Club closing due violence in the area

Silk on Water, a strip club located at 144 E. Juneau Ave. in the North Water Street bar district in downtown Milwaukee, announced Friday that it will temporarily close, effective immediately, saying shootings, gun violence and other serious public safety incidents that have occurred in the area in recent years have created an environment in which the business “is no longer comfortable putting its employees and customers at risk.”

“This is a decision we never wanted to make, but there comes a point when you have to put people ahead of business,” Silk on Water said in a news release announcing the closure. “Our employees matter. Our customers matter. Their safety comes before revenue.”

Silk on Water says it has “invested significant resources” in security, but “even extensive private security cannot adequately address violence and disorder occurring throughout the surrounding entertainment district.”

“We can control what happens inside our establishment and immediately around our property. We cannot control what happens several doors down, across the street or as our employees and customers walk to their cars,” Silk on Water said in the news release. “No individual business can solve a public safety problem that extends throughout an entertainment district.”

Silk on Water said it hopes its decision to close temporarily will underscore the urgency of addressing the continuing public safety problems affecting businesses, residents, employees and visitors in the Water Street bar district.

“We want downtown Milwaukee to succeed, and we want to be part of that success,” Silk on Water said in its news release. “But a vibrant entertainment district begins with people believing they can come downtown, enjoy themselves and get home safely.

A rising number of businesses in the North Water Street bar district have closed in recent years including: Duke’s on Water, Varsity, AJ Bombers and Vagabond.

Silk on Water said it is calling for the city of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Police Department, elected officials, property owners and neighboring businesses to work together on immediate, measurable steps to improve safety in the district.

“Those efforts should include an increased and highly visible police presence during peak nightlife hours, coordinated security among businesses and law enforcement, targeted youth outreach and engagement, and meaningful enforcement against illegal weapons, violence and disorder,” it said in the news release.

Silk on Water said it is prepared to participate in those discussions and work with public officials and neighboring businesses on solutions.

“This is not about pointing fingers,” the business said. “It is about recognizing that what we are doing today is not enough. We need solutions, accountability and measurable improvement.”

Silk on Water said it plans to reassess the situation in early November, including reviewing steps taken by city officials and law enforcement and whether there has been “meaningful improvement” in public safety in the Water Street district.

“We want to reopen,” the business said. “We want our employees back at work. We want to welcome our customers back through our doors. But we need to be confident that reopening is the responsible thing to do.

“We would rather temporarily close our doors and lose revenue than remain open and have the next act of violence involve one of our employees or guests. That is a risk we are no longer willing to take.”