With almost four decades in business in River North, the Hard Rock Cafe was a Chicago landmark. This week, the iconic cafe closed at last, leading one Illinois local to say one last goodbye. Urban lifestyle streamer brianreallychicago documented the farewell in a TikTok featuring the cafe’s iconic guitar sign. Pointing out where the sign had been before it was cut down, the streamer gave a kind of closure to the whole affair. You can only mourn so much for a business, but saying goodbye to a part of your city can be tough. That’s especially true if that part happens to be a rockin’ guitar.
Illinois Says Goodbye To Hard Rock Cafe Guitar
While other parts of the city were busy protesting, one Chicago local said a solitary farewell to the Hard Rock Cafe sign. Many others paid their respects to the Chicago landmark this week as the cafe’s long career came to an end. The rock memorabilia and Flying V sign helped give the Ontario St. restaurant a unique identity. Whether you went for the grub or the rock and roll nostalgia, you could get a small slice of Chicago there.
Brianreallychicago’s TikTok about the Hard Rock Cafe closure in Chicago received over 500 likes and many supportive comments. “Damn another great down town memory gone 😭,” said one commenter. Another local shared their memories of the landmark restaurant, saying,
“Used to live right next door and it was so cool to see it lit up every night RIP [Sic]”
Though the Ontario St. location is no more, there’s another Illinois option. The Hard Rock Cafe in Rockford is still there for Chicago locals. Having an alternative for munchies might help, but it won’t replace the memories or the old Flying V. With so many places to dine in the city, Chicagoans’ stomachs will be fine at least. As for the guitar, it’ll just have to keep rocking somewhere else.
