As I waited to speak with Colin, a young girl had just walked through the door and inquired about a job. While she didn’t have an appointment, Colin briefly spoke with her and quietly gave me the “one second” gesture. He managed to throw in a few comical one-liners before telling her to come back [...]
Like Italy has long played the role of my wonderfully seductive mistress, England shall forever hold the part of being my loving life long companion. I think Charles Dickens, The Beatles, and tea did it to me. I’ve been obsessed with that trio for eons. My first adventure across the pond occurred at the same [...]
I like a good story, but I love a good storyteller even more. When I started researching taverns and their histories, it was ultimately the tales that drew me in and left me wanting to dig deeper. But when you combine a great story with a great story teller, well that’s when an experience can [...]
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I met Michael Roper the same way I meet many tavern owners – just by sitting in the bar. Back in the late 90s, I was definitely not a beer connoisseur, but for some reason, I was attracted to The Hopleaf. The place had a historic and comforting feel. It was the type of place [...]
One of the more saddening aspects of researching taverns is that many of them, old and new, often succumb to greater powers that be. Whether it’s money, neighborhood change, or life and death, pubs often fall victims to plain ‘ol reality and are forced to close their doors forever. Tonight is the last night that [...]
Saloon. It’s one of my favorite words in the English language. The way the words roll off my tongue and through my lips forms, what to me is, the aural epitome of history. Saloon. Suh-looooooon. Coupled with the repeated verbalization, I often find myself envisioning what a Chicago saloon may have looked like during the [...]
