RNC slow for Milwaukee businesses, other summer events pick up pace

MILWAUKEE - Thousands of people descended on Milwaukee for the 2024 Republican National Convention, but some businesses weren't feeling quite as big a rush as they expected.

Some businesses prospered, while others said they had a disappointing outcome.

"Monday was pretty busy. I was not expecting to be that busy," the Wicked Hop hostess Isai Aguilar said about business on Monday, July 22.

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Business was off to a great start this week after being hit with a slow down during the RNC.

"It's been pretty good. I'd say we're doing pretty well," Explorium Brew Pub general manager Micheal Schmidt said. "Sales were down pretty significantly. We expected it to be very busy, we like, upped in staff and it was just slower than usual."

Some saw a nearly 50% decrease in sales during the four-day event.

"Definitely didn't meet expectations at all," Schmidt said. "It was a disappointment."

The Wicked Hop had a similar experience.

"Last week was pretty much dead," Aguilar said. "Nobody wanted to come out and eat. It was just dead the whole time."

After a challenging week, they are finally seeing the light again.

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"We have been getting back again, back in business," Aguilar said. "This Monday and Tuesday we were pretty busy. The whole day, the whole time."

More people came to the city for other events, and businesses hope they will continue to do so.

"The Northwestern Mutual [conference] has been good. We had a couple big parties in here regularly," Schmidt said. "We expect to be busy for Harley-Davidson and the Air-Water Show."

An abundant outcome they are hopeful will continue through the rest of the summer.

"Expect great beer, great food and great service," Schmidt said.