TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) —Struggles from COVID shut down the Chicago Bar after more than 40 years in Tucson, but now the iconic spot is back. "This is exactly what I love, is music and here we are," said General Manager Ben West. "We need this in our town and we're really glad that they found a way to bring it back," said musician Heather Hardy.
The bar is under new ownership and it's finding a way. "People walking in hugging me, tears in their eyes, thanking us for saving their bar," said West. And saving their memories. "We had a kid come in whose parents heard we had reopened. So, he came down here, he'd just turned 21 to have a beer. His parents live back east. This is where they met," said West.
West also added the energy is pretty amazing and they're not trying to change much.
"Outside of the paint. A little bit of you know sweeping and mopping. We redid the women's bathroom," said West.
If you get hungry, they're bringing in food trucks.
"We've got some good food trucks coming in. Right now, hoping to do them seven nights a week, with the music seven nights a week is our goal," said West. The bar wants to support local musicians like Hardy. "More and more clubs are opening and it's starting to feel like normal. You get to see people's faces and see people dancing," said Hardy.
Lots of happy people like Mary Jean Galivan.
"The Chicago Bar is a place I've been going to for years and I was happy to see that they were reopening after COVID," said Galivan.
The Chicago Bar is back open for business. "Everybody comes in here says it's their home it's where they got started," said West. "Lets make it as good as it used to be. Everybody come on down to the Chicago Bar," said Galivan.
In the next couple months, the Chicago Baris working on a summer reggae series.