Why Does Wrigleyville Look Like Nashville?

This weekend is Wrigleyville Country Fest — a live music event spread across four different Wrigleyville venues. Which begs the question: There are four country venues in Wrigleyville? Yes.

Let’s take a closer look at how we got here.

Going Out in Wrigleyville

Wrigley Field has anchored the neighborhood as home of the Cubs since 1916. But every generation’s experience of Wrigley is still a little different. 

In the 1980s, punks made a scene with the launch of launch of Cubby Bear, now a Clark Street mainstay with broader, non-punk appeal. Around the same time, Boystown (now Northalsted) earned its gay reputation. When I was growing up, Wrigley seemed like a bro-y sports haven, full of backwards baseball caps.

In high school, we used to bum around the (in)famous McDonald’s on Clark and Addison. The demolition of that affordable mecca in 2016 marked a new mood for the neighborhood: one decidedly higher-end thanks to the Ricketts’ extensive 1060 Project, which included major stadium renovations.

The Cub-owning family purchased the McDonald’s for $20 million.

Country in Chicago

Before the 1060 Project, sports bars and dive bars were Wrigleyville’s bread and butter. Today, the area includes:

These bars don’t exactly have the honky-tonk feel of nearby Carol’s Pub. The vibe is more Windy City Smokeout and girls in white cowboy boots. (I’m not judging, I also rock white cowboy boots.)

Once upon a time, Chicago was a country hotspot. In the 1920s, a local station helped popularize Gene Autry. In the 1950s, Uptown became “Hillbilly Heaven” thanks to migrating Appalachians. Throughout the 1970s, John Prine played around town. In the 1990s, hometown label Bloodshot Records promoted alt-country acts.

But rather than lean into that storied past, Wrigley’s country bars mark a new commercial era.

Wrigleyville Today

Matt Lindner, a former Tribune contributor and self-appointed Wrigley expert, thinks the proliferation of country bars in Wrigleyville is a direct response to the neighborhood’s evolution as a tourist destination. Country music has been topping charts nationwide.

However, Lindner agrees the area is reaching “a saturation point” with the genre. After all, Chicago will not replace Nashville’s Broadway as a full-out country destination.

But tourists are dropping big bucks in Wrigley. If you want a cheaper, more old-school Wrigleyville experience, you can always hit Nisei Lounge, Murphy's Bleachers, Cubby Bear, or Bernie's. Those are Lindner’s recs — always ask a local.