Bottled Blonde Gives Up City Licenses, Permanently Closes River North Restaurant And Bar
CHICAGO (CBS) -- After years of complaints from neighbors, and battles with City Hall over repeated code violations, Bottled Blonde restaurant and bar in River North has surrendered its business licenses and permanently closed.
The city's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) issued an order to revoke their liquor license in January 2019, but a judge allowed Bottled Blonde to stay open at the time, pending an appeal filed by Bottled Blonde's attorneys.
Last October, after losing their latest bid to keep their liquor license, the bar's owners took their case to the Illinois Appellate Court, but on Tuesday, BACP announced Bottled Blonde had surrendered their license, permanently closing the restaurant at 504 N. Wells St.
"The establishment has a history of egregious license violations, including over-occupancy, noise violations, public urination, vomiting and other problematic conditions that have had a serious impact on neighbors and the surrounding community. The City is pleased that yesterday's action will end three years of legal proceedings with the permanent closure of this problem business," BACP spokesman Isaac Reichman stated in an email.
BOTTLED BLONDE OUT OF BUSINESS:
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) July 28, 2020
Problem River North bar closed.
A welcome announcement for neighbors of Bottled Blonde who have complained for years.
Until now, the bar has fought back against the city's attempts to close them down. https://t.co/DfVZ2iR6PV pic.twitter.com/0aP597LPJq
After years of complaints from neighbors, and battles with City Hall over repeated code violations, the Bottled Blonde restaurant and bar in River North has surrendered its business licenses and permanently closed.
With the backing of Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd), neighbors had been calling for the establishment to be shut down as long ago as 2017. They said the chaotic scenes that played out near the bar each weekend had become a calamity.
Residents of the upscale neighborhood have been engaged in a battle with the bar since 2017 when complaints started piling up high enough first to prompt the city to move to attempt to revoke Bottled Blonde's liquor license.