Lincoln Square restaurant spearheads campaign to end 117-year alcohol ban

CHICAGO (WGN) — A family-owned business in Lincoln Square is spearheading a campaign to end an alcohol ban that’s existed in their neighborhood for more than 115 years.

The ban was originally put in place in 1907, which wasn’t a bad year overall for the City of Chicago. An economic boom fueled the city’s industrial sector, while the Chicago Cubs swept the Detroit Tigers to win their first-ever World Series.

However, it was also around this time that residents of Lincoln Square seemingly blocked the establishment of a beer garden and amusement park in a small patch of the neighborhood.

The area between Montrose Avenue to the south, Sunnyside Avenue to the north, Lincoln Avenue to the east, and Damen Avenue to the west right next to Welles Park was “boarded dry” as a result of a petition initiative that year, and after the ban was extended by the Illinois Liquor Control Act of 1934, the three blocks inside those boundaries have been alcohol establishment-free ever since.

It was a little-known law unbeknownst to Lucia Herrejon, owner of XOchimilco Mexican Restaurant on the north side of Montrose, until they discovered it accidentally as a part of a 2023 city inspection.

“Last year, June 2023, we applied for a liquor license,” Herrejon said. “Every thing went well. We had inspectors come out … We found out that day this was boarded dry in 1907.”

Refusing to accept defeat, Herrejon started knocking on doors back in August, gathering signatures until she hit the 150 minimum required to put a measure on their local ballot in the upcoming election.

“I’m really hopeful we can get that designation pulled away so these businesses can serve our community,” said Ald. Matt Martin (47th Ward). “You can do BYOB for portions of [Montrose], but even if you go on the south side of the street there are a number of places that can sell on-site. It’s weird to see that dividing line. It doesn’t make sense.”

Herrejon’s efforts mean voters will have the ability to overturn the alcohol ban for the area, but in order to do so, voters would have to vote “no” when they go to submit their ballots, which Herrejon said feels counter-intuitive.

“Anyone we ask, they’re like, ‘ Yes! We will vote yes, ‘ and we’re like, ‘No! Vote no,’ ” Herrejon said. “We want to play fair. We want to make sure if our neighbor can sell alcohol, we can too.”

Small Cheval — a prominent burger chain with more than a half-dozen locations throughout Chicagoland — is set to open a new location in the boarded dry zone and according to their website , are also behind the “Vote No” agenda.

Voters in the Lincoln Square neighborhood can expect to see this measure on their ballot come Nov. 5.

A spokesperson for Small Cheval declined to speak with WGN News for this story.

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