The days of bars having a single, consistent identity are a thing of the past—Chicago is all about the pop-ups, whether it's a spot serving Run the Jewels-inspired beer or a Field Museum-themed hotel bar. This weekend, Publican Quality Meats is getting in on the fun, working with Chicago artist (and one-time Time Out Chicago cover illustrator) Dont Fret and his creative partner Kate Brankin to recast the Fulton Market butcher shop as the Light Times Club: A Conceptual Watering Hole.
Mimicking the trappings and offerings of a classic Chicago corner bar, the Light Times Club will set up shop in a custom outdoor bar in PQM’s backyard, serving Malört, cheap beer and Kielbasa-style sausages on Friday, July 21 through Sunday, July 23. The festivities start on Friday, July 21 with a ticketed event from 5:30 to 9pm—$10 gets you access to the bar and "a hefty pour of Old Style." The bar will also be up and running from noon to 6pm on Saturday and noon–5pm on Sunday, with a la carte sausages available for $10 each as well as $2 shots of Malört to wash them down.
Dont Fret and Brankin first brought the Light Times Club to life at PQM in 2015—since then, the Fulton Market area has changed rapidly, welcoming Google and host of new restaurants and bars to the burgeoning street. You can expect to see some new art from Dont Fret on display at the event (some of which will be available for purchase) as well as packages of PQM sausages sporting custom Dont Fret-designed labels.
If you need to spend some time outdoors with a beer and a sausage this weekend, this PQM pop-up should satisfy all of your encased meat cravings.
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