It’s the end of an era for one of Wicker/Buck’s favorite sports bar. After more than 16 years, The Fifty/50 Sports Bar (2047 W Division Street) announced it “will serve its last platter of famous Buffalo wings after Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears pummel the lowly Tennessee Titans on September 8th.” The Fifty/50 sports bar was the original concept from the Fifty/50 Group which was established in 2008 by Scott Weiner & Greg Mohr. They will be offering discounts and specials throughout their final week. On Thursday, September 5, The Fifty/50 invites all non-uniformed CPD and CFD to stop in for one last shot and a beer on the house. Keep reading for the full press release announcing the closure and schedule of the fifty/50 sports bar’s final week of celebration.
The Fifty/50 opened to the public on March 21st, 2008 as the first restaurant opened by co-founders Greg Mohr and Scott Weiner — who met as colleagues in 2003 at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak, and Stone Crab, a LEYE restaurant. The partners saw an opportunity to serve scratch-made bar food in an upscale bar environment as Illinois passed an indoor smoking ban at the start of 2008 and they ran with it, earning numerous accolades in their early years from local and national syndications for their food and environment.
In a time before people could stream sports on their cell phones, Fifty/50 earned awards such as “Best Sports Bar in the USA” (Thrillist, Yahoo, Nightclub & Bar Magazine), Best Wings in Chicago (WGN, Metromix, Eater, Chicago Magazine, among others), and Best Sports Bar for Food (Time Out, Chicago Magazine) over the years.
“The accolades early on were cool, we were ahead of a trend, and we loved coming to work everyday, even during the rough years of the financial crisis. At the core of The Fifty/50, Greg and I were best friends and we loved working together at Joe’s,” said Weiner. “We wanted to open up a place that we could share with the community, our family, and our friends who wanted to eat, drink, and enjoy a great party and watch a great game.”
“We took a chance on the area, too,” Mohr said, observing how much Division Street and Wicker Park has changed since 2008. “The neighborhood embraced us and we became a destination which helped anchor the growth on Division Street.”
In the early years, the sports bar was among the most high-profile of the group’s properties, garnering international attention media attention for celebrity visits and savvy business tactics, such as offering major discounts to employee casualties of the Lehman Bros. meltdown. In lighter moments, Weiner offered a reward to whomever could provide information leading to the recovery of his uncle’s stolen 1970’s framed Playboy magazine cover from the bathroom wall. There was US Weekly and the paparazzi chasing Tony Romo in the basement at Fifty/50 while dating Jessica Simpson, the Chicago Blackhawks Halloween parties and several Stanley Cup visits. The Fifty/50 was frequented by the Chicago sports teams and visiting teams and attracted sports enthusiasts from all over the country. Recently, The Fifty/50 partnered with Cresco to release a THC version of its famous buffalo wing sauce.
While the space was regularly filled with professional athletes, along with some of its famous investors, the relationships built with regulars and employees will be most remembered. “We really were a family,” said Mohr. “We put together an incredible team, and hit that sweet spot with upscale food and great service.”
“The number of people who tell me they met their spouse at Fifty/50 is really mind-blowing and I hear it from people all over the country. I know that several of our employees also ended up tying the knot, including me and my wife,” said Weiner. “We all still see each other and keep in touch and now our kids play together. It is really a restaurant that will live on through the people that made it special.”
Throughout the last week, Weiner and Mohr will be onsite to bartend and welcome back longtime employees to also jump behind the bar and pour one last shot. They encourage anyone who can’t visit in person to share memories and photos on social media (@thefifty50).
Reflecting on the state of the restaurant industry in Chicago, the co-owners believe Fifty/50 Sports Bar has simply run its course.
“At the end of the day, we are working on several new restaurant projects within and outside of Chicago,” said Weiner. “People are experiencing watching live sports in a different way than they were even five years ago. Rather than seek to reinvent ourselves or reconcept, we were fortunate to find a tenant that we think will help create new memories for people on Division Street. We are grateful to be able to close the doors on our terms. We are going to keep the doors open late all weekend.”
The duo chose their last day of business to be the day of the first home game of the Chicago Bears, who play the Texas Titans on Sunday, September 8 at 12PM.
“We are going to go out on a high note,” said Mohr, “and honor the community we built to watch one last Bears game together.”
The final weekend celebration includes:
50% off Wings, Thursday 9/5 through Sunday 9/8
Thursday: A shot and a beer for all non-uniformed CPD and CFD
Thursday/Friday: Double rewards points for Loyalty members
Friday & Saturday: Guest bartending by the co-owners and OG employees
Sunday, September 8: Bears vs. Titans game at 12PM
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