People looking for a late-night drink can now go to 1800 Club tonight, making the club the first Evanston bar to stay open past 2 a.m. under a new Evanston ordinance.
Evanston City Council voted Monday night to grant 1800 Club, 1800 Sherman Ave., a liquor license that allows the bar to stay open until 3 a.m. Thursday through Saturday and until 2 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday.
The law authorizing the late-night license was passed in April in an effort to increase tax revenue for the city.
Ald. Arthur Newman (1st) held the decision about 1800 Club from the June 10 council meeting to check on concerns of Sherman Garden residents who said loud music from the 1800 Club patio bothered them.
Tony Anton, owner of the 1800 Club, agreed at Monday’s meeting to stop the music at 10 p.m. on weeknights and at 11 p.m. on weekends.
Newman said he had no problem granting the new license because Anton agreed to this condition. The council voted 8-0 in favor of granting the license.
Both The Keg of Evanston, 810 Grove Ave., and the 1800 Club have applied for the new license, but the council denied The Keg’s application in May, citing reports of liquor code violations and the frequent need for police presence at the bar. The council will reconsider the Keg’s application in late August.
Ald. Stephen Engelman (7th) said Monday the Administration and Pubic Works Committee should examine the issue of allowing bars and restaurants outside the downtown area to extend their hours as well. He said the council should also consider letting restaurants sell liquor after its kitchen is closed.
The council met later as the Board of Trustees of Evanston Township. The board of trustees is the governing body that oversees the township, a legal entity that occupies the same geographical area as the city of Evanston. The township is required by Illinois state law to provide general assistance and issue property tax assessments to Evanston residents.
The trustees voted 6-2 to approve the township’s budget of more than $1.4 million. Ald. Ann Rainey (8th) voted against approving the budget and said it was the first time the council ever taxed residents such a great sum of money without a lengthy discussion. She said the council spends months looking at the city budget and should spend time reviewing the township budget as well. But she said she still approves of the township’s work.
“(Township) does a great job doing their job,” Rainey said.
Rainey said she did not feel the same way about Township Assessor Sharon Eckersall and her offices’ duties. At a Board of Trustees meeting in April, Rainey and Evanston residents pushed to eliminate Eckersall’s position. Rainey said at the time that the assessor position was “archaic.”
Rainey said residents should be aware it costs the township, and Evanston residents, about $1.1 million to provide $330,000 of grant assistance for indigent people.
