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April 7, 2025
OSHKOSH – A long-established nightclub will soon open the City of Oshkosh’s first year-round rooftop bar.
Sean Felker, co-owner of Mabel Murphy’s (701 N. Main St.), said he and his partner – Carl Schuelkef – took over ownership of the bar and nightclub several years ago after it burnt down in 2019.
“The building next door caught fire, and then (Mabel Murphy’s) went down,” he said.
Prior to taking ownership of the establishment, Felker said it was owned and operated by its founder – his father, Ron.
“My dad has owned it since 1974,” he said.
Working at Mabel Murphy’s since 2006, Felker said it was a natural transition to become owner of the bar and nightclub following the fire.
“I’ve worked for my dad basically since I was 18,” he said.
Though never taking the leap himself, Felker said Ron is excited about the new rooftop addition to the business.
“He loves the idea,” he said. “He is coming to town in June with family and friends from Arizona (to see it).”
Felker said a rooftop bar was something he and Schuelkef initially wanted to incorporate into Mabel Murphy’s rebuild plans following the fire – but at that time, it wasn’t in the cards.
“We wanted to do it in the beginning, but it was just too expensive – too much at the time,” he said.
Now, several years after reopening the half-century-old bar, Felker said they can finally achieve that vision.
“We’ve been open now for about three and a half years, and (now) we finally got to do the rooftop bar we’ve been wanting to do,” he said.
‘A lot more fun’
Felker said though one other Oshkosh-based establishment – Fletch’s Local Tap House – has a rooftop patio, that space is not open year-round, unlike the forthcoming rooftop bar at Mabel Murphy’s.
“There is a patio – like a roof patio, rooftop area – on Fletch’s (roof),” he said. “So they have an outside, upstairs bar, but it’s not open year-round.”
Mabel Murphy’s soon-to-be-complete rooftop space, Felker said, will be able to operate throughout Wisconsin winters because it will be enclosed by operational garage doors.
“We’ll be able to close it off with garage doors,” he said. “There’ll be six garage doors up there, so it completely opens up.”
When the garage doors are open, Felker said patrons will be able to access a larger balcony area, but when the garage doors are closed, there is still a large enough space to host small events.
He said he anticipates renting the space out as an event venue once construction is complete, with the rooftop bar offering 1,000 square feet of space when the garage doors are open.
“I won’t rent out downstairs, but I would definitely rent out (the space) upstairs,” he said. “(I’m) not sure how many people (it) would really hold – 40-50 at (the) most. So it’s not a huge area, but it’s still a nice little venue.”
Felker said aside from the physical addition of the rooftop bar, nothing else is expected to change regarding Mabel Murphy’s service and operations.
“(Everything) should be about the same, just a lot more fun,” he said.
Revitalizing downtown
Felker said though the dream was initially to open the year-round rooftop bar when Mabel Murphy’s was rebuilt in 2021, like he previously mentioned, the right time didn’t come until recently.
“It (was) just one of those (things) where we were able to do it, and it’s like, ‘all right, now’s the time – let’s do it,’” he said.
Housed on the corner of Main Street and East Irving Avenue in Oshkosh, Felker said he and Schuelkef are trying to help revitalize what was once a thriving area of the city with Mabel Murphy’s.
“There used to be a lot more happening down in this area,” he said. “So, we’re trying to revive it again.”
Since its founding in the late 1900s, Felker said Mabel Murphy’s has maintained its identity as “a drinking place.”
“It says ‘Mabel Murphy’s – a drinking place’ on the sign,” he said. “Since 1974, it’s been that way.”
Though the establishment offers light food options consisting of frozen pizza, Felker said Mabel Murphy’s is meant to serve as a place to drink and dance among good company.
“It’s more of a nightclub,” he said. “People will dance anywhere in this bar, too. They don’t care. They will dance.”
Felker said though an official grand-opening date for Mabel Murphy’s rooftop bar has not yet been set, the nightclub is having a summer kickoff event featuring live music May 9-10.
He said he anticipates that celebration will serve as the opening for the rooftop as well.
“Star Six Nine is playing on Friday and Naughty Monkey is playing Saturday night,” he said. “It just so happens, it will probably be the grand opening for the upstairs.”
To learn more about Mabel Murphy’s and for updates on the opening of the rooftop bar, visit its Facebook page.
