Originally Posted by GEM

Lessee...I'm "of a certain age" to remember some of these places (moved to Chicago in 1978)...

There were several small bars a coupla blocks south of Cheeks on Clark, one was ISTR Sam's, in the early 80's there was a nice Sidetrack - ish place called Bughaus in that area too (didn't last long)...

There were other bars in the Clark/Diversey area including Big Red's on Diversey (opened at 7AM!), Piggen's Pub on Diversey (you had to go down some steps, it was in the same building that the Half Shell resto is in), the Knight Out on Clark a few blocks north of Clark/Diversey...the Clark/Diversey area was originally one of the centers of Chicago gay life starting decades earlier.

Shari's was a cozy little bar on the NE corner of Clark and Surf...it's now a hair place.

On B'way north of Diversey (at Surf) there was the Paradise, a big deal when it opened in 1980 or so, it was in the "Bistro" category...it then became a straight Western - themed place during the "Urban Cowboy" craze...that whole block was torn down and replaced by retail stores.

B'way Ltd. was the BIG deal in the 'hood in the late 70's - early 80's. 25 cent drink nights on Tuesdays and Fridays (that space is a hardware store now)! Across the way was Crystal's Blinkers, which had a nice upstairs deck that looked out on B'way - nice for summer weekend afternoons (it's now a gay boi clothing store). It later became ISTR Club Victoria...

Jeez but I feel old here :-p

--
Best
Greg