RIVER NORTH — It’s not like restaurateur Eldridge Williams of Wicker Park’s The Delta wanted to open two new businesses back-to-back, but that’s exactly what he’ll be doing starting late spring in River North.
Williams and G.O.O.D. Pineapple Hospitality partner Robert Johnson will first open The Pink Polo Social Club & Bar, an all-day coffee- and cocktail-forward spot in The Chicago Hotel Collection, 312 W. Chestnut St.
Then, in late summer, they’ll open Red River Dicks, a country western restaurant and bar in the former Sedgwick’s Bar & Grill Space, 1935 N. Sedgwick St., in Lincoln Park. It will be the first and only Black-owned country western bar and restaurant in the Midwest, the owners said.
“We knew it was our time to do something else,” said Williams. “This is an unforgiving industry, so when opportunity comes knocking, you better answer that door.”
The first opportunity for the duo was the Sedgwick’s location, which had been vacant for close to seven years. Williams and Johnson took over the lease in August 2023.
Though the large space was in disarray, Williams knew it would be the perfect spot for the country western concept he’s been wanting to do for years.
“I don’t look like I should do it and that’s the reason why I need to,” said Williams, who got his start in hospitality at age 14, washing dishes in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. “Given my background and pedigree, I have a unique position in the hospitality industry. I have an obligation to move the needle.”
Red River Dicks
Williams first learned about post-Civil War Black cowboys while watching the Netflix documentary series “High on the Hog.” After some research, he came across the story of Nat Love, America’s first Black cowboy who was born into slavery and used his self-taught horse-breaking and marksmanship skills to make a living when slavery ended.
“It was a lightbulb moment,” said Williams. “I knew by paying homage to Nat Love that’s how I could do a country bar and make it truly my country bar.”
Love’s nickname, Red River Dick, proved especially useful.
“I knew there wasn’t a better name for a country bar,” said Williams.
Red River Dicks will spotlight the regional barbecue styles of Texas, Tennessee and Kansas City, areas that follow the life travels of Love. Crusted cowboy beef ribs, a Tennessee smokehouse duck sandwich and garlic-and-parsley grilled sweet corn elote are some of the proposed menu items, Williams said. Traditional and large-format craft cocktails and an expansive beer menu will also be offered.
For the interior, Williams said he wanted to create a modern, sophisticated saloon with leather accents and richly hued tapestries. The 100-capacity restaurant will include an 18th-century-inspired bar that seats 30. A sidewalk café is in the works, he said.
Williams is also making good use of items left behind by the previous tenant, including a 15-foot cast iron hood that will be turned into a dramatic chandelier and a meat refrigerator that will be repurposed into a yet-to-be-determined showpiece.
“They locked the door and basically forgot about it,” said Williams. “I have a huge imagination when it comes to design, which is a nightmare for our contractors but when we land it, it will be great.”
Red River Dicks will feature DJs spinning remixed country classics as well as other, more modern styles of country music.
“Red River is going to be a country bar that’s familiar to those who love country bars, but it also will have unique qualities that will draw in a totally different audience who’d never thought they want to go to a country bar but here they are vibing,” Williams said.
The Pink Polo
While working on Red River Dicks, Johnson came across another opportunity too good to pass up: taking over Drop Shop Coffee inside the River North boutique hotel.
Williams said it was their chance to tap into another concept he had already developed — an all-day social club of sorts that takes its name, The Pink Polo, from a Kanye West lyric.
“I find inspiration for restaurants in other places,” he said. “It’s always these other things in life that trigger me, and then I figure out how to turn it into something that makes sense.”
During the day, The Pink Polo will function as a trendy workspace serving coffee drinks, pastries, salads and artisanal sandwiches. It will transition into a lounge in the evening with dishes such as Peruvian nachos, twice-cooked chicken wings with aji amarillo sauce and pan-seared yuca fries topped with cheese and toasted peanuts.
No matter the time of day, The Pink Polo will offer cocktails, ranging from coffee-focused and timeless classics to South American specialties, said Williams.
“This will be a serious cocktail bar,” he said.
The interior of the club will mix industrial elements — think cement floors, exposed brick and electrical pipes — with softer touches, including Persian rugs and leather seating. A marble-and-tile bar will seat 12, while a custom bleacher seating area will accommodate up to 40. The dining room area will feature banquettes for 60 guests.
Private rooms on the lower level can host groups up to 100 for weddings, meetings and other events, Williams said. He hopes those rooms and The Pink Polo in general will become a hub for organizations that might not have brick-and-mortar spaces of their own.
“We want to create this bustling, vibey scene that will consist of various dope creative community clubs that can come and go freely,” Williams said.
While The Pink Polo and Red River Dicks might seem miles apart, they both will share Williams’ emphasis on sincere and thoughtful service, he said.
“One of the reasons why I enjoy what I do for a living is that I am provided with the opportunity to create great memorable moments for people,”said Williams. “These two new projects coming up will definitely give the audience a good dose of what’s going on in my head.”
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