discounts. “So we have had almost all the police, all day, every day, coming in, so that has helped tremendously,”

The restaurant has booked events each evening and night of the convention.

“Our nighttime parties have been awesome,” Mullins said adding the Virginia-based Cornerstone Group, a conservative political group, has booked the facility four times during the convention. “For not being from Wisconsin, they definitely can drink more than I thought they’d be able to."

Mullins said Major Goolsby’s had a party on Tuesday that had 400 people.

“That made it all worth it,” Mullins said.

The restaurant typically is busiest during the hockey and basketball season with fans from the Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Admirals, Marquette Golden Eagles and UW-Milwaukee Panthers.

Summer is typically the slow season, but the convention has helped bring in money.

“At the end of the day it was absolutely worth it,” Mullins said.