There are certain Chicago bar teams that consistently create excellent concepts. Rob Brenner, Billy Helmkamp and Eric Henry—the partners behind Logan Square mainstay the Whistler—are at it again, this time with an all-day beer bar that will double as a live music venue. The watering hole, named Sleeping Village, opens this month at 3734 West Belmont Avenue in Avondale.
The 8,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor space will have 56 draft lines boasting an assortment of beers and ciders. “Despite making cocktails for the past decade, all three of us are crazy about beer and cider,” Helmkamp said in a press release. “So when we started concepting this place, we knew first and foremost we wanted to make Sleeping Village a world-class beer destination.”
The concept will double as a live music venue with room for 300 people to enjoy ticketed and free shows. Like nearby Estereo, Sleeping Village is promoting its “all-day” hours and will open at 11am Monday through Sunday. Early risers can enjoy coffee from Dark Matter as well as a Wi-Fi–friendly place to work.
What’s with the name? It’s a nod to the idea of the bar being a “multi-concept gathering spot for the Avondale community, all under one roof.” Sleeping references the unassuming exterior of the building. It’s an early prediction, but it seems certain that Sleeping Village will be one of the biggest bar openings of the year.