When it opened in 1982, it was an 800-square-foot dive bar with no windows and no signage, save for a sheet of plywood on which owners Arthur “Art” Johnston and José “Pepe” Peña had spray-painted the word “Soon.” That was its only placard – along with a gay slur, which some hospitable neighbor had graffitied on the front door as a welcome gift in lieu of the customary baked goods.Ĭhallenges like marriage equality, which Johnston championed as co-founder of Equality Illinois, the Prairie State’s oldest and largest LGBTQ advocacy organization. Located on Halsted Street of Chicago's North Side, it’s seen at least eight major expansions in half as many decades, which is why locals affectionately call it “the bar that ate Halsted.”īut Sidetrack wasn’t always so big. With 15,000 square feet spanning two stories and more than eight storefronts, Sidetrack is believed to be the largest gay bar in the Midwest. Sidetrack has been front and center as a fundraiser, donor and organizer for LGBTQ rights.For gay men in Chicago and across the Midwest, however, it was a refuge. ![]() ![]() When it opened in 1982, it was an 800-square-foot dive bar with no windows and no signage.
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