WRIGLEYVILLE — With only one game standing between the Blackhawks and another Stanley Cup victory, bars in Wrigleyville are taking security precautions for another major celebration — and businesses in Lincoln Park are hoping it doesn't get as raucous as 2013.
Krystin Fuller, manager at Heating & Cooling Pub in Wrigleyville, said the bar is making sure to overstaff for the game. "More security, more staff to make sure we're prepared and safe," Fuller said. "It's going to be a fun, crazy night."
The Heating & Cooling Bar, 3530 N. Clark Street, is among the many bars in Wrigleyville following guidelines set forth by the Chicago Police Department ahead of the Stanley Cup finals game to avoid chaos that erupted after the Blackhawks' 2013 Stanley Cup victory.
General Manager JJ Campise of the The Stretch Bar and Grill, 3485 N. Clark St., said they'd be following Chicago Police's contingency plan laid out Monday during a meeting with business owners in Wrigleyville.
"We are going to have more staff, and more in-house security to make sure everything is safe," Campise said. "Like other bars, we've been asked to serve drinks in plastic cups to make sure they can't be used as projectiles."
With the Stanley Cup game coinciding with a Chicago Cubs home game, bars and police are going to be more alert, Campise said. "They've told us there will be a larger, more noticeable police presence throughout Monday night's games," Campise said.
"The Chicago Police Department's top priority is protecting and keeping residents safe. At this point, we expect no significant issues if a certain Chicago team happens to win a certain game," police said in a statement.
Cmdr. Robert Cesario, of the 19th Police District, Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) and Ald. Michelle Smith (43th) could not be reached for comment on Sunday.
In 2013, 23 people were arrested for disorderly conduct and another 21 were issued citations as fans stormed down Clark Street during the Blackhawks' last Stanley Cup victory.
Police in Lakeview had put together a plan weeks ahead of the game in hopes of limiting Stanley Cup mayhem — including containing people to sidewalks and aggressively ticketing people drinking in public.
But as soon as the Hawks won, barricades police had set up to keep fans out of Clark Street just south of Addison proved no match. Fans poured over the metal barricades to party in the streets. Some fans lifted the barricades up and carried them around. Others popped champagne and drank from bottles masked only by plastic bags. Mounted police officers slowly restored order and directed traffic.
Basil Leaf restaurant owner Sean Tehrani, and former owner of Fuel Station coffee shop, recalled the aftermath of the 2013 Blackhawks' Stanley Cup victory. "I got a call and I came down to find three windows at my coffee shop had been shattered," he said. "Someone also threw a garbage can [at the Basil Leaf] restaurant, but fortunately, there was no damage."
According to Tehrani at least 31 businesses had their windows shattered along the stretch of Clark. For Tehrani, it cost him a couple thousands of dollars to repair the damage. "We all love the Hawks, we just need to be respectful of the neighborhood," he said.
Afterwards, Tehrani was contacted by Blackhawks officials and the Stanley Cup was brought to his Basil Leaf restaurant for two hours. The first hour, Tehrani took the Cup around to nearby businesses who had their windows shattered. During the second hour, the Cup was kept at the restaurant where fans came in droves to take photos. "It was awesome that they did this," he said.
This time around Tehrani is contacting Ald. Smith and the Police Department to make sure there is a plan in place ahead of Monday's game. He believes this year will be far different from 2013.
"I think we learned from past mistakes," he said. "Go Hawks!"
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