‘They’re our family’: Bar’s Friendsgiving tradition grows with Packers game

By A.J. Bayatpour

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    WEST ALLIS, Wisconsin (WDJT) — At the Brass Monkey tavern on Greenfield Ave., the lights were usually off on Thanksgiving. Bartender Jodi Cummings changed that.

Cummings said Thursday she pushed for the bar to stay open on the fall holiday. It was because her kids were grown and out of the house, and she wanted to have a place to go.

“I was alone, and I thought, ‘Nobody needs be alone on Thanksgiving,'” she said.

So, Cummings began a “Friendsgiving” tradition at the Brass Monkey either six or seven years ago. It began with a potluck dinner where customers brought a dish. Since then, it’s grown to where the kitchen opens to make a spread. Thursday’s featured turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn and green bean casserole.

The dozen or so customers seated around the bar were grateful to a place to go. Bernadette Jung said her son was away on military active duty in South Dakota, so she came with her mom and her close friend, Shannon Lokker.

“Jodi posted something [on social media] saying, ‘Come here as family and friendship,'” Jung said. “And we’re just like, ‘Yeah, let’s go.'”

Everyone had their own reason for coming into the tavern for at least part of their Thanksgiving. Some said it was to have a drink or two after having an early dinner with their families. Lokker said she didn’t want to keep her sons from doing their own things.

“I have two sons. One is old enough, he went with his friends to go to the Packers game, so he’s up in Green Bay right now,” she said. “And my other one was invited to by his friends out in Whitewater.”

For Garrett Schacht, it was a chance to keep the apron on the rack. He said he typically works the hibachi grill at the HuHot on Highway 100 and appreciated having the holiday off.

“Cooking is stressful sometimes,” he explained. “But on days off, you get to relax and have someone else cook for you.”

Of course, there was a little more spirit this year with the Packers playing a Thanksgiving night game. Schacht wore a Jordy Nelson jersey and kept on a green Packers winter hat the entire time.

“I am a Packers fan. I’m Wisconsin born and bred, love my Packers, love my football,” Lokker said.

Jung noted she’s originally from California and is a 49ers fan. At that point, Lokker pushed Jung’s face out the camera frame.

Getting past the playfulness, there was peace and gratitude. Lokker said she and Jung have spent other holidays together, and the Hales Corners resident said she’s found a community with others who frequent the tavern.

“It stings a little bit [to be alone on Thanksgiving] at first,” she said. “But when you realize you have so many other people that are in a similar situation that you can connect with beyond your normal situations, and I think it’s one of those things that it’s so endearing to realize that there’s just a community of people when you open yourself up a little bit.”

Cummings said that’s exactly what she had in mind when she pushed for the owners to open the Brass Monkey on Thanksgiving.

“We are a West Allis neighborhood bar,” she said. “And they’re our family.”

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