"But owning a bar became more tangible - perhaps even irresistible - when a friend told him about a for-lease sign in the window of an historic Avondale building. Kokonas, who lives nearby, checked it out on a whim. "As soon as I walked in, I was like, 'Oh man, I'm opening a bar,' he says. 'I immediately fell in love with the aesthetic. The idea of taking something that's old and reviving it is very much up my alley.'"
"On Saturday, February 7, a year and a half after that initial walk-through, Kokonas will open Belmont Tavern and bring the one-time Polish dive bar, dormant for 25 years, back to life. This labor of love combines Kokonas's 20 years' experience in the hospitality industry with a passion - and the know-how - for restoration, a journey he documented on Belmont Tavern's Instagram and helped along with a community development grant from the city."
Nick Kokonas transitioned from longtime bartender and award-winning author to bar owner after discovering a for-lease sign in an Avondale building. He restored a 1920s Polish dive bar that had been dormant for 25 years and documented the renovation on Belmont Tavern's Instagram. Belmont Tavern opens Saturday, February 7, after a year-and-a-half renovation supported by a city community development grant. The menu prioritizes affordability with all cocktails priced at $12 and is titled "Everything Old Is New Again," organized by base spirits and featuring 26 cocktails.
Read at Eater Chicago
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