Berghoff, Balaban

Yesterday I found out that The Berghoff restaurant in downtown Chicago is closing! I realize that nothing in this world lasts forever, but couldn't we make an exception for The Berghoff?

Looking west down Adams from the steps of the Art Institute, The Berghoff lies one block beyond the 'L' tracks. It's been there forever, a reliable source of wiener schnitzel and sauerbraten. And they've been brewing their own beer since long before the term microbrew was coined.

I understand that there will still be a "Berghoff Cafe" at O'Hare Airport, but it's an airport lounge. It's just not the same.

To offset that sad news item, I can report that work is underway on repairs to the Uptown Theatre. I got a good look at it from the Red Line yesterday, and they are definitely making some progress on the facade.

The Uptown Theatre was one of (and possibly the largest of) a chain of movie palaces built by Barney Balaban, Abe Balaban and Morris Katz. If the name Balaban sounds familiar, it might be because Abe's and Barney's nephew Bob is the movie actor Bob Balaban (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Best in Show).

Chicago's Uptown neighborhood was once an oasis of entertainment venues, but it was not spared the decay that afflicted urban centers in the latter half of the 20th century. The Uptown Theatre sputtered and failed, and the building was left to deteriorate. Later efforts to have the building restored have been plagued by financial troubles and scandal.

48th Ward Alderman Smith has expressed her commitment to preserving the building, but while it seems safe from the wrecking ball for now, the Uptown is far from being restored. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that someday it will be home to something good.