PILSEN — Over the years, the famed Magikist signs have inspired a marriage, homemade holiday recreations and countless childhood memories.
Now, they're inspiring a new bar in Pilsen.
Magik St. Tavern, spearheaded by restaurateur Luke Johnson, is slated to open in the Lacuna Artist Lofts in mid-December or early next year. The bar will feature food, cocktails and a vintage Magikist sign at 2150 S. Canalport Ave.
For decades, three giant red-lipped Magikist signs on the city's expressways were used to advertise for a now-closed Chicago rug-cleaning company. A smaller version of the lips sign was at Magikist's Cicero Avenue store.
Stephanie Lulay says the bar will have a limited "taco-centric" food menu:
The team behind Magik St. Tavern is now working to restore one of the iconic signs, which will play a central role in the design of the bar.
The tavern's drink lineup will include classic cocktails with original recipes crafted by Sean Malone of Lagniappe Beverage, according to Megan Gallagher, a marketing director working on the project.
The limited food menu will be "taco-centric" with local meats and ingredients, Gallagher said.
A square bar will be the focal point of the 1,000-square-foot tavern, which will heavily feature other locally salvaged and recycled materials. The tavern will feature a separate area with theater seating for movie and sports screenings and gaming.
Artist Mauricio Ramirez recently painted a garage mural at the bar of the famed lips, rocks glasses and a quote from Ernest Hemingway: "Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."
The bar will seat 99 people, and when the weather's nice, additional seating will be available on a patio and custom trailer that will transform into a stage area for outdoor events and festivals.
The last pair of Magikist lips, at Montrose Avenue the Kennedy Expy., were torn down in 2004. While the Chicago Magikist signs are no more, a carpet-cleaning business in Milwaukee continues to use the name.
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