DUNNING — Dunning's newest neighborhood bar is hard to miss — especially if it's after dark.
If the bright orange bulbs illuminating the name of Draft Bar at 8221 W. Irving Park Road don't stop you in your tracks, it might be the weekend gathering of food trucks.
“We’ve even found people pulling over just because they’ve seen [customers] coming out getting sandwiches," said Draft co-owner Teresa Giannini.
The sports bar opened Nov. 2 and has hosted Gino's Steaks Truck and Caponies Express Italian Food Truck along Irving Park Road.
"We're going to try and change it up," each weekend, Giannini said. "We're looking for more trucks that are interested in coming out here."
The bright sign isn't the only thing that's new in the storefront that housed Heeney's Tavern for 30 years.
"We gutted it to the brick walls. Everything is brand new. The only thing that’s original is the cooler," Giannini said.
Draft has 10 beers on draft, and offers a Friday "teacher-tini" special for $5. Giannini said the trio of owners is going to come up with a Dunning-themed drink soon.
The sports bar shows all local professional and college games, and serves a build-your-own bloody mary and mimosa bar on Saturdays and Sundays.
It's the second bar for Giannini, a mortgage broker, and partner Michael Fazio, who were both born and raised in Dunning. The two own Live Wire Lounge in Irving Park. The third co-owner, Michael Budacek, was born and raised in nearby suburban Elmwood Park.
Their local ties keep a neighborhood bar feel, Giannini said.
"It's all our neighborhood friends, and people we grew up with, and neighbors that are still here," she said. "It's turned into just a real meeting place. ... We're just amazed at the response."
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