The Power of Friendship Beckons Industry Heavyweights to Open a New West Town Bar

Eater

2 days ago

It's been three years since the ownership of Friends of Friends, a new bar debuting today — Thursday, May 29 — in West Town, pulled together with the idea of opening a tavern on the corner of Chicago and Grand. Opening day for co-owner Abe Vucekovich — also an alum of the influential cocktail bar Violet Hour — hit differently. It was the celebrated bartender's first as an owner.
The bar slowly filled up last week during an opening preview, with friends and neighbors trickling into the space at 2001 W. Grand Avenue. Vucekovich delighted in seeing about 100 smiling faces who filled the room, with some emptying into the 100-seat patio with heated floors for the winter and a fireplace. There are no TVs.
The 11-seat bar was salvaged from the Brooklyn location of the Knitting Factory; the club closed in 2022. Friends of Friends co-owner Kevin Heisner, who now lives in New York, spotted the opportunity while walking by the shuttered club. Heisner and ownership proceeded to purchase the wooden bar, bringing it back to Chicago, where it now anchors the former Schlitz tavern with the brewery's familiar orb outside. That made the idea to hang the old red neon Schlitz sign that once adorned Danny's Tavern make too much sense. Terry Alexander was a co-owner of the Bucktown bar, which closed in 2020 and is a Friends of Friends partner. The bar intends to regularly host a Danny's tribute, which could lead to a revival of the tavern's popular soul night.
Alexander, separately a partner at One Off Hospitality, remains connected with Danny's alums, including Courtland Green, who works at Dove's Luncheonette, one of One Off's restaurants. That taps into the bar's central theme and the genesis of its name. Vucekovich will also dip into his network of hospitality workers, hoping to host bar pop-ups, bringing in his friends who run taverns across the country.
That's big news for cocktail nerds who will get chances to try drinks from some of America's top bars. But Friends of Friends is meant to welcome all drinkers. Vucekovich describes the vacant look on intimidated customers trying to understand a drink list full of esoteric ingredients: 'You can see it in the look in the eyes,' he says, describing the plea for assistance. ''Can you help me?''
Wanting to avoid those awkward exchanges, Friends of Friends's menu uses tried-and-true descriptors as drink names like 'Floral and Bubbly' (Sakura infused Roots N/A Divino Bianco, sparkling Watermelon and Hibiscus, citrus tonic) and 'Bold and Luscious' (Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Amontillado Sherry, washed with a Scorched Banana, Demerara Coconut Oil). Vucekovich says the simple terms make the drink list easier to navigate. They don't want the space to feel pretentious. Even though the drinks are sophisticated, most of the 'tweezer stuff' will be done away from the customer's eye, says Vucekovich. There's also natural wines on draft, Schilitz and whiskey specials for $5, and more.
Heisner's focus is on design, and he's a longtime partner with Matt Eisler in Heisler Hospitality, one of the city's most successful bar groups with hits like Estereo and Sportsman's Club. Heisler's offices are located above Friends of Friends. Alexander, a native of Omaha, Nebraska, has even brought some of his hometown flavor to the new bar. A version of Runza, the sandwich puff from the chain of the same name, will be served. Called the Frunza, it's stuffed with beef, cabbage, and onions. It's the kind of snack that teens would turn to after drinking a beer or two, wanting to cover up the smell of alcohol from their parents, Alexander says.
The vibe is for more responsible snacking at Friends of Friends, where the drinks will clock in at $13, and snacks hover in the $5 range. It's kind of ensuring a happy hour feel at all times of the day. Management is also open to tweaking the layout and offerings, eager to hear how customers respond to the bar.
The space's history is a bit of a mixed bag. Vucekovich says a passerby claims his mother ran an Italian grocery store in the basement. Vucekovich is also the force behind the drinks at the acclaimed Meadowlark in Logan Square, and while his focus is on Friends of Friends, he'll continue to create new drinks at Meadowlark.
Vucekovich mentions a quirky detail: The Knitting Factory's bar from New York came affixed with a Sharkula sticker, representing the Chicago-area rapper.
'I've known him for years,' Vucekovich says. 'He slept on my couch back in the day.'
Perhaps a friend of a friend placed the sticker on the bar.
Friends of Friends , 2001 W. Grand Avenue, open 4 p.m. to midnight on Monday through Thursday; 2 p.m. to midnight on Friday through Sunday
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