Guinness chooses Chicago for Irish brewery’s second U.S. auction house

Rumors have been circulating since the spring, but Guinness – the makers of Irish super stout – have officially announced the opening of a bar in Chicago’s Fulton Market neighborhood. No, the brewery won’t make that famous thick and dark stout in Chicago (Guinness will continue to import it from Ireland). But the 15,000-square-foot site will contain a full-service restaurant with seating for 300 people – including outdoor seating – inside the long-vacant Pennsylvania Railroad Depot north of Randolph Restaurant Row and across the city. west of Halsted.

The Fulton Market space will become Guinness’ second taproom in America. Owned by Diageo, a multinational headquartered in London, Guinness opened a factory in Baltimore in 2018, where it makes exclusive beers. Expect the same in what the brewery calls, for now, the Guinness Chicago Taproom. There is a modest 10 barrel system that will produce beers only available at the bar. Owners aren’t sure if they’ll be bottling or being able to take beers on site, but take-out beers will be available one way or another.

The team imagines a fairytale debut, opening in time for St. Patrick’s Day 2023. Diageo, the parent company of Guinness – they also own liquor brands like Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, and Ciroc – were wowed through the history and architecture of Chicago, looking at spaces for certain times.

The food will be Irish pub type, mixed with local dishes (don’t force Chicago to put ketchup on hot dogs). The Baltimore site is served by a food truck with pretzels, ribs and cheese platters. But local officials like to talk about food tourism – Illinois Restaurant Association president and CEO Sam Toia is even quoted in the Guinness press release – and the Chicago brewery’s food program will be more robust. It must be; Guinness will compete with Randolph Street, a nearby thoroughfare filled with trendy restaurants, including three by celebrity chef Stephanie Izard.

West Loop and Fulton Market have attracted top brands who hope opening a location can help raise their profile. McDonald’s moved its headquarters to Randolph Street from the suburbs in 2018. The Near West Side has many breweries, including Goose Island Beer Co., On Tour Brewing and Cruz Blanca – the microbrewery founded by Rick Bayless (the chef is more involved).

Before the rise of microbreweries, Guinness was a favorite among craft beer drinkers in bars. Bars and liquor stores are now inundated with local choices more than ever. So where does the brewery fit into the Chicago scene? Guinness is not trying to bankrupt these brands, says Jay Sethi, head of marketing for Diageo Beer Company: “We are obviously international,” he says. “We are proud of our roots, we are proud of the progress made.

Diageo

Sethi, from the Chicago area – he attended Elk Grove High School and the University of Chicago – says Guinness is there to blend in with the background, to augment the city’s existing scene. Sethi, who may have been coached by Toia, in the same interview mentioned Chicago neighborhoods, mentioning how Guinness wants to team up with local chefs and artists to make beers that encapsulate the flavors of individual communities, thus naming the district of Pilsen and its Mexican population. Guinness, founded 262 years ago, may be steeped in Irish history, but Sethi says the company is open to its future as well.

Sethi declined to say how much Guinness is investing in the project, but said it was a substantial amount. The brewery is housed in a former railway depot that has seen its share of failed redevelopment proposals. It’s in an area north of Randolph Street near Recess, the popular open-air bar surrounded by shipping containers. Sethi says the railroad depot provides the perfect backdrop for Guinness. “We wanted something old that we can make beautiful again.”

The brewery has a bottling plant in Plainfield, and Sethi says there may be ways for the sites to work together.

Guinness was also instrumental in the stealth effort of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s office, as it partnered with Plumbers Union Local 130 to host a St. Patrick’s Day surprise in March with a early morning boat race to dye the Chicago River green. Worried about crowds during the pandemic, Lightfoot had announced that the town’s holiday tradition would not take place, but crews still dyed the river.

Sethi says the planned 2023 opening schedule has little to do with COVID-19. Hopefully the disease is under control long before that, but Sethi says Guinness has a lot of work ahead of them before the opening. In the meantime, he’s delighted to be coming home to make the announcement. Chicago has traditionally been one of Guinness’ biggest markets.

“It’s a great day, I’m not going to lie,” he said.

Guinness Chicago Taproom, 375 N. Morgan Street, scheduled to open in early 2023.