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When prohibition was passed the place downsized to its current lounge and operated as a speakeasy, at one time co-owned by “Machine Gun” Jack McGurn, one of Al Capone’s notorious enforcers. When the Green Mill opened in 1912 it had pretty much everything the Moulin Rouge did: dancing girls, champagne fountains, expansive ball rooms, and other such excess.
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Moulin Rouge literally translates to Red Mill, and so the Green Mill seemed natural. The name changed, by the way, because this place was to be America’s answer to the Moulin Rouge in Paris. Green Mill, 1907-Truth be told it was called Pop Morse’s Road House in 1907, but the address has stayed the same even if the name changed. The place has closed, reopened and re-imagined itself in recent years, but luckily they’ve been able to maintain the same address
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After prohibition was over they were able to snag liquor license #1. During prohibition The Berghoff was one of the few joints in town that reportedly went dry, staying open by converting to a full-scale restaurant and selling near-beer (which they still sell). They added café-style munchies as well-sandwiches and the like-but never strayed far from their original reason for opening. The Berghoff, 1889-The Berghoff was opened by Herman Berghoff to showcase his beer, which he sold for a nickel. This photo of Schaller's Pump is courtesy of TripAdvisor The place has also been a longtime favorite by the Democratic party of Chicago-it’s a stone’s throw from the 11 th Ward headquarters-and was the second office for a number of Chicago’s mayors. Also during prohibition that place got the “Pump” part of its name when the next door brewery would pump beer directly in. In fact, during probibition you had to be screened through a peephole in the wall. Schaller’s Pump, 1881-This bar in Chicago’s Bridgeport area has been serving straight since 1881, including during prohibition.