UPTOWN — Uptown's beloved honkytonk Carol's Pub hasn't officially announced last call — and a new GoFundMe effort is underway to make sure it doesn't.
On Friday, a comment on the page attributed to owner Carol Harris — who took over the bar in 1993 — said the bar at 4659 N. Clark St. was not "officially" closed. The post said more details would be forthcoming, although none have been announced yet.
Josh McGhee says potential donors want more information on Carol's needs.
By Sunday afternoon, a GoFundMe page had been set up to "Save Carol's Pub" asking for $55,000 to rescue the 4 a.m. bar that has been in the neighborhood since 1973 and was previously known as Pam's Playhouse.
"The owner has gone out of her way to help people in the community against the well being of her own business. The late night atmosphere would be lost forever if the establishment can't be reopened," says the fundraising page, which was set up by Amy Bashook.
Since opening, "it has been a staple in the community for Country/Western music, reasonably priced beverages, late night fun, and has been known to be a matchmaker's pocket."
"We gracefully ask for donations to help save this diamond in the rough and help keep Uptown alive, both for regulars and first timers alike," the description continued.
Bashook and officials from the bar could not be immediately reached for comment. The phone number listed for the bar is out of service, and its website leads to an error page.
The fundraiser had raised just over $630 as of Tuesday morning. Many people posted on the page seeking more information its closure and asked how the money would help the bar reopen.
On Sept. 9, the bar's Facebook page posted notice of a one-week temporary closure "due to circumstances beyond our control." About two weeks later, the bar announced it was "closed until further notice" after it had gone dark for weeks.
One of the city's last venues for live country and western music multiple nights a week, Carol's appeared to be serving drinks and hosting bands through Labor Day weekend.
According to records posted by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, the bar's liquor license has been revoked. It was not immediately clear why the license was pulled.
One comment on the Facebook page noted that "Carol told me the liqueur licence [sic] commissioner told her that "once the default is paid them she can re-open." That couldn't be confirmed.
According to the Tribune, the bar has a history of federal tax liens and has one filed against it this year for $8,315.
Tressa Feher, chief of staff for Ald. James Cappleman (46th), said the ward office is looking into what happened. Feher said: “We want to know what happened. Just like everyone else."
No one has approached the ward office about the property, which is within a moratorium area for new businesses offering on-site consumption of alcohol and a second banning alcohol sales by a new business, the Tribune reported.
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