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Peek Inside the Sophisticated New Red Lion Pub, Opening Wednesday

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[Photos: Marc Much]

Six years have gone by since Lincoln Park's historic Red Lion Pub closed. Reopening on Wednesday, the new version will be unlike any tavern near the DePaul campus.

Owner Colin Cordwell tore the original building down last year, which was built in 1882 and was supposedly one of the most haunted places in town, and built the sophisticated new tavern from the ground up. The space, which you can see in full below, is meant to be a haven for neighborhood intellectuals and have a "lived-in British pub feel."

Cordwell, whose father was a English bomber pilot in World War II, has decorated its one-and-a-half-floors with a fascinating array of literature, British photographs, artwork, flags, and three fireplaces. Beautiful beamed archways frame the high 22-foot ceilings while a second floor room and balcony, where Cordwell hopes to host college classes and other scholastic events, features an "Africa Room," an area modeled after the movie "The King's Speech," couches and many outlets.

The main bar and dining area sits on the first floor under a stained glass logo, with 14 taps for British beers and a menu of British pub fare. Visit it for yourself in two days.
· All Red Lion Pub Coverage [-ECHI-]

Red Lion Pub

2446 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL