ANDERSONVILLE — A new bar opened in the former home of a popular martini bar in Andersonville, while a clothing repair shop opened in Edgewater and other businesses reopened after temporary closures.
Here’s more on a few new businesses on the Far North Side this summer:
The Nook, 1511 W. Balmoral Ave.
The Nook opened Wednesday in the former home of Marty’s Martini Bar at 1511 W. Balmoral Ave., according to the bar’s social media.
Marty’s Martini Bar closed in September after being bought by 2Bears Tavern Group, the LGBTQ+-friendly bar ownership group that announced plans to move Marty’s to 1477 W. Winnemac Ave.
The Nook is run by the same owners as the popular Irish bar O’Shaughnessy’s in Ravenswood, according to city records.
Alex Ramirez, who oversees The Nook’s mixology and beverage program, told Block Club the bar is meant to be a cozy but elegant neighborhood spot, with approachable twists on classic cocktails.
Vodka and white chocolate serve as the base for an espresso martini ($16) topped with espresso and Kahlúa; there’s also the Nook’s Hemmingway ($16), served with gin, lime, sugar cane and Sauvignon Blanc. Ramirez said he intentionally created an allergy-safe cocktail menu, which means all cocktails are free of dairy, soy and gluten.
For non-spirit drinkers, The Nook offers a variety of beers and an “intricate and unique” wine list, Ramirez said.
“We’re super excited to be there,” Ramirez said. “We worked really hard together on the menu, on choosing the beers and the wine, so we’re really excited to share with everybody.”
The Nook has an outdoor patio that seats about 40 people, and will have a fireplace going once the weather shifts cooler, Ramirez said.
The Nook is open 4-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 3 p.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday.
BLISS JOY BULL, 1210 W. Granville Ave.
Edgewater neighbor Nandi Duszynski launched her clothing upcycle and repair business about 15 years ago, and she’s now opened a brick-and-mortar shop at 1210 W. Granville Ave.
At BLISS JOY BULL, Duszynski sells one-of-a-kind upcycled clothes and accessories from vintage materials. Having a storefront also means she’s able to host classes and workshops to teach people skills like how to use a sewing machine and repair their own clothes, she said.
Duszynski has been sewing since she was a child growing up in Iowa, and she attended fashion design school in New York, she said. BLISS JOY BULL started as a way for her to design clothes in a sustainable way using materials she already had — like her husband’s old button-down shirts, she said.
In recent years, she started teaching beginner-friendly classes for sewing, like how to replace a button or patch a hole, which led her to want her own space to host more events.
“That’s really been one of my main goals with having a space outside my home, is bringing people together inside the space, so that’s been really great,” Duszynski said. “I’m just really excited to be in the neighborhood and be a resource.”
Neighbors can shop in-store by appointment only. Appointments can be made on the shop’s website. That’s also where people can learn more about upcoming workshops and classes.
Cowboys and Astronauts, 1478 W. Summerdale Ave.
Cowboys and Astronauts, the popular men’s lifestyle store, reopened in late June at 1478 W. Summerdale Ave. under new owners Tyler Leasher and Brian Mamassian.
Store founders Matthew Buccilla and Greg Lanier closed the store in March after they moved out of the Chicago area following eight years of running the shop. The couple knew how much neighbors loved the store, so they were willing to sell the business after deciding to step back.
Leasher and Mamassian were customers of Cowboys and Astronauts and had long dreamed of becoming business owners when they saw the business was going up for sale. They decided to jump on the opportunity, they told Block Club in the spring.
The store still stocks items like clothing, accessories, home decor and body care. Its tagline is “Supplies for modern kind.”
Cowboys and Astronauts is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. It is closed Tuesday.
District, 5430 N. Clark St.
District, a popular furniture store, moved to the bustling Clark Street corridor after 10 years in Ravenswood. Store owner Chris Murphy closed his original store in April before reopening in May the new storefront at 5430 N. Clark St.
District sells refurbished, one-of-a-kind vintage pieces along with new furniture from contemporary brands, Murphy said. The store also sells decor like plant pots, candles, artwork and clocks.
Murphy’s furniture business started as a furniture restoration hobby in his Ravenswood garage nearly 15 years ago.
Murphy told Block Club in March he wasn’t planning to move his business, but he decided the new storefront was the right fit after discovering the empty space and connecting with its landlord. The two big draws for the new storefront are its parking lot in the back and its ability to offer one large space, Murphy said previously.
District is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.
Listen to the Block Club Chicago podcast:
