Popular Pizza Bar Mini-Chain Sets Sights on Wrigleyville

Owners of popular pizza-centric bars Happy Camper in Old Town, Lincoln Park’s Homeslice, and Paradise Park in Wicker Park are rolling into Wrigleyville. Clay Hamilton and Josh Iachelli, co-owners of the sister restaurants that serve thin-slice pies, plenty of drinks, and draw sizable crowds of college sports fans, applied for outdoor patio and liquor licenses for a new business at 3458-60 N. Clark Street, less than two blocks south of Wrigley Field, under the “doing business name” of Happy Camper.

Hamilton hasn’t responded to requests for details, including opening timeframe or whether ownership will continue to expand the Airstream trailer theme that characterizes at Homeslice and Happy Camper. The large Clark Street space, next door to the bar Country Club, has housed parking, a pumpkin patch, and a Christmas tree seller over the last several years. It’s across the street from Dimo’s Pizza Wrigley, known for unusual mashups including a Chicken ‘n Waffles pizza and a Smores pizza with mini marshmallows and chocolate syrup.

Homeslice, ownership’s first spot that opened in 2013, garnered attention for its Oregon-style pizza. The regional pie — a thin base with a fluffy outer crust — is a stark contrast from typical Chicago deep dish. Two years later the team added Happy Camper to its roster, and opened Paradise Park in November 2018.

Though the pizzas differ between locations, many are topped with a laundry list of ingredients, including the Matt at Happy Camper with Canadian bacon, pepperoni, Italian sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, black olives, cheddar and ranch sauce, and the “Sammilton” at Paradise Park with prosciutto, spinach, caramelized onion, sun-dried tomato, balsamic, and goat cheese. The mini-chain also caters to the boozy brunch crowd with a cold-brew hangover iced coffee with rum cream (Homeslice), French toast sticks (Happy Camper), and the ever-present avocado toast (Happy Camper and Paradise Park). All locations offer a long list of beverage options, from draft and bottled brews to cocktails and wine.

The new restaurant is yet another addition to an area that has seen significant change in recent years. The $140 million Addison & Clark development south of Wrigley Field is home to bowling alley bar and restaurant Lucky Strike Social and national burger chain Shake Shack. The Hotel Zachary, acclaimed Boka Restaurant Group’s Dutch & Doc’s, the Gallagher Way park and development adjacent to Wrigley, and Cubs manager Joe Maddon and Spiaggia chef Tony Mantuano’s pending restaurant Maddon’s Post are just a few of the recent Wrigleyville additions.

Stay tuned for more on this story when more details become available.