ROGERS PARK — After a final hoorah Monday, Hard Water Bar and Grill in Rogers Park is set to close and be sold off, one of its owners announced Tuesday.
In a Facebook post, Devon Kelly, an owner at the 7545 N. Clark St. bar and restaurant, said mounting problems primarily revolving around safety and the establishment's 4 a.m. license have made it difficult to continue business.
"We feel a 4 a.m. bar is not suitable for this area," Kelly wrote in her post. "Unfortunately that was a majority of our revenue so we have decided to close the bar and sell the business."
Kelly said Hard Water's last day will be Monday after a presidential debate-watching party followed by an after-party hosted by Ald. Joe Moore (49th). It will be open from 4 p.m.-11 p.m. and offering food and drink specials, Kelly said.
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Among the bar's most recent woes was a shooting around 3:15 a.m. Sunday that erupted after two men got into an argument in a nearby parking lot. A 37-year-old man was shot in his leg.
Kelly said the man came into the bar as a "safe haven" and waited there until medical help could arrive.
She said the incident was a "senseless act" of violence she believed was "gang-related."
"We share the commitment of Rogers Park residents in making our neighborhood a safe and secure environment," Kelly said. "We have continually implemented policies designed to deny ingress to our premises to any persons bearing arms or otherwise intent on engaging in violent behavior.
"The injured victim of the shooting in fact was able to find safe haven in our establishment where he remained until he could receive emergency medical attention. We are proud of our staff and security for keeping everyone else safe and how they handled the situation."
Hard Water has faced other problems this year, including more than 100 calls for service to Chicago Police over assaults, batteries, car jacking, theft, trespassing, criminal damage, noise complaints and more.
"We do a lot more than just have loud drunk people in our parking lot at 4 a.m.," Kelly said in June after a hearing with the Liquor Control Commission over crime associated with the bar.
Hard Water was ordered to improve its security and is currently awaiting another meeting at City Hall on Oct. 17.
For now, Kelly said she wishes the recent shooting victim a "speedy recovery" and thanked loyal patrons to the local watering hole since its opening in 2014.
"We want to thank our patrons for their ongoing support and our staff that has become my big Hard Water family," Kelly wrote. "It has been a fun and challenging two years, but it's time for us to say good bye."
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