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.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
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 every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, 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.
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