West Allis. If you live in southeastern Wisconsin, reading the name of that city surely elicited a reaction, and it probably wasn’t a positive one. For decades now, Milwaukee’s western neighbor has been the recipient of innumerable potshots and, along with Cudahy, is essentially the region’s scapegoat. In March, after we happened upon a particularly mean-spirited video that referred to West Allis as “the worst city in the universe,” Mayor Dan Devine personally invited us to visit the 61,000-resident suburb. Of course we accepted.
Milwaukee Record co-founder and editor Tyler Maas recently chronicled his night spent dining, drinking, exploring, and being bludgeoned by a horseshoe in West Allis while in the company of the mayor. However, the piece was light on details about the misconceptions the city encounters and the many non-nightlife accoutrements that make it a misunderstood place whose reputation is (or at least should be) on the rise. Thus, Maas invited the Simpsons-loving and homebrewing amateur knuckleballer city leader to join him On The Record to come clean about a locale that’s so often unfairly tabbed as “Dirty ’Stallis.” Along with Mayor Devine, Pabst Theater Marketing Director/proud West Allis homeowner Laura Mueller joined Tyler and his new best friend at year-old West Allis creative bastion Inspiration Studios to talk about the city she loves.
As always, this episode is brought to you by our friends at Ale Asylum, which was enjoyed on air (in addition to an IPA brewed by Mayor Devine!), and 42 Ale House/42 Lounge. Music used in this episode comes courtesy of Surgeons In Heat (“Another Time”) and LMNtlyst/Rusty P’s (“Figment”). Subscribe to On The Record via iTunes or Stitcher (for free!).