Stepping off the Adams/Wabash Brown Line stop, and heading towards Jackson Boulevard on Wabash Avenue, you will walk past a new restaurant: Industry Ales.

The exterior of Industry Ales, located off the Adams/Wabash Brown Line station. Photo by Chinyere Ibeh.

The new restaurant on the block makes its presence known with big neon letters sporting the restaurant name. Beneath it, a glowing black and white sign featuring the restaurant’s logo protrudes from the side of the building. The restaurant includes outdoor seating with metal tables that have mesh designs and a black gate structure that surrounds the outdoor seating area. Its presentation is complete with a big sign that features the restaurant’s daily menu.

Industry Ales spent the first quarter of the year and the latter half of 2023 being built into the space between the iconic Central Camera Equipment and restaurant and pub Exchequer. Industry Ales officially opened its doors on April 11 but hosted an intimate soft opening with friends and family in late March.

The interior of Industry Ales. Photo by Chinyere Ibeh.

Industry Ales began as a mere idea ten years ago. Matt Wiegers, a co-founder of Industry Ales, details how the restaurant made it out of the pandemic.

“COVID happened, and Dan Rook, one of the co-founders, and I had a call,” Wiegers said. “We put together a business plan and put together what it will cost to open … We pitched it to investors, and one of them was kind enough to say yes. And we were off to the races.”

While Industry Ales is new, Wiegers and fellow co-founder Dan Rook have been part of restaurants for quite a while.

Wiegers began his career in hospitality at 16 years old when he worked for Joe’s Crab Shack. He would later work himself up from dishwasher to waiter and finally bartender. For a brief time, Wiegers worked within the corporate side of retail — though he realized his passion was for the restaurant business and ultimately made his return to the service industry.  

Similarly, Rook began his journey within restaurants during his teenage years.

“I’ve been working, as far as restaurants, since I was 14 years old,” Rook said. “I started working at an Irish pub on the South Side called Gold Coast.”

Like Wiegers, Rook began as a busser and barback and other necessary kitchen work, which later led him to pick up bartending shifts during the summer. He continued to work in the bar and restaurant industry throughout college. Rook also had an office job for a short period of time, though he ended up hating it and returned to restaurant work.

Industry Ales began to come into fruition around 2021, when the LLC was officially formed.

“We started the project in 2020, right when Chicago was a shell of itself, especially downtown,” Rook said. “Having worked in this market before for a long time, we knew the Loop was going to come back. We sort of took a gamble, but I’m happy we did, because Chicago needs the Loop, and the Loop needs Chicago.”

After Industry Ales opened in April, it hosted a Beer Dinner in early May, which included various beers produced in the lower level of the restaurant. The ticketed event featured an exclusive four-course menu, including various beer pairings. Matt Enloe, one of the event’s attendees, describes it as an exciting experience, noting that he was impressed by the quality of the menu and the reasonable prices for the location.

“I especially enjoyed the first course, which was sort of a deconstructed Italian beef … as well as the surprise final dessert, which was a Malört sorbet,” Enloe said.

Enloe also noted that the best part of the restaurant was the thoughtfulness behind the overall experience. He hopes the restaurant hosts similar events in the future as it would be a good opportunity to enjoy tasty food and meet new people. He aims to visit the restaurant again, noting he had already revisited to try their Smashburger lunch special – a double cheeseburger with Industry Ales’ special sauce paired with beer and bourbon.

Part of the restaurant’s mission statement is to build community, one pint at a time. Rook and Wiegers hope the restaurant becomes a hub for the surrounding community for both locals and tourists.

A beverage served at Industry Ales. Photo by Chinyere Ibeh.

Header by Alex Carrasquillo