Paul Cannella has a vision for the future of Gentry on Halsted. Photo by Ross Forman______________
Paul Cannella's vision for the future of Gentry on Halsted relies heavily on the past.
Cannella, 37, a Lincoln Park resident who was raised in Chicago's northern suburbs, purchased the Lakeview bar in May. He's already made a few changes, adding his personal touch. Bartenders, for instance, have exchanged their all-black attire for funny, conversation-starting T-shirts. And there now are framed '70s fashion posters that he purchased on eBay.
That's just the start of Cannella's overhaul for the long-standing North Halsted Street bar that seems to carry an old-man's gay bar label.
'I worked at a bar while in college [ at Wisconsin-Whitewater ] and always wanted to own a bar. I, of course, have hung out in plenty of them,' said Cannella, who is the captain and is arguably the best player on the Chicago Dragons, a local gay rugby team.
He considered buying a pizza restaurant two years ago, but decided against it. He learned online that Gentry on Halsted was for sale from the estate of the late former owner, David Edwards. ( The downtown Gentry, 440 N. State, is separately owned. )
After his first meeting to discuss buying it, Cannella gave a check—his first down payment.
'The bar opened in about 1982 and is a piano, cabaret-style bar. But I'm not a huge fan of cabaret, so we're going to change that,' he said.
And, boy, does he have grand plans for the location. However, the real changes, including the name, won't come until 2008.
In the meantime, he's moved the familiar piano from the middle of the front section to the back of the same area. Also, there are live DJs on Fridays and Saturdays, and ladies' night on Wednesdays. Plus, karaoke will be in tune Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The billboard outside now claims, 'This isn't your father's Gentry.'
How true.
'This isn't a difficult business. It's about being the bridge to allowing people to have a good time,' said Cannella, who also is an account manager for Time, Inc., and runs a highly successful home-based business for dogs and their owners called PoopBags.com .
'What we're fighting now is the brand,' he said. 'I keep hearing people say, 'Gentry is an old-man bar.' Well, not anymore.'
Cannella, who is gay, wants to attract the younger set as well as lesbians. 'A bar is about whoever feels comfortable there, and I want everyone to feel comfortable,' he said.
Gentry will have a monthly theme and corresponding decorations for the rest of 2007. June, of course, was gay pride, so there naturally were rainbows galore. July carried a patriotic Independence Day feel. August centered around a summer luau theme so, yes, bartenders likely will be wearing grass skirts.
At North Halsted Market Days, Gentry had beach chairs out front, and, no doubt, some tiki huts around.
Cannella is planning a huge New Year's Eve party that will double as a goodbye party to Gentry.
The bar will then close in January for about two months—and $150,000 worth of renovations will take place.
It will reopen as The Levee, a name that pays tribute to Chicago's original red-light district up through the 1920s. The Levee offered every known vice of that era: prostitution, drugs and gay sex.
In 2008, The Levee will be an old-fashion Chicago pub.
'It's just going to be so different from what it is now,' Cannella said. 'What we're going to do is pay tribute to gay and lesbian people throughout Chicago history. People born in Illinois will be featured [ on the walls ] with large black-and-white photos with a handwritten story of what they did to contribute to society.' The list includes Rock Hudson, Henry Gerber and David Kopay, among others.
And shots of liquor at The Levee will carry a celebrity tie, too, with drinks named in honor of luminaries such as Liberace.
The biggest changes will involve the decor. The green carpet will be removed and replaced with five-inch-thick plank walnut floors. The mirrors and oak walls also will be removed. And the ceiling will have a new look too; it will sport some color, but no ceiling fans. Plus, the currently bricked-over windows on the south wall will be windows once again.
In addition, Cannella is planning a new look to the back portion of the bar, and he's looking to secure a patio license. Lastly, the current old-school green stools will be replaced with custom-made furniture from Ireland.
'The goal is: When you walk into The Levee, you feel like you're walking back in time. We want it to be a part of history. And for anyone in the neighborhood, gay or straight,' said Cannella, who noted that it always will be 'ultra-clean' and offer 'top-notch customer service.'
But what about the fabled piano? It will be donated to charity or sold, Cannella said.