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Innjoy Opens 2nd Location In Logan, Drawing From Success In Wicker Park

By Mina Bloom | May 31, 2017 10:19am
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An "Innjoy" sign went up at the former Madison Public House, 2200 N. Milwaukee Ave., late last week.
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DNAinfo/Mina Bloom

LOGAN SQUARE — The owner of Madison Public House is transforming the unassuming corner sports bar into Innjoy's second location.

Rich Kewitz, who also owns popular nightlife spot Innjoy at 2051 W. Division St., is drawing from his success in Wicker Park for the re-concept, which began Thursday when signs for Innjoy replaced signs for Madison Public House at 2200 N. Milwaukee Ave.

"Every weekend, we have lines to get in. That's been going on for almost 10 years. We kept saying, 'We need to expand. We need to expand,'" Kewitz said of Wicker Park's Innjoy.

"The Innjoy brand is too established to not take advantage of it. We [saw] an opportunity to present the consumers in Logan Square [who] are similar to people in Wicker Park an option for the kind of fun we do on Division Street."

With the Logan Square Innjoy, Kewitz wants to bring "the same energy and fun" the original location is known for, which means playing "music people like to dance to" and hopefully inspiring folks to host events like birthdays and bachelorette parties there.

But the new bar won't stray too far from the feel of Madison Public House. The bar will still cater to sports fans — particularly Wisconsin ones — and offer basically the same food menu. The decor will be updated, but not drastically so.


Kewitz opened Madison Public House at 2200 N. Milwaukee Ave. roughly two years ago. The signs have since been replaced. [Google Maps]

The goal, Kewitz said, is to take the successes of both bars and "merge" the two under the more established Innjoy brand.

"The fortunate thing is we've established a very solid business through Madison Public House for sports and food and a neighborhood feel. That's the charm we lost over on Division Street," Kewitz said.

"It's not that Innjoy is taking over Madison Public House. It's really that we're merging the two and trying to have the best of both worlds."

Kewitz is considering a shuttle bus that would take patrons waiting in line for Wicker Park's Innjoy to the Logan Square bar.

Kewitz opened Madison Public House roughly two years ago on Milwaukee Avenue. In that short amount of time, the stretch has changed dramatically with the erection of massive new developments, including the "L" building which is right across the street from the bar, and the neighboring MiCa Towers.

Now that the street and arguably much of the neighborhood is undergoing a transformation, Kewitz sees a dance party spot like Innjoy as a good fit for Logan Square.

"We were watching the pace of Milwaukee Avenue, thinking about whether this will compliment the area. We're also trying to fill a demand," he said.

Innjoy opened at 2051 W. Division St. about 16 years ago back when Wicker Park was filled with artists and Earwax Cafe and Myopic Books were the main attractions. According to Kewitz, Innjoy started getting busy about 10 years ago when gentrification was in full swing.

"You're paying a premium to go in late. I'd rather go in early and the cost of business is always lower than your competitors. I think that's one of the reasons we've been so successful on Division Street is because we got in in 2001," he said.

The bar will stay open during the re-concepting. More details, including the date of a grand reopening party, will be released in the coming weeks.