In the market for a dive bar? Carol’s Pub can be yours. The neighborhood fixture has been around since 1973, closing its doors at the end of September 2016 for unknown reasons. Now, 4659 N Clark Street has been listed for sale for $249,000—which, in our opinion, is not too bad for a honky-tonk fixture.
The bar was known for live country & western music by the house band, Diamondback, as well as killer live-band karaoke nights. Diamondback’s been making the rounds of other bars according to Carol’s Pub’s Facebook page—showing up at spots like Wrigleyville North and Clark Street Ale House. But Carol’s Pub remains closed.
On September 30, the Facebook page stated that the bar would be closed with an addendum that the bar was not "officially" closed and a fundraiser would be set up. The Chicago Tribune posted a story a few days prior stating that the bar’s liquor license had been revoked by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission because of unpaid taxes. A GoFundMe campaign was started in September, raising just $725 of its $55,000 goal.
Dive bars have taken a hit over the past few years, most recently with the closing of Two Way in Logan Square, and before that Wicker Park's Beachwood Inn and Club Foot in Ukrainian Village. If you're a fan of cheap beers and late night hangs, show your neighborhood dive bar a little love the next chance you get. Or, just buy your own.