Where'd all the Chicago taverns go? (Lincoln, Bush: real estate, living, prices)

[williepotatoes]

Originally Posted by JoeyPants

I don't think City Hall is giving new licenses to taverns anymore. If you are grandfathered in you can renew it, otherwise you have to open up a bar and grill. Opening up a bar that serves no food is nearly impossible in the city that works.

It must be near to impossible for someone to transfer a license by sale unless they have a food menu.

[Attrill]

The city still gives licenses for places that don't serve food, but they are more difficult to get. There are no limits on the number of Liquor Licenses (without food) available, except in Liquor Moratorium Districts. These are areas of the city where no new licenses are granted. These are targeted areas where people have complained to their Alderman and gotten the City Council to designate their area a Moratorium District. Someone can open a Bar and Grill style place in a Moratorium District, just no new "bar only" businesses.

Here are a couple other reasons that haven't been mentioned -
- Stricter enforcement by the Liquor Commission, a few fights, constant noise complaints, someone selling drugs, or getting busted for serving minors will get a place shut down pretty quickly nowadays.
- Rising rents/costs/fees. A place that serves cheap beer to a small group of regulars just isn't viable anymore.

[Capt. Dan]

I remember in the 50's and 60's that you could go to a Polish area of Chicago and find a Polish tavern that served Polish food. Or an Irish area. Or an Italian area. Neighborhood taverns were cultural gathering places. I miss that!

[It'sAutomatic]

I think it's partially a general cultural trend away from drinking, which would lead to a decline in business at these establishments. From what I know of the America of 40-50 years ago from the stories of others, it's less acceptable for people to get s***faced drunk on a regular basis these days.

[via chicago]

Daley initiated a crackdown on bars (especially dives/corner tavern type establishments) in the late 80's/early 90s. I think around 25 years ago there were over 8,000 bars in Chicago, now theres only a little over 1,000. Theres been a lot of ordinances passed which makes it incredibly difficult (and expensive) to operate a liquor serving establishment in this city. Cultural and neighborhood changes might play a small part, but overwhelmingly the decline is the result of city hall.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by via chicago

Daley initiated a crackdown on bars (especially dives/corner tavern type establishments) in the late 80's/early 90s. I think around 25 years ago there were over 8,000 bars in Chicago, now theres only a little over 1,000...

When his father left office I believe there were over 16,000 bars and when his father took office there were about 30,000. ( I believe 30,000 was the peak. )

[linicx]

I wish Royko was here to listen to this conversation. He and Slats would tell us what happened to the bars? I"d be happy to meet someone who remembers the Dew Drop Inn and what caused its demise?

It would be one heck of a book if someone could write with some authority as to what happened to the great bars of Chicago.

[MN55]

Are there any cities left in the states with a large number of bars and taverns do you think? New York? New Orleans?

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by linicx

I wish Royko was here to listen to this conversation. He and Slats would tell us what happened to the bars? I"d be happy to meet someone who remembers the Dew Drop Inn and what caused its demise?

It would be one heck of a book if someone could write with some authority as to what happened to the great bars of Chicago.

This site documents some of the more recent casualties in the "Gone but not Forgotten" section.

Chicago Bar Project

There are some good blasts from the past on there like the Artful Dodger, Bamboo Bernie's, the Great Beer Palace, Lakeview Links, Brother Jimmy's, Kerouac Jack's, etc. A must-read for anyone familiar with the Chicago bar scene in the 1990s and early 2000s. It really brings back some memories!

[j33]

I like the Bar Project. As someone who first sneaked into my first Chicago bar way back in 1989 when I was still in high school, it is fun to read up on some of the old places I've haunted that are long gone.