It appears that Chic Lounge will finally open in the lower level space adjacent to Chic Cafe and Shah Jee’s at 770 N. Jefferson St.
Owners Rita and Craig Willis were unavailable for comment this afternoon. However, based on information gleaned from the liquor licensure notice posted on site, it looks as though original plans for a lounge are moving forward.
The Willises operated the original Chic Lounge, which opened at 131 N. Jackson St. in 2009.
The lounge offered live jazz and a limited menu, but shuttered after just a year when the owners decided to move their business to a larger space.
They moved into the Jefferson building in 2013, with plans to open both an eatery and a lounge. The first phase of the plan resulted in Chic Cafe, a cafeteria style eatery serving up a mix of American and Southern soul food classics for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner on Fridays. The second phase, according to the Willises, was to open a lounge, offering live music in the evenings.
It looks like those plans are moving forward.
Stay tuned to OnMilwaukee for additional details as they develop.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
