Bernie Brewer's County Stadium chalet lives on at Milwaukee's Lakefront Brewery

Bernie Brewer's Chalet, the little house where the Milwaukee Brewers mascot once marked home runs, is still standing more than two decades after County Stadium closed. It sits above the brewing equipment at Lakefront Brewery, preserved by a fan who was willing to part with thousands of dollars and cut a hole in his own building to get it inside.

That fan is Russ Klisch, president of Lakefront Brewery. He has followed the Brewers since the franchise's first game in Milwaukee in 1970. Klisch was in eighth grade when he was called to the school office and found his mother waiting. His father had left work early, and his parents were taking him out of class to attend the opener. He described it as one of his most memorable experiences with them.

Over the years Klisch watched the team become a Milwaukee tradition. He recalls the excitement of the 1982 World Series run, outings to County Stadium with friends, and later bringing his own young daughters to games. He also remembers Bernie's celebrations. "It was a joyous occasion. The balloons came out of the mug," he said.

After County Stadium closed following the 2000 season, Klisch read a newspaper article saying the Brewers wanted someone to give the chalet a new home. When he got to work, he called the team's office. The asking price was $18,000, and he said he went down with a check right away. By about 9:30 that morning, he said, he owned the chalet. "A lot of people thought I was crazy to buy it," he said.

The purchase was the easy part. Klisch hired movers to haul the structure to the brewery and then had to lift it into place above the production floor. He said the work involved getting it through the door, loading it onto a semi, lifting it and building a stand for it. He also had to "blow a hole through the wall" to create an entrance that lined up with the chalet. He later acquired Bernie's beer mug and slide as well.

The chalet now serves a different purpose. Its walls are covered with handwritten messages and signatures from visitors, and people can spend time inside. Klisch said the idea of using it for private dining took shape during the COVID-19 pandemic, when customers wanted more private places to eat. The brewery began offering it for private dinners and date nights. Klisch said guests typically react with delight: "They all have a smile on their face. They say, 'Oh my gosh, this is it.'"

A second chalet is also on the brewery grounds. Klisch explained that an earlier version was removed when the stadium's center-field area was changed, and a newer one was built when Bernie returned. Years later the Brewers auctioned the earlier chalet. Klisch bid but was outbid, then asked the winner what he planned to do with it. The man did not know and asked whether he could store it at Lakefront. Klisch agreed, and the owner never came back for it. That original chalet sits in the brewery yard and has occasionally been brought out for events such as German Fest.

For Klisch, the chalet stands for the people who filled County Stadium: parents taking children to their first game and friends who cheered together through good seasons and bad. "It was all about good times," he said.

The chalet is at Lakefront Brewery, 1872 N. Commerce St. in Milwaukee, along with the mug and other Bernie memorabilia. It is available for private dining and special reservations, and visitors are advised to contact the brewery at 414-372-8800 or through lakefrontbrewery.com for current availability.