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Goose Island Wrigleyville Closing Due to Area 'Developments,' Company Says

By Mauricio Peña | September 25, 2014 9:54pm
 Goose Island Wrigleyville will serve their last drinks on Monday, spokewoman said.
Goose Island Wrigleyville will serve their last drinks on Monday, spokewoman said.
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DNAinfo/Erica Demarest

WRIGLEYVILLE — Goose Island's Wrigleyville brewpub is closing for good Monday due to "new developments that are expected in the Wrigleyville area," a company spokesman said Thursday.

Company founder John Hall announced Thursday the Wrigleyville location at 3535 N. Clark Street would serve its last beers on Monday, Sept. 29.

On its final day of business, the brewpub is selling $3 pints and $12 growlers of Cubby Blue through closing time.

"After 15 years, the Goose Island Wrigleyville brewpub location will be closing due to the new developments that are expected in the Wrigleyville area," Goose Island spokeswoman Ana Serafin said in a statement. "We want to thank our patrons for their continuous support and hope to be back in Wrigleyville in the future. In the meantime, our Clybourn location is still open where you can enjoy all of your favorite Goose Island beers."

In an email to DNAinfo, Hall said the closure is related to a Wrigley area redevelopment plan that has been in the works for more than two years.

"Goose Island Wrigleyville has been on a month to month lease with Midway Holdings, our landlord, since February, 2014," Hall said. "Midway Holdings owns a large collection of properties, including the Goose Island location on Clark St, across Addison Street from Wrigley Field and has been working on a redevelopment plan for the past 2-3 years. That is the reason for the closing, the landlord would not guarantee that the lease would not be terminated before October 2015, the end of the 2015 baseball season."

The Addison Park on Clark plan has been in the works for years, and developers made several changes to the plan before the city approved it last October. The $140 million development will bring an 8-story mixed-used building with 148 rental units, nearly 170,000 square feet of retail and 493 parking spaces to Clark Street south of Addison.

The development on Addison Street between Clark Street and Sheffield Avenue will also feature a rooftop pool and sun terrace area for the building's residents and a health club, M&R Development told DNAinfo last year.

A brewpub employee said the entire Wrigleyville staff would be laid off, but Hall said some would be able to transfer to their other brewpub.

"The business is very seasonal, and as a result at this time we have less than 40 employees," he said. "Some will have the opportunity to transfer to our Clybourn location but most will lose their jobs. Those with seniority will receive severance pay."

The announcement surprised customers at the beloved Wrigleyville bar Thursday.

"I didn't know they were closing, I've been coming here for at least 10 years," said brewpub regular Steven Gasinski. "I guess I have to find a new place."

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