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Thursday’s court proceeding hardly signaled an end to the Bottled Blonde saga as the River North restaurant and bar will be back open today in River North, according to its owners. The Illinois Appellate Court on Friday granted Bottled Blonde’s attorneys an emergency motion. The higher court’s order allows Bottled Blonde to reopen a day after a Cook County circuit court judge denied a similar request from attorneys.
The city revoked Bottled Blonde’s license on Tuesday and police shut the establishment down on Wednesday. The space remained closed to the public on Thursday as attorneys appeared in court and filed paperwork. After convening at Daley Center, Bottled Blonde attorneys filed an appeal Thursday afternoon with the state appellate court with hopes of reversing the circuit court’s decision to uphold its license revocation. In Cook County court on Thursday, Bottled Blonde’s attorneys argued that the business would be destroyed if the courts kept it closed as it began the appeals process.
Bottled Blonde is an Arizona chain that opened its Chicago location in 2015. It also has a Dallas location. It’s known for large TVs with sports and dance floors with loud music. Residents living near Bottled Blonde at 504 N. Wells Street complained of noise, traffic, and safety concerns. There were a series of hearings at City Hall. The city revoked the space’s liquor license in November 2017. Bottled Blonde sued the city in December 2017. The courts allowed the space to remain open as legal proceedings continued. Bottled Blonde’s reputation took a hit in June 2017 after news of a racist dress code spread. That didn’t have an impact on court proceedings.
A spokesperson provided this statement from Bottled Blonde:
“Bottled Blonde is very pleased that the Illinois Appellate court has ordered that Bottled Blonde may reopen for business while it considers the legal positions of the parties. The restaurant will be open for business today and looks forward to continuing to be a positive addition to the vibrant River North neighborhood.”
