Over the weekend, Uptown country bar Carol's Pub announced its (temporary?) closure via a post on its Facebook page, which simply stated that the bar "will remain closed until further notice." A fixture of Uptown since 1973, the dive bar was known for its live country and western music, usually played by house band Diamondback, and it's equally infamous weekly karaoke nights. Run by its namesake, Carol Harris, the bar served domestic beer, cheap shots and was open until 5am on Saturday nights—it was a reliable place of refuge for those who stay out until the wee hours of the morning.
According to previous Facebook posts, Carol's Pub has been closed for the past two weekends, but the bar's announcement on Saturday points to an uncertain future for the Uptown institution. Even the person who runs Carol's Pub Facebook page isn't quite sure what's happening, replying to a commenter on the bar's page with the statement, "Carol is really the only one who knows what's going on."
Carol's Pub joins a string of beloved Chicago dive bars that have shut their doors over the past few years, including the Two Way in Logan Square, Wicker Park's Beachwood Inn and Club Foot in Ukrainian Village. If you're the kind of person who appreciates a cheap can of beer, well shots and dusty neon signs, maybe you should pay your neighborhood dive bar a visit this week—they seem to need all the help they can get right now.
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