The J. Parker rooftop lounge “will remain closed for the time being” in the wake of Sunday’s fatal shooting inside the bar atop Hotel Lincoln, 1816 North Clark, Ald. Timmy Knudsen (43rd) told constituents in an email Thursday evening.
But the bar was open for business when CWBChicago stopped by for a cocktail shortly after Knudsen’s announcement went out. Although, there was an armed guard standing post next to the host stand.
Knudsen’s email did not say why the bar would be closing or if management had agreed to close voluntarily after meeting with city officials, a move that has allowed some bar owners to avoid the embarrassment of being slammed with a “summary closure” notice by Chicago police following shootings and neighborhood complaints about their venues.
The alderman, who was recently appointed to replace retired Ald. Michele Smith, did not immediately reply to an email seeking more information.
“We send our love to the victim’s family, the hotel staff, and all of the police officers working diligently on this case,” Knudsen said.
Cordaryl Allen, 35, the married father of three boys, was shot and killed during a fight inside the lounge around 1:21 a.m. Sunday, officials said. The gunman remains on the loose.
After the shooting, the J. Parker website said the venue would re-open on Tuesday but later updated to say it would be closed that night, too. On Wednesday, the site said the lounge was closed for a private event and would re-open Thursday, October 20. And, in fact, it was open to the public when we stopped by.
Less than a month ago, the Sun-Times reported that CPD had forced 58 businesses to close citywide since 2015 after shootings in or near their premises. But, the paper found, businesses downtown and on the North Side were far less likely to be forced to close than businesses in less-affluent parts of town.
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