The steakhouse was initially supposed to shut down at the end of the year.
to the restaurant’s website. “We are disappointed that we have to speed up our closing date. We tried to extend that but could not.”
Earlier this year, Stefani told Eater that the landlords Fred Barbara and James Banks were trying to push Tavern on Rush out of the building. Now the two are working on a new restaurant to replace Tavern on Rush once it closes, with renderings of the new space already in existence. In those images, the Tavern name remains on the facade, making it unclear whether the sign is a placeholder or whether Barbara and Banks are going to keep the name and reimagine the restaurant.
Tavern on Rush rose to prominence at a time when Chicago was a cultural center, with the Bulls being dominant in the NBA. It served as a more upscaleestablishment in a part of town that, at the time, was home to more casual bars, attracting politicians and celebrities like Michael Jordan and Jon Bon Jovi. During its quarter-decade run, it employed more than 4,000 people and served more than 8 million guests.
“As we have always said: Bricks and mortar can be replaced: Our employees are the reason we have survived the many ups and downs of this chaotic but immensely rewarding business,” Stefani wrote in his letter. “We remain humbled by your dedication to this very special place.”