By Mark Weyermuller -
Outdoor dining is open all over Chicago as daily protests continue. Multiple restaurants on Rush Street including Gibson, Carmine’s and Tavern in Rush are in full operation with huge crowds. On Friday, Gibson’s removed all the plywood off their windows. The famed Butch McGuires is set to open Monday on Division Street. In the Wrigieyville area, many spots have outdoor tables set up at six foot distances. Murphy’s Bleachers outside of Wrigley Field was hopping.
Protests continue daily including a march last Thursday evening, which passed the 18th district police station on Division and Larabee.
The police had the area blocked with city dump trucks, fences, and a couple hundred police officers. There was no report of any incidents here.
Friday afternoon another march took place around Wrigjeyville ending up in uptown. I just happened to spot it passing on Irving Park and Sheridan Road. Again no incidents reported. Many other big and small protests took place over the weekend.
The Illinois National Guard is still in town mostly in the downtown and the River North areas. Saturday, there are nationwide protests including a big one in Chicago. The looting seems to have slowed down with stores like Target on Broadway reopening today.
Grant Park reopened as people wait to see when Buckingham Fountain will be turned on. The first boats were allowed back in Belmont Harbor yet they are not allowed to go out into Lake Michigan. The Lakefront Trail is rumored to be opening this week. It appears a soft opening took place over the weekend as police stopped blocking many access points. The city golf courses and the Diversey driving range are slated to open today. People were seen playing tennis at the Waveland courts on the lakefront yesterday. Large retail stores opened including stores like Old Navy, Marshall’s, and T.J. Maxx.
The COVID 19 concerns appear to be fading away with warmer weather and declining cases. Illinois and Chicago are reopening amid protests, chaos, and outdoor dining.
Mark Weyermuller is a small business person, retired real estate professional, and conservative activist in Chicago. He is a citizen journalist, frequent guest on talk radio, and regular contributor to Illinois Review.
