Shinnick's Pub is a neighborhood bar in Bridgeport, Chicago.

We've been a family-owned bar for more than 80 years. The tavern is a neighborhood landmark, and one of the longest running bars in the city of Chicago. We're the place to be before and after Sox games or anytime you want to post up at the bar.

History

The building that the pub is in was constructed in the late 1880s. The ornate mahogany Brunswick-Balke-Collender back bar was built on-site at the same time. There were several owners before our grandparents, George Sr. & Mary (Healy) Shinnick, took over the bar in 1938 after prohibition. But for the bulk of its pre-Shinnick days, it was owned by the Shallow family. Our dad and his siblings were raised in the small apartment behind the pub.

Our parents, George Jr. & Celine (Dougherty), became the next owners in 1966. The neighborhood bar business in those days wasn't really a source of great wealth. You had competition on every block. Some blocks had two or even three bars. The bar is now operated by the third generation of Shinnicks and the fourth generation can often be found bartending.

The history of Shinnick's Pub is featured in the book "Chicago's Historic Irish Pubs" by Mike Danahey and Allison Hanstchel. Available here. The picture chosen for the cover of the book is of Shinnick's Pub, before it was purchased by George Shinnick.

Videos

WGN visited the bar in 2021 in preparation for St. Patrick's Day and discussed the history of Shinnick's Pub with our family. The interview was broken up into two videos;

In 2018 we put together a video to celebrate our 80th anniversary. Thank you for 80 years.

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