Latest news with #TwistedSpoke
Axios
3 days ago
- Business
- Axios
Twisted Spoke to close after 30 years in Chicago's West Town
Twisted Spoke is closing its doors in West Town. Why it matters: Twisted Spoke has been a premier summer destination because of its rooftop, which was one of the first of its kind in the West Town neighborhood. The rooftop also served as a de facto Chicago landmark, due to its motorcycle-riding skeleton seen from the street. The latest: "After 30 years of blood, grease, and bourbon, Twisted Spoke is grinding to a halt," the bar posted on social media. "Everything dies. Bars, rock'n'roll, reputations — even the hard men who built them." Zoom in: The gritty gastropub opened in 1995 and is known for serving its own barbeque-inspired creations and for its extensive collection of whiskeys. State of play: Today, the West Town block where Twisted Spoke sits is littered with new bars and restaurants, which weren't there when it dropped anchor 30 years ago. What they're saying: Co-owner Mitch Einhorn told Block Club that the decision to close was due in part to rising food and labor costs and how habits have changed since COVID. "Late-night dining has changed a lot. Staffing has gotten incredibly expensive. Real estate taxes are spiraling out of control. It just seemed like it was time," Einhorn told Block Club.
Eater
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
After 3 Decades, Twisted Spoke Will Close in West Town
is the James Beard Award-winning regional editor for Eater's Midwest region, and in charge of coverage in Chicago, Detroit, and the Twin Cities. He's a native Chicagoan and has been with Eater since 2014. In the mid-'90s, the Twisted Spoke's rotating motorcycle, piloted by a skeleton perched on the bar's roof, served notice to passersby that they were about to enter the West Loop. This era's West Loop wasn't as polished as its current state, where Randolph Street serves as an amusement park for tech bros and brands. But despite the rough exterior, Twisted Spoke, which debuted in 1994, was a friendly and mostly welcoming place. There were whiskey specials, bloody marys on weekends, and an underrated bar menu. The bar had one of the few rooftops in the area. A Wrigleyville sequel would emerge eight years later, meant to be an antidote to the glut of sports bars that dominated Clark Street. A barbecue spot — Bone Daddy — debuted down the street from the original, where Big Star West Town has taken up shop. Both Bone Daddy and the Twisted Spoke's Wrigley location closed years ago, as the original kept going, even surviving the pandemic-era bar restrictions. But now, after more than three decades, the Twisted Spoke will be no more. Co-owner Mitch Einhorn announced the closure via email, writing that Saturday, August 30, will be his bar's last ride. 'You'll hear the usual excuses: 'spend more time with family,' 'lease expired,' 'pandemic aftermath,'' he writes. 'But the real story is uglier: The gears of this city don't turn the way they used to. The nights got quieter. The fights less rowdy. Half-priced whiskey isn't a sustainable business model, and sooner or later, the bill comes due.' The Einhorns — Mitch and his brother, Cliff — described Twisted Spoke as a 'family biker bar.' They've gone on to open Lush Wine & Spirits in Roscoe Village and West Town and Pie Hole Pizza. Mitch Einhorn wasn't sure what else he could add beyond his email, which was also posted on social media. He counted down the four weeks left for customers to visit. 'After that? Who knows. We'll sit in the wreckage, chain-smoking and scheming,' Einhorn writes. 'Something always bubbles up from the wreckage. There's always another bad idea waiting in the wings.'
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Twisted Spoke closing in West Town after 30 years
The Twisted Spoke, a mainstay bar of the West Town community, is closing its doors after 30 years. The owner of Twisted Spoke posted on the bar's official Facebook page Tuesday that they'll be closing their doors forever at the end of August. "Everything dies. Bars, rock'n'roll, reputations—even the hard men who built them. After 30 years of blood, grease, and bourbon, Twisted Spoke is grinding to a halt," the post reads. "The lease is up. Spend more time with family. Need to focus on my health and well-being. August 31st is the last ride. No more Fatboys. No more wings that could raise the dead. No more Road Rash Mary to cure your sins. 4 Whiskey Wednesdays left. 4 rooftop brunches in the blazing sun. That's it." Twisted Spoke, perched on the corner of Ogden and Grand, is known for its large selection of whiskey, an extensive bloody mary menu and its popular rooftop where you can eat and drinking while looking out over its iconic spinning motorcycle and skeleton rider. While the beloved bar may be closing, the owners seemed to signal on social media they're not quite done with the industry yet. "After that? We'll be sitting in the wreckage, chain-smoking and scheming. Bad ideas never die," they wrote.
