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The modern sports bar first took off in the 1980s in Chicago. On the drinks side, there will be 24 beers on tap, a wide selection of bourbons, cognacs, and vodkas, as well as signature cocktails. In addition to the deep-dish pizza that Williams Inn was known for, the menu will focus on sports bar staples like Italian beef sandwiches, while including more refined fare like pastas and salads. But the area still lacks the feeling of a warm Chicago neighborhood - meaning locals need a place to watch the WNBA’s Chicago Sky and DePaul Blue Demons basketball teams.
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He and COO Teaunto Stephens saw an opportunity to bring back Williams Inn near McCormick Place, where a booming convention business, plus sporting events at the Wintrust Arena draw steady crowds. The original location closed following a fire in 2010 the second, which focused on takeout and delivery, closed in 2018 largely because delivery platforms like Grubhub and DoorDash provided lackluster service to the city’s south and west sides, according to Junior. This will be the third iteration of Williams Inn Pizza. “There are tons in the community who love to watch sports,” Junior said.ĭeep-dish pizza is Williams Inn Pizzeria’s specialty. Chicago has no shortage of sports bars, but it’s unique in that it is intended primarily for the city’s black and LGBTQ communities. While Jeffery Pub is known for its vibrant atmosphere, Williams Inn - named for Junior’s grandmother - will be more in the vein of a traditional sports bar, with plenty of TVs for fans to catch games and root for their favorite teams. Today, as the only black-owned gay bar in the city, Jeffery Pub remains a pillar of Chicago’s queer nightlife, one that notably stands outside of the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood of Boystown.
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Over the years, she taught him how to be a restaurant operator, and he assumed full control of Jeffery Pub following her death. A family affair, the South Shore bar was passed down to Junior by his grandmother, Lula Williams, who started bringing him around the business when he was 8 years old.
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Jeffery Pub has served the LGBTQ community since the mid-’60s, making it one of the oldest gay bars in America. Jamal Junior hopes to open Williams Inn Pizzeria and Sports Bar in the Motor Row District, near McCormick Place, in late March or early April.