The Tiny Lounge might not be so tiny much longer.
The popular Roscoe Village bar under the Brown Line’s Addison stop is facing eventual demolition to make way for an expansion of the line, but owner Colleen Flaherty is trying to buy some CTA-owned land next to the elevated line across the street from the bar.
Moving the bar there would double its space–and give it a bit of an identity crisis.
The original bar was named because of its awkwardly shaped narrow design, which just fit between the “L” and the business next door.
“We’re the Tiny Lounge. We can’t be this big empty room,” Flaherty said.
On the other hand, new construction would mean bringing the building up to code, including handicapped-accessible bathrooms and more stairwells, she said, which has the added benefit of taking up some of the extra space. Remember: Think small.
“I think I’d be setting up ourselves for disappointment to try to replicate the old bar,” Flaherty said. “But the way we’re looking at designing it, it should still be cozy. It’s still going to be a warm, comfortable room.”
Wide open spaces don’t pose the only potential snag, though. City liquor licenses stay with the property, and new ones are difficult to get.
When Flaherty bought the bar five years ago, she was able to use the previous bar’s license, granted to Gianninni’s in 1947.
Flaherty said she hopes to transfer the liquor license across the street.
If all goes well, the new bar could open in 2005, about the time the old bar is expected to be torn down, she said.
In any case, she’s keeping the name–sort of.
“We’ll be the Not-So-Tiny Bar,” she said.
