At 10:45 p.m., police were called to Sidetrack, 3349 North Halsted Street, in Chicago’s Boystown, Lakeview neighborhood.
The initial police dispatch report indicated an employee had been “drinking”.
Two minutes later, a confrontation was reported at the Halsted Street bar.
“Someone is being combative,” said the police dispatch operator.
At 10:50 p.m., a responding officer said the employee-related 911 call and the subsequent report of a combative subject, were related.
The Chicago Fire Department responded to the scene, but it’s unclear if the alleged employee was arrested.
Photo credit: Sarah F.
The name of the bar has always been Sidetrack, not Sidetracks.
ReplyDeleteJust as the bar long been known as Sidetrash.
Delete^ Who cares. Anyway, I just ran to the store near there (not 7-11). It looks like Zimbabwe (with less primitive behavior). It just started pouring rain. They'll probably all go home now.
ReplyDeleteYes! The streets are shiny and wet! :-)
ReplyDelete^ It's the only time I go out.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, with this incident all you can do is laugh at it all now. Throw the drugs in the mix and.......chaos.
^ It's a nice, clean place - on the surface - just needs some substance but yes, the trash is there too in all forms (obviously). Tourist trap but it doesn't smell of sewer gas that's usually permeating many of the other places on that strip, I'll give it that. An out of town Asian even commented on that ever present smell. What brings it on and why? I walked in one place one night and had to leave. Just strange with all those people partying in that big, fat fart like it's just another night. It became more pronounced when they banned smoking.
ReplyDeleteSidetrash is an S & M (stand and model) bar that attracts a better clientele through higher prices, strict doormen, a lot of attitude and no tolerance for mischief.
ReplyDeleteOwners Arthur, Pepe and Chuck treat their employees well and have been made wealthy by Sidetrash.
No where near as stuck-up as Cocktail or Minibar and not the drunken drugged youth of Hydrate, Roscoes or Spin. But deff not a neighborhood bar like Lil Jims, Bucks, or North End.
I like Sidetrack. Security there keeps a close eye on nigs so you don't have to be concerned about pickpockets.
ReplyDeleteSidetrack is also known as "caucasia" - Not coincidentally thats the reason I love it....
ReplyDeleteThank you for proving my reasons for not visiting the trash bin backwash of our country, Chicago. Please all of you remain there and never venture to either coast.
ReplyDeleteBut truly it's a shame that Sidetrack is all "we" have here in Chicago. I commented they've been playing the same videos for the 5 years I've been here and a suburbanite commented "No, it's been more like 10 years". I'd be willing to pay a cover charge if they bought some new records. I'm sure more marketing/video expense is allocated for the female weekend crowd and their sympathizing "boys" though. $ rules. Again, nice clean place with working toilets and no stereotypical Chicago "back room" with guys wanting you to pee on them (yay!!) but very, very, very dull for gay.
ReplyDeleteA straight/aware/married/Andersonvilleish female commented at a Pride fest party "I didn't even know they still made music videos". I somewhat agree. ST is VERY limited on what they can offer because of that so I can't fault them but I think it's time to consider a new "hook" or mix it up a bit. Otherwise it's a great waste of space. It's WAY behind the times vs. other gay venues across the U.S. Marketing $ for tourists is obvious.
No hate but if you notice the worst comments on any review are from gay men from way outside of Chicago. The best reviews are from females from.... anywhere.
Now, back to the violent crime on the streets and messy servers..........
"No tolerance for mischief" is basically the gist of this reporting IMHO. That's why it's so telling of what is/has happened to that strip. They're not handling this well at all. They don't know how. I know first hand how ST doesn't know how to deal with a true diverse clientele. They can stereotype worse than any black or white straight person I've ever encountered in my life. And in two cases there, it took $ right out of their pocket and not only for a night. Very, very stupid stereotyping based on attire and non-clone ideology, etc. Embrace diversity.
ReplyDelete