20 years later, Leff's Lucky Town is still a charm in Wauwatosa's Village

Chris Leffler has always been a fan of Bruce Springsteen, so when he named his bar after The Boss' "Lucky Town," he hoped the restaurant and bar would become the "new home" in Wauwatosa's Village that Springsteen's lyrics described.

Since it was founded in 1994, Leff's Lucky Town, 7208 W. State St., has lived up to the spirit of its name. This year, it celebrated its 20th anniversary.

The bar and restaurant is a blend of night life, family, fun, outreach and sports. Leffler has served on the board of the Village business improvement district since the bar's inception and continues to partner with charitable organizations and local schools to benefit Wauwatosa.

"I hope we're crossing a lot of different barriers," said Leffler, who is a Wauwatosa resident.

One of Leffler's fondest Lucky Town memories in the last 20 years has been the annual charity golf outing that raises money for cystic fibrosis research and the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. It takes place in July.

In April, Leff's hosts an annual Leadoff Tailgate party at Miller Park with 102.9 The Hog to raise money for MACC Fund. An average of 3,500 people attend.

And anyone who checks out Leff's during the holiday season will notice Christmas trees and wreaths for sale on its porch. All sales benefit Wauwatosa East and West high schools.

"It's a great community thing to do, it makes it look like Christmas around here, and it brings in a few new customers," said Leffler.

Leff's Lucky Town has always attracted a sizable game day crowd during the weekend, but it's also known for its patio "al fresco" dining. "That was a game changer for us," said Leffler.

Patrons also have hosted "Irish Wakes" and funeral receptions in the bar for people who want to be remembered in a place that feels like home, said Leffler.

Leff's Lucky Town used to be Nicky's bar. Leffler "kept pushing the owner to lease it to me," he said. Leff's Lucky Town opened in October 1994. "The rest was history," said Leffler.

Leffler used to work in corporate America before taking an interest in bar ownership. The idea surfaced during a conversation with friends over a few pitcher of beer at Nicky's. Leffler was the one who followed through.

In 2008, Leffler converted the bar's neighboring gas and service station into a dining room now known as Leff's Filling Station. Patrons can still see the garage doors that Leffler converted into windows. That same year, Leffler acquired Revere's Wells Street Tavern in Delafield, a New England-styled bar. While the two bars have little crossover, Leffler said the service philosophy is congruent: "Work hard. Take care of customers. Anticipate their needs and exceed expectations."

During Prohibition, the bar was a speakeasy with a shoe store in front. Since then, the building has always housed bars, but with one iconic historic element — a massive urinal. "A lot of people talk about it," Leffler said.