chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Fat Willy’s and Redmond’s are among the latest Chicago restaurants and bars to close permanently due

Fat Willy’s and Redmond’s are among the latest Chicago restaurants and bars to close permanently due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic toll. Here’s our running list.

La Sardine , which has been a fixture in the West Loop for nearly 22 years , has closed for good .
“ It ’ s sad , ” said partner and executive chef Oliver Poilevey about closing La Sardine , founded by his parents , along with Le Bouchon in Bucktown .
“ A month , month-and-a-half ago , I thought we were going to make it.
” La Sardine has no outdoor space in which to set up tables , but had eked by with meals-to-go and , eventually , indoor dining with the 25 % capacity limitation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the unthinkable happened : The air conditioning broke down .
Looking at $ 80,000 in repairs , Poilevey knew he could not risk taking on the cost .
“ There ’ s no way we could pay for that , heading into the fall with no rent abatement , ” Poilevey said .
“ Throwing 80K at something and then having to close — that ’ s not a good plan.
” Le Bouchon remains open for pickup and indoor dining , though space inside is limited .
For the full story , @ @ @ @ @ @

The statewide shutdown of restaurants and bars for on-premise service took effect March 16. Since then, several restaurants and bars have reopened for dining and drinking, as Chicago and the state have rolled out gradual reopening plans. But not all of them have made it.
This article lists bars and restaurants that have been forced to close due to the financial strain of COVID-19 regulations. Note that these closures are strictly finance-related and are not due to illness among any of the business’ staff.
We will update the list, sorted alphabetically, as needed.
NEW CLOSINGS
Lagunitas taproom likely won’t reopen in 2021
Lagunitas Brewing likely won’t reopen its Chicago taproom until at least 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the brewery’s chief marketing officer said Thursday. The taproom, which opened in 2014, is situated directly above the brewery, in the center of Lagunitas’ South Side building. Lagunitas CMO Paige Guzman said she’d “be surprised” if it reopened this year due to concerns about virus spread. The taproom has been closed since the pandemic took root in the U.S. in March. Lagunitas is among the first Chicago bars or restaurants to acknowledge a 2021 reopening as unlikely. See the full story here.
— Josh Noel
FULL RESTAURANT CLOSINGS LIST
25 Degrees
The downtown restaurant and bar did not mention the pandemic shutdown specifically, but a Facebook post announcing its closure noted that it was “due to our current situation.”
Arlington Cake Box Bakery
Chicagoland residents have been celebrating special occasions with the baking of Arlington Cake Box Bakery for 71 years, but the bakery announced in a Facebook post last week that it closed Sept. 20. “We are so grateful for the level of support you have shown us, not only in these unprecedented last six months, but also in the past 71 years,” read the post. The bakery first opened in 1949 and had been on its third generation as a family business.
Bad Hunter
The dining room at Bad Hunter is reflected in a mirror on the back wall. (Anthony Souffle / Chicago Tribune)
Bad Hunter — known for its vegetable-and-grains-forward menu — and its second-floor event venue, The Herbarium, closed for good because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The West Loop restaurant, which survived a fire and re-opened in 2019, was voted the Chicago restaurant with the best plant-based menu in the Chicago Tribune Readers’ Choice Dining Awards earlier this year. — Grace Wong
Band of Bohemia
Band of Bohemia, which announced in July that it was closing temporarily, first earned a Michelin star in 2016 and had retained it every year since through 2019. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Five-year-old Band of Bohemia, whose pioneering vision of brewing beer and serving creative, ambitious food was ultimately rewarded with a coveted Michelin star, is going out of business after filing for bankruptcy. The Ravenswood brewpub filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation Oct. 16 in the Northern District of Illinois. According to court records, Band of Bohemia is more than $1 million in debt. But in a statement Oct. 21, Band of Bohemia founders Michael Carroll and Craig Sindelar blamed the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic for the closure. The restaurant has been closed since July, when owners said it would be shuttering temporarily. See the full story here. — Josh Noel
Baobab BBQ
The barbecue spot, which used South African flavors to riff on traditional ‘cue, announced in May on its Facebook page that it would close permanently due to the effects of the shutdown, writing: “When a small business’s revenue is interrupted it is devastating; when it’s a restaurant, earth shattering best describes it.”
Bar Biscay
An array of "pintxos," popular small bites offered at Bar Biscay. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Bar Biscay, the restaurant that lit up West Town with coastal-Spain sunshine, has closed, for keeps, after a 2½-year run. Partner Scott Worsham said in a posting on Facebook that, “The time has come to say goodbye to our groovy, Atlantic-coast inspired French-Spanish-Basque funhouse, our Oasis of Joy. He blamed COVID-19 and “factors beyond our control.” See the full story here. — Phil Vettel
Bite Cafe
Noah Sandoval (Oriole, Kumiko/Kikko) will join with friend Bruce Finkelman, managing partner of the 16″ On Center restaurant group (Longman & Eagle, Dusek’s Board & Beer, Revival Food Hall), to create Pizza Friendly Pizza, opening later this summer in the Bite Cafe space. Finkelman said, “Once the quarantine hit, I realized that that type of restaurant wouldn’t be able to exist in the post-COVID culinary scene.” — Phil Vettel
Blackbird
Blackbird restaurant in Chicago on Monday June 29, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
The highest-profile Chicago restaurant victim of coronavirus to date has been Blackbird, closing for good after more than 22 years as one of the area’s finest restaurants. “We’ve labored long and hard over this decision,” said partner Paul Kahan. “But in an incredibly small, tight dining room — operating at only 25% capacity for who knows how long — and removing the opportunity to do private dining, it becomes incredibly difficult to manage.” — Phil Vettel
Blue Nose Brewery
Small southwest suburban Blue Nose Brewery has closed due to the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Blue Nose co-founder Jordan Isenberg said he made the decision in late October 2020, after the state ordered suburban Cook County bars and restaurants to close for indoor business for a second time to stem the spread of COVID-19. He kept the decision largely to himself while winding down the business, he said. See the rest of the story here. — Josh Noel
Bonci (Wicker Park)
Three different options at Bonci (Arugula, dried tomatoes and bufala mozzarella) (zucchini, ricotta, lemon zest and black pepper) and (prosciutto and fior di latte mozzarella). (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)
The second Chicago location of the world famous pizzeria was located in Wicker Park, but Eater Chicago reported that Bonci’s director of U.S. operations said consolidating to one location (West Loop) was necessary in light of the pandemic.
Bonfire
The no-frills steakhouse in Homer Glen confirmed via Facebook message that it has closed for good due to the effects of the pandemic shutdown.
Bottled Blonde
Bottled Blonde has closed after years of legal drama. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)
Bottled Blonde, the River North bar better known for its legal drama than pizza, closed permanently July 27, due to the coronavirus — but COVID-19 violations are not among the complaints against it. The business “surrendered their business licenses, permanently closing the River North bar after a series of serious nuisance conditions dating back to 2017,” according to a statement from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. The bar had not received any citations related to COVID-19, wrote the department spokesperson.
The district manager of Bottled Blonde said, “It’s been an uphill battle since we came into this neighborhood. We had fights with the city, fights with the neighborhood. With the COVID thing, you need revenue to keep up those fights. We can’t stay open and operate at limited capacities.” See the full story here. — Louisa Chu
Boulangerie (Belmont Avenue)
La Boulangerie closed its location at 915 W. Belmont Ave. (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)
The French bakery chain La Boulangerie has closed the Lakeview location on Belmont Avenue. The Logan Square and Ravenswood bakeries remain open, but for pickup and delivery only.
Bridgeport Coffee Co. (Loop)
The Chicago coffee roaster closed its Loop location in June, confirming the shuttering as a result of COVID in a blog post. Its other three in Bridgeport, Hyde Park and the South Loop remain open.
Cactus Bar & Grill
The Cactus Bar at 404 S. Wells St. in Chicago. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)
The recent closure of Cactus Bar & Grill leaves the South Loop financial district without a 31-year-old standby. Cactus confirmed the closure with a note on its website, writing that they knew in the middle of August that the bar wouldn’t make it: “With few offices in the Loop occupied, and a challenging situation with our land lord, the crisis’s financial devastation became insurmountable.” The bar was a staple for lunches and drinks in the Loop.
Cafe Marie-Jeanne
The announcement that Cafe Marie-Jeanne will close drew lines outside the Humboldt Park restaurant Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. By Saturday, owners had to close early after running out of food. The wait Sunday was four hours. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Cafe Marie-Jeanne (1001 N. California Ave.), co-owned by the husband and wife team of Michael Simmons and Val Szafranski, announced Nov. 19 on Instagram that they would close permanently: “The string has run out for CMJ. We hung in as long as we could and it’s time to let go. Everything must end. WE WILL MISS YOU ALL!” Over the following weekend, fans flocked to the Humboldt Park restaurant known for its French-influenced dishes for one last taste. Lines stretched down the block, and Simmons had to shut down early Nov. 20 because he ran out of food. On that Saturday, the wait in line took four hours. The restaurant closed Nov. 23. See the full story here. — Nick Kindelsperger
Candyality
Candyality is known for its collection of retro candies, among hundreds of other confections.
Andersonville has one less spot to sate your sweet tooth, as Candyality has announced in a Facebook post that it will be closing its location in the neighborhood at the end of September. The closing comes “with great sadness” after spending more than 5 years in that space, the post reads. The Chicago-based candy store — which has also had locations in Wicker Park and Water Tower Place during the past several years — is still open at its Lakeview location, 3737 N. Southport Ave., and offers local delivery.
Cafe Cancale
The strawberry sundae with sea salt ice cream at Cafe Cancale. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
The One Off Hospitality property in Wicker Park was another casualty of the pandemic, closing at the same time as Blackbird.
California Clipper and coffee shop C.C. Ferns
Detail of the Vesper at California Clipper in 2017. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune)
Both the Clipper and attached cafe C.C. Ferns shuttered permanently due to the COVID shutdown. However, there have been conflicting accounts between Hogsalt Hospitality owner Brendan Sodikoff and landlord Gino Battaglia as to how the fallout was navigated, according to reports from Eater Chicago and Block Club Chicago, respectively.
Chicago House Of ‘Za
The North Center spot for all-vegan pizza shared an Instagram post announcing its permanent closure, citing the financial effects of the pandemic shutdown as part of the reason: “With the current pandemic, as well as the enormous cost of operating a business in Chicago, we are unable to stay open for business any longer.”
City Mouse
City Mouse restaurant in the Ace Hotel opened in 2017. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)
City Mouse, the Ace Hotel restaurant operated by the team behind Giant and Chef’s Special, is closing after three years. Sunday, Oct. 18, will be the last day, the restaurant announced Wednesday in a statement. Jason Vincent, one of the partners at Giant and Chef’s Special, declined further comment. Giant and Chef’s Special bar announced just Tuesday it was launching a food truck to get their creative cooking to a larger audience. The space is going to be occupied by the Alinea Group, starting in November; owner Nick Kokonas confirmed that Alinea has leased the space for a three-month residency, but offered no additional details. For more details, see the story here. — Phil Vettel
Conga’s
The Norwood Park restaurant, which also featured music and dancing, announced it would be closing on Facebook. The post read, “I’m deeply saddened to announce Congas Restaurant will not be opening again. Covid-19 made me realize the most important things in life.” Another post teased a return for the Congas name, but as more of a venue-esque space.
Danny’s Tavern
After rumors of a closure had persisted on social media for weeks, Danny’s Tavern has confirmed it closed permanently. The Bucktown dive was well-known for its dance floor and its popular party celebrating The Smiths. The closure comes five years after the bar nearly shuttered once before and ends the bar’s 34-year stay on Dickens Avenue.
Davanti Enoteca
Davanti Enoteca in Little Italy.
The Little Italy location of Davanti Enoteca has closed for good, and, according to a report from the Sun-Times, it appears finances were a factor: “A demand letter dated June 12 from the landlord ... said the establishment was nearly $60,000 behind on rent.” The letter was posted on the window of Francesca’s, a sister restaurant also owned by chef David Harris.
Ditka’s in Chicago
Mike Ditka lookalike Don, center, and his wife Marian Feuling eat during a birthday party dinner at Ditka's restaurant in 2019. (Camille Fine / Chicago Tribune)
The economic effects of the mandated shutdown were a contributing factor in the closure of Mike Ditka’s Chicago restaurant in May. Other locations remain open, including Ditka’s in suburban Oakbrook Terrace and Grill 89 in suburban Westmont.
Eden
People settle in for dinner at the restaurant called Eden, 1748 W. Lake St. in Chicago, on Wednesday, March 15, 2017. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Eden, a Cal-Mediterranean restaurant popular with pre- and post-event United Center crowd (among others), closed in mid-July after a run of just over 3½ years. Eden opened on west Lake Street in December 2016 and made friends quickly, both for its pretty, bright-white interiors and Devon Quinn’s skillful cooking. The owners said in a release that “While we recently reopened our doors to an immensely positive response, the larger economic impact resulting from the coronavirus pandemic has made it impossible for us to sustain operations.” Read the full story here. — Phil Vettel
Emerald City Coffee Shop (Sheridan)
The Emerald City Coffee Shop location on Sheridan Road closed permanently Oct. 31, according to a post on the cafe’s Instagram page: “The uncertainty of the pandemic and other financial stressors were too much to bear and we’re so, so bummed to see ECC Sheridan go, but it’s the tough choice we had to make.” Emerald City, which was also known for its breakfast burritos, occupied a noticeable space below the Sheridan Red Line stop for years and was a neighborhood favorite. The Emerald City Coffee in Uptown, at 1224 W. Wilson Ave., remains open.
A Go Fund Me campaign launched earlier to save the Sheridan location has been taken down. But a new Go Fund Me has been launched, this one to help laid-off baristas. “The purpose of this fundraiser is to help cushion the blow that our ECC Sheridan staff will experience in the coming days,” the campaign reads. It seeks $5,000 and by the afternoon of Nov. 4 had raised $2,100. — Adam Lukach
Fahlstrom’s Fresh Fish Market
Owner Glenn Fahlstrom confirmed that he would be closing the Lakeview seafood spot in an online post shared on the restaurant’s website and social media pages. The post, in part, read: “The new restaurant model is asking owners to put employees in harm’s way so that their business can possibly survive. That is an ‘acceptable risk’ I cannot take. The restaurant business as I know it is gone and will not return for years. It was hard enough when the playing field was supposedly level, now it is tilted beyond recognition. So, I am closing Fahlstrom’s Fresh Fish Market.”
Fat Rice / Super Fat Rice Mart
At the beginning of the pandemic shutdown, Fat Rice pivoted to become Super Fat Rice Mart, a market for meal kits and various grocery goods. Later, current and former Fat Rice employees went public with allegations of harassment and mistreatment by owner Abe Conlon, and the location has been closed ever since, with no public mention of a reopening date.
Fat Willy’s Rib Shack
Rib tips at Fat Willy's Rib Shack, 2416 W. Schubert Ave. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)
The North Side is losing another barbecue spot after Fat Willy’s Rib Shack announced Thursday evening that it will close Sept. 27. The Logan Square restaurant has been in the neighborhood for more than 19 years and has a loyal following of diners who go there for baby back ribs, pulled pork, brisket and mac and cheese. See the full story here. — Grace Wong
Finom Coffee
Cream and sugar station at Finom Coffee in the Old Irving Park neighborhood of Chicago. (Louisa Chu / Chicago Tribune)
Finom Coffee — the popular two-year-old cafe in Old Irving Park known for serving Hungarian small plates, along with coffee, tea and baked goods, out of a snazzy art-deco storefront, has closed. Chef Rafa Esparza posted an upbeat message on Instagram: “It was a beautiful moment in time and the whole crew slayed from day one!” See the full story here. — Adam Lukach
Foodlife
The multi-station food concept located in Water Tower Place confirmed its closing in early June, although owner Lettuce Entertain You declined to comment exactly why. — Nick Kindelsperger
Fountainhead
Guests sit on the popular rooftop patio at Fountainhead in Ravenswood in this 2015 photo. (Lenny Gilmore / RedEye)
For the past 10 years, Fountainhead bar and restaurant has occupied the northeast corner of Damen and Montrose, one of Ravenswood’s essential intersections, bringing an enviable selection of whiskey and barrel-aged spirits to the neighborhood. In late September, the restaurant announced in social media posts that its run will come to an end Nov 14. “The past year has been difficult for everyone but pressures facing our industry at this time make it financially impossible to operate past the roof deck season. We made every effort to make adjustments to operate in this ‘new normal’ but with limitations restricting revenue and without funding to offset this condition it is impossible to continue,” read the post. Fountainhead owners are working with building ownership to find the “right concept” for the prominently situated storefront. Rhe Fountainhead Market — located next door — will remain there. — Adam Lukach
Francesca’s On Taylor
As with Taylor Street’s Davanti Enoteca — the two restaurants share ownership — the Italian restaurant in Little Italy has closed permanently, with reports indicating that rent-payment issues were at least partly to blame.
Gino’s East
The Gino’s East restaurant at 500 N. LaSalle St. has closed, a victim of a decline in business downtown, according to Jordan Himmel, chief information officer for Chicago-based Bravo Restaurants (which owns Gino’s East, Ed Debevic’s, Edwardo’s Pizza and Eduardo’s Enoteca.) The location closed in March, but other Chicago locations remain open.
Guthrie’s Tavern
Ron DeNicolo and his wife, Cynthia, take a photograph outside Guthrie's Tavern, 1300 W. Addison St., on July 21 in Chicago. DeNicolo said he and Cynthia had their first date at the bar 10 years ago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Guthrie’s Tavern, one of Chicago’s oldest and most popular neighborhood bars, announced it would be closing permanently, citing the city’s rollback of phase four rules for bars as a primary cause. Guthrie’s has occupied the corner of Addison Street and Lakewood Avenue for 34 years. It closed July 23. See the complete story here. — Adam Lukach
Habana Libre
Per a post on its website, Habana Libre closed permanently “due to the impact of coronavirus.” The Cuban restaurant had been in West Town since 2007.
Hamburger Mary’s
Hamburger Mary's opened on a key corner in Andersonville in 2006. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)
Andersonville’s Hamburger Mary’s — the only remaining city location of the nationwide network of independent franchises — announced Sunday on Facebook that it would be closing Nov. 1. Ownership listed the building for sale last year, and the lease ends at the end of December, but the coronavirus pandemic expedited the closing process, according to the post. The burger-focused restaurant, an outlet of the San Francisco-based chain, opened on a high-profile in Andersonville in June 2006, featuring drag shows, karaoke and bingo, along with the burgers. The closing announcement also teased ownership interest in reopening at another location: “We feel it’s best to wait until spring before we look for a possible new space.” The restaurant will host regular business hours until its final day of service Nov. 1. — Adam Lukach
Hot “G” Dog
Duck sausage, topped with lobes of foie gras and sea salt flakes, from Hot "G" Dog (5009 N. Clark St.). (Kevin Pang / Chicago Tribune)
Andersonville lost a hot-dog joint — at least the rest of 2020 — from the former Hot Doug’s chef with the closure of Hot “G” Dog. A Facebook post from the restaurant said its owners hope to return eventually, but the COVID shutdown had made business unsustainable for now.
Imperial Lamian
After more than four and a half years of serving rainbow-colored soup dumplings, roast duck and vegan spring rolls, Imperial Lamian is closing its doors in River North. The Chinese restaurant cited pandemic-related challenges as its reason for closing. Imperial Lamian, which opened in the spring of 2016, was lauded by the Chicago Tribune as having the best xiaolongbao (or XLB for short) in the city. Dozens of people expressed how much they would miss the restaurant in the comments section of the social media posts. See the full story here. — Grace Wong
Income Tax
Income Tax brought a much-needed wine bar to Edgewater, furthering the trend of easy-drinking, non-pretentious wine lists. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune)
Ownership for the laid-back Edgewater wine bar confirmed via email that the pandemic’s effect on Income Tax’s financials led to its closing. It had been open since 2016.
Jeri’s Grill
The diner on Western Avenue was a monument to greasy spoons of yore, open for 57 years and 24 hours a day, and was cut down by COVID-19, reported Block Club Chicago in May. “If there was no COVID, we’d be open,” owner Frank Di Piero told the publication.
Katana
Katana brought its robatayaki-style restaurant to the River North neighborhood in 2017. (Katana)
A spokesperson for the parent company of the River North sushi restaurant wrote in an email: “Yes, the COVID closure was a devastating financial hit for us and the reason behind our closure … The Chicago location was very special to us, and we were sad to close.”
Kiki’s Bistro
Diners raise a toast during a wine dinner at Kiki’s Bistro, 900 N. Franklin St., May 4, 2006. The restaurant announced it would close permanently at the end of September 2020. (Wes Pope / Chicago Tribune)
Earlier this summer, changes to the OpenTable website for Kiki’s Bistro caused some confusion over whether or not the beloved River North spot had closed for good. The restaurant shared a clarification that, for now, it would be open for business. Sadly, however, Kiki’s website changed late last week, indicating that the restaurant will close permanently after the final day of service Sept. 30. “We appreciate the birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions and everyday meals that you spent dining and laughing with us. Those memories have sustained us through the last few months, as your visits did for those many years,” read the post. It wasn’t all bad news, though, mentioning that a small-time operation remains on the radar for Kiki’s founder Georges “Kiki” Cuisance: “Kiki, 87, is attempting retirement with an open eye for a potential petite Kiki’s — a tiny, cozy reboot with the potential to offer authentic French fare you love on a very intimate scale.” See the full story here. — Adam Lukach
Kroll’s South Loop
One of the South Loop’s signature sports bars, Kroll’s South Loop, announced in a Facebook post that it would be closing its doors at the end of the summer. “We fought hard,” read the announcement. “The burden of operating under the current conditions is too great and, come fall, will be impossible to continue under the current indoor capacity restrictions of 50 patrons. … We do not know whether this closure will last until next spring or forever. Only time will tell.” Kroll’s will remain open for dinner service Thursdays through Sundays until it concludes its 15-year run at the end of summer.
La Buona Vita
La Buona Vita, a Northern Italian restaurant in downtown La Grange closed its doors after a six-year run. In a message posted on the restaurant’s now-defunct website, owner Jim Barron named COVID-19 as the proximate cause of his restaurant’s demise. — Phil Vettel
La Fontanella
The owners of the longtime Italian restaurant had already planned to sell the building and restaurant prior to the pandemic, according to Block Club Chicago.
Lawry’s The Prime Rib
Lawry's, known by generations of Chicagoans for its prime rib, steaks and lush steakhouse trappings inside a former mansion, will close after service Dec. 31, 2020. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)
Lawry’s The Prime Rib, which has been a fixture on Ontario Street (just west of Michigan Avenue) for 46 years, called it quits at the end of 2020. The coronavirus, last summer’s civil unrest and an expiring lease all contributed to the decision, said Ryan Wilson, CEO of Lawry’s Inc. “In a year of incredible turmoil, this is a tough one for sure,” he said. “But with the industry in general in such a state of flux, we felt we had to push the pause button,” he added, leaving room for Lawry’s to reopen. “I think there’s a future for Lawry’s in the Chicago area,” Wilson said. See the full story here. — Phil Vettel
Links Taproom
Links Taproom. (Leigh Loftus / ThinkLeigh Photography)
Michael Quinlan, owner of the Milwaukee Avenue beer bar in Wicker Park, wrote in an email that Links was planning to move out of its storefront at some point in 2020 due to an acrimonious relationship with its landlord. Due the the COVID-19 shutdown, he decided to pull the plug on Links in March. As of late July, Quinlan indicated that ownership is “going to wait until things stabilize until we make our next move.”
Mesa Urbana
The Mexican restaurant will be consolidating operations, closing its Glenview restaurant and moving everything to its location in Portage Park, per a note on its website. The note cited the “situation” from COVID-19 as the impetus for the decision.
Mity Nice Bar & Grill
Along with Foodlife, this Water Tower Place restaurant from Lettuce Entertain You closed in early June. Ownership declined to disclose specific reasons.
Monty Gaels Tavern & Grill
The Irish tavern in Ravenswood closed permanently due to the burden of the pandemic shutdown, ownership confirmed in a Facebook message.
Passerotto
Passerotto in Andersonville in July 2018.
The Andersonville restaurant announced over Labor Day weekend that it would be closing its doors permanently, in part due to the coronavirus pandemic. Passerotto’s last day is Sept. 12. Chef Jennifer Kim said the decision to close was a result of multiple conversations with staff and investors, and ultimately they decided that “operating a restaurant safely in the midst of multiple pandemics was going to negatively affect our community in the long run.” A pop-up project was also teased on the restaurant’s profile. See the full story here. — Grace Wong
Pepper Canister
The casual River North bar announced June 15 via Facebook it would be permanently closing, although it did not specifically reference the costs of shutting down for the pandemic as a reason.
Rainforest Cafe
Rainforest Cafe at the corner of Ohio and Clark Streets in Chicago on Thursday, August, 13, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
The Rainforest Cafe in the Near North neighborhood has closed sooner than expected after it shut down during the coronavirus pandemic. The restaurant at 605 N. Clark St. was expected to close within two years, when its lease expired. That timeline was accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, which has left the Chicago restaurant closed since March, said building owner Sean Conlon. He recently negotiated an early termination of the lease with parent company Landry’s Restaurants. He plans to redevelop the site. See the full story here. — Ryan Ori
Ramen Misoya (Streeterville)
Tonkotsu ramen at Ramen Misoya. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)
The Loop lost one of its best bets for ramen in August with the closing of Ramen Misoya’s storefront in Streeterville. “Due to a loss in business caused by the Covid-19 shutdown, we can no longer justify continuing operations at this time,” read a post on its Facebook page. On the bright side, the Mount Prospect location of Misoya remains open.
Redmond’s Ale House
Remond’s Ale House has closed due to the financial stress of the COVIID-19 restrictions. The Wrigleyville bar, which had been at the corner of Sheffield and Roscoe for years, was known for offering an abundance of drink deals and for being an area staple for game-watching due to plenty of TVs and good sightlines.
Rickshaw Republic
Owners confirmed via email that the state’s COVID-19 shutdown caused financial losses that required the Indonesian restaurant in Lincoln Park to permanently close.
Ronny’s Steakhouse
Ronny’s, a cafeteria-style “steakhouse” that had occupied two separate downtown corners for years, announced plans to close due to the coronavirus in a Facebook announcement over Labor Day weekend. “We won’t say ‘good bye’ but rather ‘until we meet again,’” read the post. The Loop staple began 63 years ago at the corner of State and Randolph and, in recent years, operated at the corner of Clark and Lake.
La Sardine
La Sardine's terrine de foie gras featured layers of creamy foie gras mixed with thinly sliced black truffle, drizzled with a tart and slightly sweet cherry sauce and crowned with slices of extra buttery brioche. (Nick Kindelsperger/Chicago Tribune)
La Sardine, which has been a fixture in the West Loop for nearly 22 years, has closed for good. “It’s sad,” said partner and executive chef Oliver Poilevey about closing La Sardine, founded by his parents, along with Le Bouchon in Bucktown. “A month, month-and-a-half ago, I thought we were going to make it.” La Sardine has no outdoor space in which to set up tables, but had eked by with meals-to-go and, eventually, indoor dining with the 25% capacity limitation. Then the weather turned warm and the unthinkable happened: The air conditioning broke down. Looking at $80,000 in repairs, Poilevey knew he could not risk taking on the cost. “There’s no way we could pay for that, heading into the fall with no rent abatement,” Poilevey said. “Throwing 80K at something and then having to close — that’s not a good plan.” Le Bouchon remains open for pickup and indoor dining, though space inside is limited. For the full story, go here. — Phil Vettel
Siam Rice
Siam Rice, 117 N. Wells St., has called it quits after 18 years. (Alex Garcia / Chicago Tribune)
Siam Rice (117 N. Wells St.) has closed after 18 years in the Loop, according to a note posted on the Thai restaurant’s window. "Unfortunately, we have come to the decision that it is no longer viable to operate our business during these uncertain times,” the note said. “This was a difficult decision for us, however, recent events and current pandemic conditions have left us concerned for the safety of our customers as well as our staff.” The note ends with an apology to customers and the hope that the restaurant will be able to return in the future. The restaurant’s last day Sept. 15.
Simply It
The Vietnamese restaurant, which had been in Lincoln Park for nearly 14 years, closed permanently in April, reported Block Club Chicago. COVID-19 restrictions and unworkable margins gave owner Tuan Nguyen “no choice” but to close, he told Block Club.
People eat and drink as others pass by Southport Lanes in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood on Sept. 17, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Southport Lanes
Southport Lanes has lasted nearly a century by evolving, at various times serving as a tavern, bowling alley, speak-easy, brothel and illegal off-track horse betting venue. But the Lakeview mainstay, which opened not long after another pandemic, couldn’t survive COVID-19. Read the full story here. — Ryan Ori
Step Down Cafe
The Pilsen coffee shop announced on its Facebook page that it would close permanently due to the effects of the pandemic.
Taco in a Bag
The Big Jim Reeves was a big hit at Taco in a Bag. (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)
Taco in a Bag has closed after five years in Lincoln Square. The shop specialized in playful versions of walking tacos, a dish where components one would normally find on a taco are instead poured into a bag of corn chips. The restaurant announced the closure on Facebook with a surprisingly irreverent, if slightly hopeful video. The owners assured fans that, “we will be back...promise!!!!” Block Club Chicago first reported the closing.
Taqueria Sabor y Sazon
The popular Pilsen taqueria closed permanently in May. The financial difficulties of trying to survive the pandemic’s hospitality restrictions were insurmountable, the owners said.
Tin Fish
The Tin Fish restaurant closed in Tinley Park. (Bob Bong / Daily Southtown)
The coronavirus claimed another high-profile restaurant victim with the permanent closure of Tin Fish, a highly regarded restaurant in south-suburban Tinley Park. A sign on the front door of the seafood restaurant and oyster bar thanked customers “for 18 great years,” and said the decision to close came “with a heavy heart.” “I’m not happy, but it’s something a lot of us are going through,” said partner Curtis Wierbicki, who launched the restaurant in September 2002 with partner Colin Turner. The restaurant closed in July. See the full story here. — Phil Vettel
Tintos & Tapas
Laura Rivera, the owner of the Spanish small plates restaurant, confirmed via email that the closing of Tintos & Tapas was due to the financial strain of the COVID-19 shutdown, as well as its effects on how it operated: “My chef and I cried the last day we were there to clean up,” she wrote. “Carryout is not a model that works for my type of operation at all. Frankly, it is demoralizing to become a fast food.”
Toast Restaurant
Owner Jeanne Roeser confirmed in a Facebook message that she had closed both the Bucktown and Lincoln Park locations of the 24-year-old breakfast favorite: “I couldn’t imagine reopening and surviving with reduced capacity and putting my staff and their families at risk of harm.” Roeser also posted a goodbye note on Facebook, which reads in part: “Nothing lasts forever in this world and it is time to move forward and see what this next phase will bring. I wish you peace and good health, my friends.”
Trattoria No. 10
A goodbye post on the reliable Italian restaurant’s website alluded to the pandemic shutdown as cause for its shuttering, reading, “With no theater and no convention/tourism business for the foreseeable future, there was just no way we could realistically reopen.”
Two Lights Seafood & Oyster
A post on the Old Town restaurant’s Facebook page confirmed that Two Lights has closed, although it did not mention whether or not the shuttering was due to the financial effects of COVID.
U.B. Dogs
U.B. Dogs served classic Chicago hot dog stand fare with serious culinary ambitions. (Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune)
U.B. Dogs (185 N. Franklin St.), a stellar hot dog joint that served a flawless fully loaded Chicago hot dog, freshly grilled burgers and great fries, has closed. With the coronavirus pandemic forcing countless downtown office workers to telecommute from home, the Loop-based U.B. Dogs decided it was time to close for good. Owner Joe Plonka announced the decision on Facebook: “While it breaks our hearts to announce our permanent closure, we wanted to take the time and properly thank our customers and family for their support over these last 10 years. Unfortunately, it’s time for us to end this chapter.” See the full story here. — Nick Kindelsperger
Unicorn Cafe
Unicorn Cafe had been serving coffee to Evanston for almost 30 years before the coffee shop closed permanently due to the financial effects of COVID-19, reported the Daily Northwestern earlier in September. According to the Daily report, ownership said the cafe was getting only 8-10 customers per day. Aside from being a local staple, Unicorn Cafe was one of only a handful of area coffee shops that offered the highly touted Sparrow Coffee.
Wells St. Market
Wells Street Market, which reopened July 6 after weathering the first three months of the coronavirus shut down (and was the first Chicago food hall to resume service) announced it will close for keeps Sept. 18. “From all of us at the Wells Street Market, it has been an honor and a joy to serve Chicagoans every day,” the company said in a release. The food hall made its debut, at 205 W. Wacker Drive, in June 2018. The food hall format had enjoyed a boom in Chicago in recent years. But most have not reopened since the coronavirus shutdown. Only Time Out Market has reopened. But a new market, Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall, launched in early August in the former Cook County Hospital. — Phil Vettel
The Whale closing indefinitely
The Whale (2427 N. Milwaukee Ave.), the glitzy Logan Square restaurant named for what casinos call an obscenely wealthy gambler, closed indefinitely last week. In a message posted on Facebook, the owners blamed the closing on the tight restrictions the state has imposed on restaurants. “Today we were forced to make the decision to lay off all our team members and close our doors to service. The restrictions that have been put on us by the elected officials are suffocating our industry and leaving us no choice. There has been no plan in place or system for relief.” The Whale opened last year, quickly amassing a strong following, though we found the food to be less than stellar. While it’s unknown how long the restaurant will be closed, the owners promise it will eventually return. “We WILL re-open and come back strong. We look forward to serving you again when that time comes.” — Nick Kindelsperger


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Man charged with reckless homicide in January crash that killed 5-year-old Orland Park girl

Alzobi ’ s Denali struck the passenger side of the sedan as it turned left onto 151st Street , according @ @ @ @ @ of the crash spun the sedan into a snowplow that was stopped at the intersection @ @ @ @ @ the traffic light was yellow for northbound and southbound traffic on Harlem Avenue at the @ @ @ @ @

A 56-year-old Bridgeview man has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated reckless driving in connection with a January crash that killed a 5-year-old Orland Park girl, police said Friday.
Ahmad Alzobi, of the 7700 block of 79th Place, Bridgeview, voluntarily turned himself in Thursday and was charged with reckless homicide, aggravated reckless driving and driving without insurance. He was scheduled to appear for a bond hearing Friday afternoon at the Bridgeview courthouse.
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Police said Alzobi was the driver of a GMC Yukon Denali traveling 63 mph in a posted 45-mph zone Jan. 23 when his car struck a silver sedan carrying a driver and two young children at 151st Street and Harlem Avenue. The roads were covered with snow, ice and water, police said.
Ahmad E. Alzobi (Orland Park police)
The driver of the sedan and a 6-year-old child also were injured in the crash, police said.
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Alzobi’s Denali struck the passenger side of the sedan as it turned left onto 151st Street, according to police. The impact of the crash spun the sedan into a snowplow that was stopped at the intersection. Police said in January the traffic light was yellow for northbound and southbound traffic on Harlem Avenue at the time of the crash.
Alzobi was charged following a months long investigation that included accident reconstruction, said police Sgt. Phil Glecier.
Bond for Alzobi was set at $25,000 Friday with a requirement of electronic monitoring, according to a spokesman for the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. He is scheduled to appear before a Cook County judge again on Oct. 16.
Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Beloved Logan Square barbecue restaurant Fat Willy’s closing

Everything at Fat Willy ’ s , from the spice rub to the marinade to the barbecue sauce is made @ @ @ @ @ are some fun deviations from traditional barbecue sides , like the mac and cheese with @ @ @ @ @ and Wisconsin cheddar , or the green onion corn bread with honey butter .
Patrons @ @ @ @ @ atmosphere and large portions and many would stop there before and after a movie at @ @ @ @ @ .
During the pandemic , it had shifted to carry out and delivery .

The North Side is losing another barbecue spot after Fat Willy’s Rib Shack announced Thursday evening that it will close at the end of the month.
The Logan Square restaurant has been in the neighborhood for more than 19 years and has a loyal following of diners who go there for baby back ribs, pulled pork, brisket and mac and cheese.
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[ Our running list of Chicago-area restaurants that have closed for good during the pandemic ]
“It’s with deep gratitude and a true shade of sadness that we are announcing our closure at the end of this month,” reads a Facebook post on the restaurant’s account. “Many of you became a special part of our lives and it was an amazing thing to feed you all. We will miss our restaurant guests and employees. We all look forward to a renewed and brighter future.”
It’s with deep gratitude and a true shade of sadness that we are announcing our closure at the end of this month.... Posted by Fat Willy's Rib Shack on Thursday, September 17, 2020
The Facebook post is flooded with nearly 100 comments of patrons saying how much they would miss the restaurant, both its food and its employees. Fat Willy’s opened in 2002 and was Bo Fowler’s first restaurant — she’s also the executive chef of Owen & Engine and BiXi Beer.
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Everything at Fat Willy’s, from the spice rub to the marinade to the barbecue sauce is made from scratch, and there are some fun deviations from traditional barbecue sides, like the mac and cheese with Gruyere, fontina, Parmesan and Wisconsin cheddar, or the green onion corn bread with honey butter. Patrons loved it for its laid-back atmosphere and large portions and many would stop there before and after a movie at the theater across the street. During the pandemic, it had shifted to carry out and delivery.
Fat Willy’s last day is Sept. 27.
gwong@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital da

COVID-19 in Illinois by the numbers: Here’s a daily update on cases, positivity rate and hospital data in your area

Among the metrics ( see below ) tracked under guidelines set by Gov .
J.B. Pritzker are the percentage of @ @ @ @ @ , the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19-like illnesses , and the capacity of hospitals @ @ @ @ @ state will decide how much or how little to restrict activities based on these metrics @

Note: With Chicago and Illinois moving into phase 5, the Tribune is no longer updating this data. If the state moves back into bridge phase, the Tribune we reassess. Daily metrics on COVID-19, like cases, deaths and hospitalizations, can be found here. And Daily metrics on the vaccination effort can be found here. More on where the coronavirus stands nationally and around the world can be found here.
To assess how different parts of Illinois are handling the COVID-19 pandemic, officials look at the state through the 11 regions of Emergency Medical Services. The city of Chicago is one region, for example, and the rest of Cook County is another.
Among the metrics (see below) tracked under guidelines set by Gov. J.B. Pritzker are the percentage of coronavirus tests that return positive, the number of people hospitalized for COVID-19-like illnesses, and the capacity of hospitals to take in new patients.The state will decide how much or how little to restrict activities based on these metrics. (Cases, deaths and tests data is as of Dec. 31).
• Check out the Tribune’s coronavirus coverage.
• Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus.
• Other Chicago, suburbs and Illinois COVID-19 metrics.
• See how the governor’s plan to manage the regions works.
Source: Illinois Department of Public Health
Created by the Chicago Tribune dataviz team. On Twitter @chitribgraphics


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood

Search below by street address , ZIP code or city , then click on the map to see the number @ @ @ @ @ state is not providing data for any ZIP code with five cases or fewer .

Note: With Chicago and Illinois moving into phase 5, the Tribune is no longer updating this data. If the state moves back into bridge phase, the Tribune we reassess. Daily metrics on COVID-19, like cases, deaths and hospitalizations, can be found here. And Daily metrics on the vaccination effort can be found here. More on where the coronavirus stands nationally and around the world can be found here.
Illinois releases the number of positive COVID-19 cases by ZIP code daily. The map below shows the cumulative cases for each area as well as other analysis of the data.
• Check out the Tribune’s coronavirus coverage.
• Tracking daily Illinois coronavirus deaths, cases and tests.
Search below by street address, ZIP code or city, then click on the map to see the number of confirmed and probable cases. The state is not providing data for any ZIP code with five cases or fewer.
Data as of June 10.
The map search tool above works best in Chrome or Firefox and may not perform consistently in Internet Explorer.
Note: Because of a coding error this map was displaying the incorrect rates for new cases in the last 7 days per 100,000 people — the issue should now be resolved.. The Tribune adjusted the data shown on the map below to focus on new cases, those the state tracked in the last 7 seven days. The totals for the entire pandemic are still available, but in the pop-up after tapping or clicking on a ZIP.


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 20 new deaths, 2,120 new confirmed cases and 61,918 new test resu

Daily Illinois coronavirus graphs: 20 new deaths, 2,120 new confirmed cases and 61,918 new test results

Illinois announced 2,120 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 Friday for a total of 270,327 .
The state also announced 20 @ @ @ @ @ of 8,411 and 61,918 new test results for a total of 4.98 million .

Johns Hopkins University & Medicine tracked coronavirus cases, deaths and test totals from Jan. 22, 2020 through March 10, 2023, but is no longer providing this data. These charts will no longer be updated.
Check the Illinois Department of Public Health for the most up-to-date data for Illinois.
[ Remembering the lives of those in Illinois who died from coronavirus ]
Can’t see these charts? Go here.


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Watch live: Father of 5-year-old AJ Freund appears at court hearing

An attorney for Andrew Freund , 61 , said a plea deal could come Friday in the death of AJ @ @ @ @ @ death last year and buried in a remote area in Woodstock .
Read more here @

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chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Will, Kankakee counties can reopen bars, resume indoor dining as COVID-19 positivity rate comes down

Will, Kankakee counties can reopen bars, resume indoor dining as COVID-19 positivity rate comes down;  state case count pushes past 270,000

“ Let that be a testament , honestly , to the entire state and to the power of community that @ @ @ @ @ reduce risk and to slow the spread , and let it also be a testament @ @ @ @ @ on the side of science , to collaboration between IDPH and local health departments , @ @ @ @ @ doing right by neighbors , ” Pritzker said at a news conference in Rock Island @

Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Weeks after the region that includes Will and Kankakee counties suffered a rollback in restrictions, bars can reopen and indoor dining can resume as the coronavirus positivity rate has come down, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Friday.
The governor made the announcement as the state’s known COVID-19 case tally pushed past 270,000.
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Also Friday, DuPage County was removed from a list of counties at “warning level” for a possible resurgence of COVID-19. With the removal of DuPage, no Chicago-area counties are among the two dozen counties on the state’s latest list.
The region that includes Will and Kankakee counties logged three consecutive days this week under a 6.5% COVID-19 test positivity rate, allowing the stricter rules to be lifted as of 5 p.m. Friday, Pritzker said.
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The region’s positivity rate was 5.6% as of Friday, Pritzker said.
The region was the second to see tougher rules imposed after it surpassed a state threshold of 8% positivity rate for three consecutive days. The seven-county Metro East region, the first to see a rollback in its reopening, remains under the stricter rules for bars, restaurants and gatherings.
The rollback meant those regions had to close bars and ban indoor dining at restaurants, while lowering the cap on gatherings to 25 people. In phase four of Pritzker’s reopening plan, which the state entered in late June, the gathering cap is 50 people, and bars and indoor dining are allowed to be open with capacity limits.
Pritzker sought to use the progress in the Will and Kankakee region’s positivity rate as support for the interventions his administration has put in place for areas of the state where COVID-19 appears to be surging.
“Let that be a testament, honestly, to the entire state and to the power of community that embraces doctor-recommended mitigations proven to reduce risk and to slow the spread, and let it also be a testament to community leaders who stand on the side of science, to collaboration between IDPH and local health departments, and a testament to neighbors doing right by neighbors,” Pritzker said at a news conference in Rock Island.
State public health officials on Friday announced 2,120 newly diagnosed coronavirus cases and 20 additional deaths, raising the totals to 270,327 known cases and 8,411 deaths throughout the course of the pandemic.
The seven-day rolling statewide positivity rate stood at 3.6% as of Friday. Nearly 62,000 tests were conducted during the previous 24 hours, state public health officials said Friday.
Pritzker on Friday also extended a host of coronavirus-related executive orders, including the current rules of his “Restore Illinois” reopening plan, for another 30 days, through Oct. 17. In a minor tweak, an exemption has been added for “election-related functions,” similar to one previously added for the “free exercise of religion.” The order notes that the Illinois Department of Public health has issued safety guidelines for the Nov. 3 election.
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The weekly warning list released Friday by the Department of Public Health includes 24 counties, down from 30 a week ago. Counties are added to the list when they reach two or more bench marks indicating the virus that causes COVID-19 is spreading locally, such as more than 50 new cases per 100,000 residents or when the death toll increases by more than 20% for two straight weeks.
The counties at warning level are: Bond, Bureau, Cass, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeWitt, Edwards, Effingham, Greene, Jasper, Jo Daviess, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Rock Island, St. Clair, Shelby, Washington, Wayne, Williamson, Wabash and Union.
The reasons for each county being on the list varies, but public health officials continue to warn of outbreaks connected to college parties and sports teams, large gatherings at bars and clubs, weddings and funerals, and schools, among other settings. Local officials in some areas are not enforcing mask requirements or other social distancing measures, according to state health officials.
jmunks@chicagotribune.com
dpetrella@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Chicago’s Billy Goat Tavern owner Sam Sianis won’t retire, no matter the challenges of the pandemic

Chicago’s Billy Goat Tavern owner Sam Sianis won’t retire, no matter the challenges of the pandemic era

He and his family want everybody to understand that he wants to be with them .
“ I think everyone @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ re trying to keep safe by limiting the amount of time he @ @ @ @ @ store , ” said his son .
“ It ’ s been tough , but @ @ @ @ @ hopefully soon we ’ ll be back to normal .
”

For months during the beginning of the pandemic, Sam Sianis, pictured at Billy Goat Tavern on Lower Michigan Avenue on Sept. 6, 2020, stayed home from the bar he used to go to every day. Now he's back a few times a week. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
When you descend to the depths of Lower Michigan Avenue now, the neon signs of the Billy Goat Tavern seem gone. The lights still glow behind blue painted boards. The owner beams too, sometimes.
“When I’m at the Billy Goat, I feel better!” said Sam Sianis, owner of perhaps the most iconic restaurant and bar in Chicago.
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Sianis, who tends to speak at a shout, turns 86 on Dec. 12. He was born in 1934, the same year the tavern was founded. That places him in the age group at greatest risk for severe illness from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
He’s just one of the thousands of restaurant owners in the Chicago area who’ve devoted their lives to the family business. Just one of the many faces we came to expect behind the counter, who knew our orders by heart. Just one of those who may never go back to work again at the place that made them and us and our city.
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Wood boards cover windows damaged during recent downtown looting and vandalism at the Billy Goat Tavern in the 400 block of Lower Michigan Avenue, on Sept. 6, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
“I say cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger every day!” said Sianis.
Not quite everyday anymore. When the statewide coronavirus-mandated restaurant and bar closures went into effect March 16 at 9 p.m., until the stay-at-home order ended May 29, Sianis stayed away from the business where he has worked since he was 21.
One of his sons, Tom Sianis, explained. “When COVID started shutdown mode, he went from not going there at all, until the last couple of months where he’s been going a few times a week, just to get out of the house and see the Billy Goat.”
Sam Sianis is hard of hearing, said his son, who also translated in Greek for his father. Regulars may be surprised by the hearing loss and need for translation, since the lifelong barman still seems to understand his customers implicitly.
A worker sweeping sidewalks walks past the Billy Goat Tavern on May 7, 2020, prior to the looting and vandalism that took place later in the summer. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
The Billy Goat currently has eight locations, all in the Chicago area. They are not taverns technically by city licensing standards. That designation is for businesses that serve alcohol without food. The city has closed taverns with only indoor seating in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The Billy Goat, however, famously makes cheeseburgers.
Double cheeseburger and potato chips at the Billy Goat Tavern. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
Tom Sianis, who said he doesn’t hold a title at the family business, but just works with his brothers, is a judge for the Cook County Circuit Court in Illinois. He shared some Billy Goat history. “We started in 1934 with my great uncle.”
The late William Sianis, a Greek immigrant, bought the Lincoln Tavern on the West Side 86 years ago. “It was a bar that was across the street from the Chicago Stadium,” said Tom Sianis. The stadium was near where the United Center now stands, less than half a mile from a Billy Goat location on Madison Street.
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Like any great legend, so many layers have been added throughout the years.
When Sam Sianis, arrived from Greece in 1955, he immediately started working with his uncle at what was then still just a tavern.
“We moved over to the Michigan Avenue location in 1964, where we added the grill,” said Tom Sianis. That’s when they started the whole “cheeseburger, cheeseburger, no fries, chips,” he said. “We had a big lunch line, and to get the orders in and out as quickly as possible, they would just yell people’s orders to the short order cook.”
Sam Sianis, left, and his son Tom pose for a photograph at Billy Goat Tavern. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
In 1978, John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and Bill Murray immortalized a fictional Greek diner on “Saturday Night Live” inspired by the Billy Goat. Customers learn they can order only cheeseburgers, chips and Pepsi. Belushi, Aykroyd and Murray called out orders in character, Sianas style, as “Cheezborger! Cheezborger! Cheezborger!”
“Since then, we always kept the motto going,” said Tom Sianis. “It’s just really good food and people are happy coming in. They’re excited to know that they’re in an establishment that’s been around since the 1930s.”
His brothers Bill and Paul Sianis now run the Billy Goat business. They are among hundreds of restaurant owners nationwide who have sued for coronavirus insurance payouts.
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“I was there every day! Seven days a week!” said Sam Sianis.
Tom Sianis shares their new routine. “He calls every day to make sure things are in line,” he said. “He goes to the Michigan Avenue store and the Madison location between one and three times a week, just for a couple of hours to see everybody. When he’s there, we try to keep up social distancing, but he likes to talk to everybody when he gets there.”
Now when you walk down the steps into the oldest location, on Lower Michigan Avenue, you’ll find social distancing circles on the floor and branded masks for sale behind the counter. On a recent Sunday at lunchtime, a few tourists walked in, past a couple of regulars nursing beers at the bar.
“He goes in the mornings, between 10 and a little after lunch,” said his son. “He’s at the grill. He yells ’Cheeseburger! Cheeseburger!’ He talks to people when they come in, and they take pictures.”
Sam Sianis was big on handshakes and hugs before COVID-19. “We’ve cut that off when one of us is there watching him,” said his son. “He does miss that though.”
The visits have involved the whole family and longtime employees too. “He used to drive, up until six or seven years ago,” said Tom Sianis. Now someone needs to drive the family patriarch to and from the Billy Goat. “We have a schedule of who’s going to drop him off. Either myself or my sister or my brothers will take him.”
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They’ll stay with him, then bring him back home, or one of a couple of employees working that day will drop him off.
Three generations of the Sianis family, Sam Sianis, right, his son Tom, and grandchildren Sam, 9, left, and George, 6, read the Sunday newspaper at the oldest location of the Billy Goat Tavern on Sept. 6, 2020, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)
“We’ve been really good about quarantining here,” said his son. “There are limited places that he goes. He’ll go to my house and family homes, but no public places.”
When Sam Sianis is asked what he does at home, he clears his throat and laughs. “I work on my backyard!” he said. “Tomatoes and onions!”
Will he retire now? “I never retire!” he said. “I can’t retire because my mind goes inside the Billy Goat! Day and night, my brain is at the Billy Goat!”
He and his family want everybody to understand that he wants to be with them. “I think everyone knows that given his age, we’re trying to keep safe by limiting the amount of time he’s actually at the store,” said his son. “It’s been tough, but he’s optimistic and hopefully soon we’ll be back to normal.”
“I wish everybody to be healthy!” said Sam Sianis.
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“I want to say to everybody,” he said, voice breaking, “I still love them.”
lchu@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--COVID-19′s toll on Illinois' health care field: A memorial to 44 of those who died

The Tribune has identified and interviewed dozens of families to chronicle the devastating loss of life and acts of heroism @ @ @ @ @ you would like to submit to this memorial , please contact us here .

Christy Gutowski, John Keilman, Jonathon Berlin

More than 100 professionals working in the health care field have died in Illinois since COVID-19 began its deadly march through the state this past spring, according to public health officials, who said the exact figure is likely higher.
They include nurses, doctors, medical assistants, technicians, therapists and other support staff who clean rooms, serve food and provide security. They worked in hospitals, nursing homes, private offices or on ambulance crews and in homes as health aides. Most were minorities.
[ As they focused on others with COVID-19 and refused to walk away, Illinois health care workers bore the brunt of pandemic’s fury ]
The Tribune has identified and interviewed dozens of families to chronicle the devastating loss of life and acts of heroism. If you know someone you would like to submit to this memorial, please contact us here.


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Saving the Little Village Discount Mall

Saving the Little Village Discount Mall

The Discount Mall in Little Village is home to more than 100 family-owned shops and has been open in the @ @ @ @ @ three decades .
As hundreds celebrated Mexico ’ s Independence Day in Little Village , @ @ @ @ @ the mall held a rally on the sidewalk of the plaza to raise awareness of @ @ @ @ @ the new owner to replace the mall with chain stores , thus displacing the vendors @ @ @ @ @

A protester holds signs about rent control during an event to encourage residents to fill out the 2020 Census, in the 3000 block of West 26th Street in the Little Village neighborhood on Sept. 16, 2020, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Adult obesity rates are up nationwide, and the COVID-19 pandemic could push the rate higher, new rep

Adult obesity rates are up nationwide, and the COVID-19 pandemic could push the rate higher, new report finds

“ With more food insecurity growing as a result of COVID , there are more people who are becoming unemployed @ @ @ @ @ their pockets .
It ’ s one reason we see obesity rising along with the @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .

Bags of produce from the Greater Chicago Food Depository await distribution in the parking lot of Trinity United Church of Christ on Friday, May 1, 2020. The CEO of Trust for America's Health said higher obesity rates among Black and Latino adults is partly because some can't afford healthier food options, which tend to be more expensive. (Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune)
Adult obesity rates are on the rise nationwide and stood at 31.6% in Illinois, with higher rates among Black and Latino populations, a study published Thursday found.
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The report by Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Trust for America’s Health found the obesity rate among adults nationwide passed 40% for the first time, and food insecurity during the coronavirus pandemic could put more Americans at risk for obesity in the future.
It is the 17th year the group has published the report, which used 2019 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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In Illinois, the obesity rate is 40.5% among Black adults and 34.6% among Latino adults, the study found. Overall, the obesity rate in Illinois decreased slightly over the prior year, when it was 31.8%, the report said.
John Auerbach, president and CEO of Trust for America’s Health, said the higher rates among those groups are partly because many can’t afford healthier food options, which tend to be more expensive. Auerbach said another reason is low-income neighborhoods tend to have more fast-food restaurants and convenience stores rather than grocery stores.
“One of the counterintuitive things about obesity is that it’s correlated with poverty. The poorer you are, the more likely you are to be obese,” he said.
Families with tight budgets will buy the least expensive foods, which tend to have more calories and lack nutritional value, Auerbach said.
“With more food insecurity growing as a result of COVID, there are more people who are becoming unemployed and have less money in their pockets. It’s one reason we see obesity rising along with the downturn in the economy,” he said.
Obesity can increase the chances of developing health problems like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Researchers are studying the relationship between obesity and COVID-19, but there’s some evidence that obesity can increase the likelihood of serious complications from a coronavirus infection, the report said.
Auerbach said personal choice, including the ability to choose healthier food options, is limited for low-income people.
“The research shows what is effective is changing the conditions in peoples' lives so that the easy choice, the choice that’s possible for you, is the healthy choice,” he said.
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Overall, Illinois ranked 30th among states with the highest adult obesity rates. Nationwide, the obesity rate was 42.4% for adults, which has increased by 26% since 2008, according to the report.
abjimenez@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @abdel1019


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Column: A renowned Indian architect gets a Chicago showcase as Lincoln Park gallery celebrates Doshi

Column: A renowned Indian architect gets a Chicago showcase as Lincoln Park gallery celebrates Doshi’s humanistic designs

In contrast to the orderly monotony of public housing worldwide , the Aranya development was based on the idea of @ @ @ @ @ The project provided essentials , like a concrete plinth and an electrical connection , to @ @ @ @ @ atop the bare-boned base .
Residents followed the template of sample homes that Doshi designed @ @ @ @ @ activity , calculating how much room would be needed for such everyday activities as sewing @ @ @ @ @ and meeting the milkman .

Indian architect Balkrishna Doshi, 90, winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, poses at his residence in Ahmedabad on March 8, 2018. Doshi vowed March 8 to use his award, considered architecture's Nobel equivalent, to escalate his campaign for proper housing for the poor as the country battles a massive shortage of homes. (Sam Panthakysam/AFP Getty)
When Balkrishna Doshi became the first architect from India to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2018, the long-overdue recognition was not just for Doshi or his country, but for an approach to design that seeks to uplift human experience, not turn out spectacular objects that strut across the urban stage.
Which is not to say that Doshi’s buildings are not beautiful — only that their beauty is richly multidimensional, taking into account local climate, materials and customs as well as a building’s surroundings and users' needs. The architect, now 93, is a realist as well as an idealist.
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“I can’t create paradise, but I can create a good life," he said in a video promoting last year’s opening of the first comprehensive traveling exhibition of his work, at Germany’s Vitra Design Museum.
Now, that show — engaging, intelligent and richly immersive — has opened at the Wrightwood 659 gallery in Chicago’s Lincoln Park area. To see it in person, you will need to don a face mask and practice social distancing. If that’s not an option, try the insightful 383-page catalog, which, like the show, is titled “Balkrishna Doshi: Architecture for the People.”
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Premabhai Hall in Ahmedabad, India, is seen in an image from "Balkrishna Doshi: Architecture for the People.” The show is at the Wrightwood 659 gallery, at 659 W. Wrightwood Ave. in Chicago’s Lincoln Park area, through Dec. 12. (Vinay Panjwani/Wrightwood 659 Gallery)
Both explore the designs and ideas of an architect whose humanistic approach is much-needed amid the dehumanizing ugliness and harshness of a rapidly urbanizing world.
The 23 designs covered by the show range in scale from Doshi’s own house (named for his wife Kamala) to a master plan for a residential development of up to 400,000 people. The projects are arranged in four thematic sections: education designs, institutional work, urban buildings and plans, and homes.
It’s fitting that the exhibition appears at Wrightwood 659 because the gallery, a stunning repurposing of a four-story apartment building, was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando. Like Doshi, Ando was strongly influenced by a leading 20th century modernist, the Swiss-born architect Le Corbusier, and his powerfully sculpted masses of concrete.
At the outset of the show, a timeline adorned with Le Corbusier’s favorite stencil font tells the story of Doshi’s rise from modest beginnings (he grew up in an extended Hindu family headed by his grandfather, a furniture-maker) to the status of esteemed architect and educator.
The work of Indian architect Balkrishna Doshi is showcased in a traveling exhibition, “Balkrishna Doshi: Architecture for the People,” at Chicago's Wrightwood 659 gallery. (Iwan Baan/Wrightwood 659 Gallery)
In the 1950s, after dropping out of architecture school in India and moving to London, Doshi wangled a job in Le Corbusier’s Paris atelier, even though he didn’t speak French. A fellowship from Chicago’s Graham Foundation enabled Doshi to travel to the U.S. and meet leading architects like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. In the 1960s, Doshi collaborated with American architect Louis Kahn on the acclaimed Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad, notable for the large, shadow-casting cutouts in its brick facade.
As the show reveals, Doshi learned from Le Corbusier and Kahn, but ultimately found his own voice, reworking the principles of modernism to better suit India’s architectural traditions and technologies and, most of all, its culture.
In projects like the Institute of Indology in Ahmedabad (1962), the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore (1977 and 1992), and the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology in Ahmedabad (1968), the buildings are low-slung and approachable, not monumental and forbidding, as at Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh capital complex.
They incorporate traditional aspects of Indian architecture, like porches and verandas. Their plazas are softened by trees and lawns, not expanses of bare concrete, providing a respite from India’s hot climate. Stairs and hallways are treated as meeting places, rather than mere circulation spaces.
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The School of Architecture at Doshi’s Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology in Ahmedabad, India, is seen in "Balkrishna Doshi: Architecture for the People." The show is at the Wrightwood 659 gallery through Dec. 12. (Iwan Baan/Wrightwood 659 Gallery)
Doshi does not view his buildings as permanent statements, but as incomplete designs that only come alive when people use them. “Architecture is like a fabric generated by life forces, not an isolated object that cannot be touched," he says in one of many quotations posted on the show’s walls.
Bringing these ideas to life, the curators — Doshi’s granddaughter, Khushnu Panthaki Hoff, director of an urban design research foundation, and Jolanthe Kugler, a curator at the Vitra museum — deftly interweave a wealth of materials. They include photographs, drawings, architectural models, videos, specially commissioned background music, and large-scale reproductions of spaces that provide a glimpse into the three-dimensional experience of Doshi’s work.
Throughout, Doshi’s versions of traditional Indian miniature paintings, renowned for their colorful, intricate designs, add delightful grace notes.
Key displayed projects include several works from Ahmedabad: Doshi’s Sangath architectural studio (1980 and 2010), whose barrel vaults recall Kahn’s renowned Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas; the Amdavad Ni Gufa art gallery, a partly underground interior sheltered by domed ceilings; the Premabhai Hall (1976), a theater that forms a powerful presence along a civic plaza; and his home (1963 and 1986), a lovely cross-shaped abode with a framed rooftop terrace.
We also see the Aranya Low Cost Housing development in Indore, India (1989), an innovative project inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of empowerment. It shows both the brilliance — and the limits — of Doshi’s designs.
The Sangath architectural studio designed by Balkrishna Doshi. (VSF )
The Aranya Low Cost Housing development by Balkrishna Doshi in Indore, India, accommodates over 80,000 people through a system of houses, courtyards and internal pathways. (AP)
In contrast to the orderly monotony of public housing worldwide, the Aranya development was based on the idea of informal, resident-driven growth. The project provided essentials, like a concrete plinth and an electrical connection, to residents who built their houses atop the bare-boned base. Residents followed the template of sample homes that Doshi designed with painstaking attention to human activity, calculating how much room would be needed for such everyday activities as sewing, washing clothes, meditating and meeting the milkman.
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The result, at first, was a model development of modest scale and teeming urban spaces, one that promised to address India’s vexing housing shortage and vast slums. But the forces unleashed by India’s 1991 economic liberalization, which made the economy more market-oriented, appear to have disrupted the thoughtfully planned complex.
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As the London-based Architectural Review magazine reported last year, only a small number of Aranya’s original model homes still stand. Land prices had skyrocketed, displacing many of the poor people the project was meant to serve. “Problems of slum resettlement are just too big to be solved by architectural design,” the magazine lamented.
The show would have been stronger if it had told this part of the story and explored how Doshi has navigated the straits of a roaring Indian economy that has exacerbated the gap between rich and poor.
Still, it is an excellent exhibition, not just because it provides a lucid introduction to Doshi’s buildings and ideas, but also because its immersive setting transports the visitor to Doshi’s India. There, architecture strives — and often succeeds — to help people of all kinds lead a better life.
“Balkrishna Doshi: Architecture for the People” appears at Wrightwood 659, at 659 W. Wrightwood Ave., through Dec. 12. Tickets cost $15 and are only available online at tickets.wrightwood659.org/events. The catalog, on sale at the gallery, costs $85 and includes admission to the show.
Blair Kamin is a Tribune critic.
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bkamin@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @BlairKamin


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Small plane crash-lands on a road in Palatine: ‘I saw a plane flying really low and expected the wor

Small plane crash-lands on a road in Palatine: ‘I saw a plane flying really low and expected the worst’

No one was injured in the rush-hour wreck , Palatine police Sgt .
Michael Campbell said , and the lone @ @ @ @ @ walked away from the crash and was talking to authorities nearby .
No cars were @ @ @ @ @ it landed .

A small plane crash-landed onto a road in a residential area in Palatine Thursday evening.
No one was injured in the rush-hour wreck, Palatine police Sgt. Michael Campbell said, and the lone occupant of the single-engine aircraft walked away from the crash and was talking to authorities nearby. No cars were hit by the plane as it landed.
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The aircraft came down at about 6 p.m. on Quentin Road, just north of the Metra tracks and south of Northwest Highway. The Cessna 177 Cardinal appeared to be banged up but largely intact.
The scene was about 10 miles due west of Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling.
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Palatine resident Michael Stammer said he was out walking his labradoodle and then "I saw a plane flying really low and expected the worst.”
“I heard fire trucks and sirens and knew something bad had happened,” Stammer said.
Max Medvid, a pilot who lives nearby and came to the scene, speculated that the Cessna’s engine cut out before the aircraft landed on the road, likely while heading to or after taking off from Chicago Executive Airport.
The plane, which was towed from the scene a few hours after the crash, has a pending registration application with the Federal Aviation Administration submitted by Zain Aviation, according to the FAA website. Zain offers aircraft rental and flight training and is based at Chicago Executive Airport, its website states.
No one from Zain could immediately be reached.
The village closed Quentin between Northwest Highway and Colfax Avenue and the FAA was notified, according to a village notification.
kcullotta@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Man killed in Wauconda crash

Man killed in Wauconda crash

The driver of the car was ejected from his vehicle and killed , according to Wauconda fire officials .
Police @ @ @ @ @ 21-year-old man .
His identity has not been released .

Authorities are investigating a head-on collision in Wauconda early Friday morning in which a motorist was killed, according to Wauconda police.
The accident, involving a large box truck and a passenger vehicle, took place shortly before 3 a.m. Friday on Route 12, near Route 59, fire officials said.
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Police say preliminary investigation determined that a Mitsubishi Eclipse that was southbound on Route 12 when it crossed the center median and collided head-on with the northbound truck.
The driver of the car was ejected from his vehicle and killed, according to Wauconda fire officials. Police said the driver was a 21-year-old man. His identity has not been released.
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The driver of the truck, a 62-year-old man, suffered minor injuries and refused transport, fire officials said.
Wauconda police are investigating with the assistance of the county’s Major Crash Assistance Team.


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Single-engine plane crash landing

Single-engine plane crash landing

Treja Kelley had been hesitant to come forward after witnessing the murder of her 17-year-old cousin .
But she found @ @ @ @ @ stand last year and helped secure a guilty verdict .
Her testimony , though , @ @ @ @ @ head , prosecutors said .
Just a few months after testifying , Kelley was shot @ @ @ @ @ not far from where her cousin had been slain .
She was 18 and pregnant @


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--Six months into a pandemic and dreaming about sitting at a bar again

The company of a good bartender is a special comfort too : how they can measure your mood by a @ @ @ @ @ .
Anyone who has ever formed a bond with the person behind their favorite bar @ @ @ @ @ , literally , take care of us when we are out having good times , @ @ @ @ @ work 40 hours — or more !
— every week to enjoy .
During our @ @ @ @ @ they are waiting to share it again and say hello .
Sometimes , it can @ @ @ @ @ a seat , to occupy some space , and to have a person on the @ @ @ @ @ remind you that you still exist .

I don’t remember the last time I went to a bar. I don’t remember the last time I pulled out a barstool or leaned over a counter to order a beer. That’s the nature of going to a bar, I guess — fuzzy memories and all that. But it’s also the nature of habit, of the things we get used to and that become easily forgotten.
Before the COVID-19 shutdown, we had plenty of those things, and all it took was a worldwide pandemic to turn routine into longing. Which is all to say: after more than six months of staying away, I really miss going to the bar. In particular, I miss solo sessions at a well-worn wooden bar-top, nursing a pull or two from the tap and feeling vaguely pensive while watching the bartenders work their magic. Or maybe a low-stakes sit-down with a dear friend — the kind with whom conversation can be optional, and the tab will eventually work itself out.
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At the right bar, a strange kind of peace can be found in solitude among all the life happening there. Soaking in the communion of booze, the sound of strangers — not coronavirus — hanging in the air and reminding us that we’re all here, now, together, even if you are physically alone.
Earlier in the pandemic, following the death of John Prine, I was spending a lot of time with the bottle, which just so happens to be a great way to enjoy his music. In any case, during one particularly stirring playback of “Yes I Guess They Oughta Name a Drink After You” — a honky bluegrass joint that was made for a bar jukebox — I felt like texting a friend to share the song. “This makes me want to pour a drink,” I wrote. He countered, simply: “This makes me want to go to a bar.”
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A few patrons drink at Hopleaf in Andersonville on Sept. 11, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
His reply felt like a revelation to my quarantine-addled mind. Such a simple distinction now feels more like a social rubicon that we hope to someday cross again. The distance between me and another guest situated one stool down the bar has never felt further. At this point, I wouldn’t even mind if someone took the one right next to me, if that meant social distancing was over.
Don’t get me wrong; I know some bars are open (although taverns are not, which is just another layer of this ongoing hospitality-industry tragedy). But an outdoor patio is just not the same as a perch at the bar, let alone the kind of setting we used to know on a Saturday night out. Remember enjoying an exchange with a worker without being afraid for their health? Close-talking with friends, without a mask, in the same old spot? Having somewhere else to go inside, and to escape?
The company of a good bartender is a special comfort too: how they can measure your mood by a glance and a drink order. Anyone who has ever formed a bond with the person behind their favorite bar knows this. These people, literally, take care of us when we are out having good times, the moments for which we work 40 hours — or more! — every week to enjoy. During our “time off,” they are waiting to share it again and say hello. Sometimes, it can just be reassuring to claim a seat, to occupy some space, and to have a person on the other side of the counter remind you that you still exist.
That treatment goes for anyone working in hospitality. Whatever bars and restaurants look like in a post-pandemic future, I hope the labor and love of workers come to be appropriately cherished.
Feeling at home in these places is cultural cliche, sure, but against the volatility of the last few months, the familiarity of a cliche doesn’t sound so bad right now.
Hopleaf restaurant and bar in Andersonville is empty on Sept. 11, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
Amidst the slog of our one-time commutes and workdays, I would find peace settling into a barstool alone, counting my pints, maybe sipping a shot of something stronger, depending on how long I stayed. There is something reassuring about being alone in a crowd, in finding a bit of stillness for yourself among the friendly chaos of an uninterrupted jukebox, clinking glasses, barflies meditating alone and friends talking across tall tables, laughing too hard.
To that end, it’s also the people, really. I miss being around people, which is something I’ve learned about myself during quarantine. I’m tired of being alone, but all together, in a national pandemic — I want to go back to being alone, but all together, in a bar.
However, the doors to our favorite bars and taverns and restaurants and cafes are closing, more and more: Guthrie’s Tavern, Income Tax, Jeri’s Grill, not to mention every music venue in Chicago. It just makes me sad, and I do not believe I am alone in that. Among an exhausting barrage of tragedies, the shuttering of a business can sometimes feel paltry, but a profoundly upsetting social climate shouldn’t take away from what we feel at the loss of a space that people love.
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Having a safe place to go, enjoying the company of strangers, the very nature of service at bars — these things have always been a privilege, to be sure. Mourning the loss of this setting feels natural, though. Neighborhood haunts — particularly the bars — give us places of habit and humanity, of routine and respite. Those things all feel different now.
Months into a global emergency, I’ve spent a lot more time trying to remember my last specific venture to a watering hole than I really would have expected. Frankly, I probably won’t ever remember. But sitting alone in my apartment six months into a pandemic and reminiscing about the time I used to spend barside has made me grateful for all the strange ways it helped me feel connected to other people, and to feel like I existed among the world.
adlukach@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-09-18--West Side carjacking leads to boy, 17, getting hit, killed by vehicle on Eisenhower Expressway

The woman “ was standing outside of her silver Chevy Impala gathering items ” when a male in a group @ @ @ @ @ to her and pointed a gun at her , causing the woman to drop her @ @ @ @ @ Chicago police media notification .
The three then took the keys and got into the @ @ @ @ @

State troopers and Chicago police investigate the scene as a person who had been in carjacked vehicle lies dead on the Eisenhower Expressway near Ashland Avenue on Sept. 18, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
A carjacking late Thursday on the West Side led to the death of a 17-year-old boy who was walking on the Eisenhower Expressway overnight, according to authorities.
The crash killed a 17-year-old boy who was on foot on the Interstate 290′s westbound side near Ashland Avenue about 12:40 a.m. Friday, according to state police.
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Troopers were initially called to the scene of a disabled vehicle, where they encountered three people who were standing on the left shoulder of the expressway, outside of the disabled vehicle, according to a statement from the Illinois State Police.
Two of them -- including the 17-year-old -- ran across all lanes of traffic towards the right shoulder -- as the trooper got out of his squad car.
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The 17-year-old was struck in the far right lane of traffic by multiple vehicles and succumbed to his injuries at the scene, the statement said. His name was not being released yet.
All westbound lanes of traffic were blocked about 1 a.m. and reopened about 8 a.m., according to official traffic information.
Authorities did not make clear what the connection between the fatal collision and the carjacking was, only that the two were related.
The crash happened after a 29-year-old woman was carjacked about 11 p.m. in the 1500 block of South Christiana Avenue in the Lawndale neighborhood, according to Chicago police.
The woman “was standing outside of her silver Chevy Impala gathering items” when a male in a group of three people came up to her and pointed a gun at her, causing the woman to drop her keys, according to a Chicago police media notification. The three then took the keys and got into the car and drove off.
State police were handling the investigation of what happened after the car was stolen, Chicago police said. One male juvenile, who was not injured in the crash, was detained by police “for further investigation,” Chicago police said.
Check back for updates.