Business & Tech

New Wrigleyville Tavern, Restaurant Doing $120K Build-out

Ranch-themed restaurant Bullpen will soon begin construction beneath the CTA Red Line tracks.

Construction at a new Wrigleyville restaurant directly in front of the Addison Red Line station is now on its way to becoming the last place to stop before catching the CTA.

Partners Aristithis Loukas and Mike Grivas are slated to open Bullpen, located at 949 W. Addison St., sometime this spring. The duo is also on track to open , in the former Pompei restaurant at 2955 N. Shefflied Ave.

The City of Chicago granted a permit to renovate Bullpen’s new digs on March 7, estimating the cost would total roughly $120,000. This comes after snagging approval for a late night liquor license from the Triangle Neighbors Association in October.

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Unlike City Dough’s Italian-American cuisine, Bullpen will be a western-inspired tavern and restaurant. Once occupied by Addison Food Mart, the 1,500-square-foot location next to the Red Line is ready to be transformed into a small, late-night eatery.

“Our mom grew up in Colorado on a ranch, and she used to cook us chops and fried chicken,” Loukas said in October. “We kind of wanted to marry those atmospheres of the ranch to Chicago… It’s going to be a very small restaurant, but we’re asking for a tavern’s license so we can stay open late.”

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Loukas, whose real estate business Loukas Development owns the space, says he’s had a tough time keeping the space leased. After first being a cleaners and then a grocery store, Laukas is looking to bring stability to the location.

Officials with the Triangle Neighbors Association said it was “the perfect space for a tavern” when it was presented in October. They also agreed the current space isn’t very aesthetically pleasing, so renovating it would add value to the neighborhood.

In addition, the owners don’t plan to have live music, dancing or a pool table considering the size of the space, so the new space wouldn’t disrupt neighbors.


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