Cleo's Brown Beam

Step into Cleo’s Brown Beam and you’re stepping out of Appleton’s everyday, straight into a tinsel-strewn fever dream where Christmas never sleeps. The kind of bar that doesn’t just flirt with kitsch, but marries it—think a forest of twinkle lights and garlands overhead, ornaments glinting in every corner, and a Santa or two grinning from behind the bottles. Here, it’s holiday season all year, and everyone’s in on the joke. Locals know to expect a crowd; the place hums with energy from open to close, especially on weekends when regulars and out-of-towners jostle for spots at the bar or squeeze onto candy-cane striped stools. Even at its most packed, the staff moves with a kind of practiced ballet—drinks land quickly and always with a smile. Bartenders pour out Cleo’s notorious specialty cocktails (the Dirty Snowball is both legend and rite of passage), each one served with a wink. Prices are fair—maybe a hair above Appleton’s average—but no one seems to mind when there’s so much spectacle in every sip. There are no TVs blaring sports here, no live music to drown out the laughter. Instead, conversation fills the air along with whatever playlist fits the mood (surprisingly, it isn’t always Christmas tunes). For visitors, Cleo's is an irresistible curiosity—a story to take home. But for Appleton locals, it's more than novelty: it’s an anchor on College Avenue where generations mark birthdays and reunions under the same blinking lights. The crowd spans ages and backgrounds; here, everyone finds their own bit of nostalgia or discovery—proof that sometimes joy really can be evergreen.