Nite Beat (Milwaukee Lesbian Bar/1959-1974) vintage pep boys it was one of the

it was one of the first in-bar leather stores in the nation

It wasn’t about dance-floor hits or bar-top small talk

and the undeniable power of women creating a space for themselves

Norma Tanega was one of those rare artists who seemed to live slightly sideways from the rest of the world—in the best way

and memorized digits passed hand to hand

Nite Beat (Milwaukee Lesbian Bar/1959-1974) vintage pep boys it was one of theNite Beat Milwaukee T Shirt Back in April 1959, Nite Beat opened at 901 W. National Ave under owners Stan and Carrie, determined to give women a sanctuary when safe was a fragile idea. Through a few moves including a stretch at 196 S. 2nd Street through the early 60s it became one of the earliest lesbian bars in the city, known for its tough crowd, no nonsense atmosphere, and as a rare place where women who loved women could show up and just be. The