Thursday, April 17, 2008

A New Doggy Style In Uptown

By Jason Heidemann- Time Out Chicago
The crew at Crew Bar and Grill offered a sneak peek of its new sibling bar The Wilde Pug, a gay English pub scheduled to open in June (permits pending) at Broadway and Lawrence. Basically, the peek revealed that there’s still a ways to go yet (kinda like 500 years ago when DaVinci showed his friends a blank canvas and said, "Imagine a woman sitting here, sort of smiling, sort of not").

But preliminary sketches reveal a fireplace as you enter to your right (where there will eventually be couches and chairs). Opposite the fireplace will be tables (no food license, but you can bring in nosh from Crew next door or anywhere in the neighborhood) and as you move through the space you’ll come to the main bar, a long curvy thing with the DJ booth and pool table just across from it. A pair of doors will separate the back room where there will be a dance floor because, as managing partner Steve Milford put it, "We think if Oscar Wilde were alive today, he’d want to dance."

Milford is also planning on bringing back the game show nights that he lent a hand to back when he was at Roscoe’s. Composite sketches of the place didn’t reveal as much information as I’d have liked since Milford told me the color scheme would be changing (in other words, if I had to pick out the bar in a criminal lineup it would pretty much get off scot-free), but I’m pretty stoked nonetheless. If all goes well, this could be the laid-back, but still cruisy counterpart to Crew we’ve all been waiting for.

28 comments:

  1. A gay English pub, are you joking?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thats disappointing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Disappointing why? Crew's been a pretty good neighbor for the last few years. This new place has to be better than the decrepit liquor store that was in the space before.

    ReplyDelete
  4. A gay English pub. Kinda redundant.

    For my next yoke.

    I hope they are successful.

    Uptown needs decent businesses.

    Last time I checked gay patrons use green money.

    Speaking of "green" Oscar Wilde was born and raised in Ireland so it could be called a gay Irish pub. The ads could be "Where Men are Men and Sheep are Nervous".

    Oh well if you doubt the truthiness of that bad joke spend some time in hip boots on an Irish farm. You'll hear a variation soon enough.

    Good luck to da Wilde Pug.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm glad to see more quality establishments opening up in the neighborhood, but it is a little disappointing that it has to be labeled as gay specific.

    I know all of the contrary arguments, so spare them. Marketing it as a gay bar has always struck me as exlusionary.

    Maybe Popeye's can be reopened as a gay Popeye's.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow. I'm kinda floored by all the thinly-veiled/slightly homophobic comments. I'd expect posts on an Uptown-centric blog to be a little more learned and accepting (dare I say modern?) than backward and archaic. "A strip of buggery?" Is that supposed to be humorous?

    While I think Wilde Pug is a terrible name, I'm so excited to see this area being revitalized regardless of who the business is catered toward. (Granted a new methodone clinic wouldn't be high on my list.) Green Mill, Crew, Annoyance, Marigold, Fat Cat, Demera and now Wilde Pug. These are business owners who made smart, neighborhood-enriching decisions. I for one am grateful.

    Once Live Nation takes over Uptown Theatre, our neighborhood will improve exponentially!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yeah, I've always felt excluded by Demera billing itself as an Ethopian restaurant because I'm Caucasian. I've been slighted by Argyle being known as "Little Viet Nam," so I would never go there. And when I've had lunch at Crew, everyone stood and pointed at me because I'm heterosexual.

    Grow up. You live in a highly diverse community. A lot of your neighbors are gay. Crew has always been a great neighbor; since the same guys own Wilde Pug, there's no need to suspect they'll run it any differently.

    There will be, and are, plenty of businesses that don't cater to your exact demographic. Don't go there if you don't like them. But you'll be welcome if you do.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Be aware of what's going on here.

    There are a certain group of posters that have only one purpose.
    To disrupt, to whine and to perpetuate the us versus them perspective.

    Their intention is simple. Make Uptown residents appear anti-poor, anti-gay, anti-caring.

    IGNORE THEM!

    I am delighted that Brian and Steve have brought Crew to Uptown and welcome The Wilde Pug.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The owners have not referred to it as "gay English pub," or indicated that it's exclusively gay. I was at the construction party and they clearly expressed that everyone is welcome there.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wilde Pug will be another great addition to the 4800 block of Broadway. The investment and detail to Wilde Pug is impressive. It's not your average Chicago bar.

    Also, Crew/Wilde Pug may have a target market but all are welcome. My wife and I frequent Crew a lot, some of the best bar food in the city.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm sorry, I love gay people. But right to each other? Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  12. "I'm sorry, I love gay people. But right to each other? Cheers!"

    I'm sorry, I love straight people. But the Uptown Lounge, the Greene Mille and the Kinetic Playground right next to each other? Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  13. The original post with "A strip of buggery," which I cited, appears to have been deleted.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Loving e.w.!! Funny to me people want to have things move in, but then get critical when it's exactly what they want. What's the worst thing - more people visiting our neighborhood, enjoying the area and having a good time?! I don't see how this should be disappointing to anyone.

    ReplyDelete
  15. ISn't there a gay Irish pub down in Lakeview that is supposed to be one of the best Irish food places in the city? I think my girlfried was taken to dinner by a friend in my building and thought it was great. The Tribune or Sun Times had an article on it too. What difference does it make if it has a gay orientation so long as it welcomes everyone?

    ReplyDelete
  16. I think it's a bisexual place. The whole world is bisexual.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I want only bars, restaurants and retail that cater to ME. ME. ME.

    I know this will be a difficult concept for a few people to grasp, but the world AIN'T all about U!

    The idea is to have a thriving and wide selection of businesses so you can choose the ones that work best for your tastes.

    I probably wouldn't frequent a vegetarian restaurant because I luv the dead animal flesh. Does that mean I should scoff and bemoan the presence of vegetarian restaurants?

    I don't use gyms because if God would have wanted me to be a gerbil working out on a machine he would have made me less hairy.

    I really could care less about the theme at any restaurant or business in Uptown. Just as long as they are good neighbors and hopefully successful I wish them luck.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have no problem with the management or the expected clients (despite the fact that the description doesn't include me, but I have had no problems frequenting Crew next door), but I do wish this was an Irish pub serving food - I love me some Irish food!

    ReplyDelete
  19. to a more helpful line of question, does anyone know whether they plan only to serve drinks? (In other words, if the "no food" thing just a temporary thing, with plans in the future to develop a menu of some sorts?) Just curious.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I can't believe there are some many comments on the sexual orientation of this new bar. Food, legit concern on whether or not it will be served. I'd prefer it but whatever. But it's targeted clientèle? What if a Packer bar opened up? Are we gonna comment to tell about that, too? I didn't understand this place to be so exclusionary to straight people. Hell, between this post and other recent update on Wilde Pug, it's getting out of hand.

    ReplyDelete
  21. And the title to the post/article is hilarious! Good laugh for me today. Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  22. In response to Schrisa's question, I believe there will be no kitchen at the Wilde Pug, but food will be available from the Crew menu.

    ReplyDelete
  23. To Brian and Steve, best of luck with the Wilde Pug!
    Crew has been a great neighbor over the years. You have a clean, well run establishment, with great food.
    Crew has also been good to the community (both gay and straight) and helps to make the area more vibrant.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I sincerely hope this is the last time we have such a long string about gay establishments. Do some people find two gay establishments near each other odd? Maybe, until you learn that they are owned by the same people and one isn't set to be serving food. Then, it makes perfect sense to me.

    I, for one, am happy that the owners have decided to invest not once but twice in this neighborhood. And, if you are doing that why not imbue it with your own sense of style, fun & identity? These are some the principles upon which great businesses are built.

    So, why all of the discussion about Wilde Pug these last two weeks??? I just don't get it. Crew (and Big Chicks too) are pretty hetero-friendly and most folks in this neighborhood (or at least on this blog) appear to be pro-gay. For these reasons and others, this is a great place to be. We don't need to prove it by having a predictable jousting match on a blog. Let's prove it by all having a great time at these bars together and by addressing real issues and solving real problems in our community.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Has anyone said "I wish this establishment wasn't opening because it's gay?"

    Not that I've seen.

    A few folks have commented that they would prefer it wasn't labeled as such because it sounds exclusionary. Big deal. They have a right to their opinions.

    It's like a goofy, groupthink mob in this thread. "Oh no, someone disagrees with me. Let's shout them down!" Chill the heck out.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Once this place is opens we will revert to our trues selves and be blogging about our major concern.. THE FOOD AND BOOZE!

    ReplyDelete
  27. saskia's turning into one of my favorites. :)

    ReplyDelete
  28. Just got back from Uptown last week. I grew up there in the 60's. We made it to the Green Mill. It was packed on Thursday the 17th. At least they are making a decnt living in the hood. More businesses that cater to that kind of crowd will work. Whomevere owns the dilapadated building on Broadway needs to be held responsible....... Bottom line.

    ReplyDelete