Lanes were closed on the Dan Ryan near Chatham on the South Side as police investigated reports of a shooting.
Shots were fired about 6:30 p.m. near 87th Street, Illinois State Police said. Authorities shut down lanes, as well as northbound ramps at 94th and 83rd to determine if the shooting took place on the expressway.
Two people were taken to a hospital, state police said. It was unclear if they were shot on the expressway.
All lanes were open by 10 p.m., state police said.
Chicago comix artist Jay Lynch was one of the major artists of the Wacky Packages trading cards. He sold personalized sketches like this one at WackyPackages.org
Herewith, I will try to present a listing of hours, and takeout policy for bars and brewpubs forced to close their public spaces during the COVID-19 emergency. I’m trying to get specific information for each establishment, based on their social media, as I remove their events from the calendar listings. If you want to get your policy mentioned here, please drop me a line.
Please remember that this situation is constantly changing, so check with your locals. If any of these places will be doing beer delivery, I will include that information. It might be that Über Eats or Doordash might not let its drivers deliver alcohol. We look forward to the resumption of normal activity on March 31.
Beerhead Bar & Eatery Schaumburg, 888 N. Meacham Rd., Schaumburg, IL 847-517-8300
Beerhead fans, you can still enjoy your favorites! Order by phone at 847-517-8300 for quick & easy curbisde pick-up. Order delivery through GrubHub, Uber Eats or DoorDash. We will continue to serve our community by providing great food and service to our loyal guests. From our family to yours, be safe!
Crystal Lake Brewing, 150 N. Main St., Crystal Lake, IL (779) 220-9288
The Crystal Lake Brewing tap room will be closed for on-premise service from Monday, March 16 through at least Tuesday, March 31.
During this time, the tap room will be open for “To Go” purchases, including 6-packs, growlers, t-shirts and other merchandise, as well as gift card sales. Our hours during this time are Mon-Fri – 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm; Sat-Sun – Noon to 6:00 pm Growler Special: Growlers, in fact, will be on a special sale during this entire period. All growler fills will be $5 off their usual price, but we are also suggesting a $5 minimum gratuity for each growler filled. CLB is a family, and our beertenders (along with amazing beer) are our biggest asset. So, while tipping is not mandatory, we sincerely appreciate your support of both CLB and our team. Drive Up Service: The tap room is being kept clean and we will be working to minimize wait times and avoid crowding, but if you prefer to stay in your car, please call us at 779-220-9288. We’ll send someone out to you to take your order.
Half Day Brewing Co., 200 Village Green, Lincolnshire, IL 847-821-6933
Parking lot pickup is here! Call in your order, pay over the phone, pull into our parking lot, call us from their, and have ID ready. This will go on while we are closed. We will be open for carryout and delivery 11am-8pm. Details about free delivery to be posted soon.
Harbor Brewing Co., 811 Sheridan Rd., Winthrop Harbor, IL
We will remain open on our normal days with limited hours moving forward for growler & howler fills. We will update you with those hours soon!
Holzlager Brewing Co., 150 S. Eastwood Dr., Woodstock, IL (815) 308-5901
We’re staying open for TO-GO sales ONLY. We’ll be open EVERY DAY during this shutdown: Mon – Thu: 10a -10p; Fri-Sat: 10a-11p; Sun: 11a-8p
You can come in during these hours to check the cooler and order Crowlers, filled fresh!
OR, you can pre-order your Crowlers for quick pick-up. Check our Facebook page for directions.
The Lucky Monk, 105 Hollywood Blvd., South Barrington, IL (847) 898-0500
We remain open for delivery and pickup, along with opportunities to stock up those growlers & howlers. We will run our similar hours of operation to accommodate guest’s needs to dine out beginning Tuesday, March 17th. We hope to see you at the doorstep or enjoying your favorite meal at home during this unprecedented time.
Hours of Operation: 11am-8pm Daily
Call for Carry Out and Catering Orders or Online through GrubHub and DoorDash for Delivery
As a way to appreciate your business and patronage at this time, we will be giving out $15 in Monk Bucks for phone in carry out orders of $50 or more. This $15 gift will be good to use upon our re-opening of the restaurant and used for dine in only.
Macushla Brewing Co., 1516 E. Lake Ave., Glenview, IL (847) 730-5199
Starting Tuesday, we will open a walk-up window for crowler pick up !! From 3-6 PM, pick up your favorite Macushla Beer and support small business. Tips are greatly appreciated at this time. Stay tuned for more information during this turbulent time.
Mickey Finn’s, 345 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, IL 847-362-6688
Open for carry out and delivery Tuesday (Über Eats). Including beer! More details to follow.
Mikerphone Brewing, 121 Garlisch Dr., Elk Grove Village, IL (847) 264-8904
Starting Tuesday, we will be offering to-go sales only during our normal business hours. We will offer MOST of our draft menu in crowlers and their normal packaged options so that you can enjoy draft beer from home. Gift cards and merchandise are also available, and those sales will be incredibly supportive during this time. Feel free to call ahead to have us prepare your order so that it is ready when you arrive.
We will also graciously accept tips on to-go orders to help supplement the tips that our front of house staff will not be able to receive while the tasting room is shut down.
In regards to SMELLS LIKE A BEER FEST, we have a meeting with the city tomorrow to discuss our plan. We will keep you posted as soon as we have more information, but we encourage to hold off from travel plans until we know what the future holds.
Nightshade and Dark’s Pandemonium Brewing, 216 W. Clayton St., Waukegan, IL (847) 555-1212
We will be closed until further notice. We do not believe the closure will be lifted on March 31. If events world-wide are any indication, more time will be needed. Once we are satisfied we have enough beer stockpiled to support re-opening, we will begin selling beer to go in cans or even 32oz howlers. In order to help our food vendors weather this period, we may also open pop-up to go services and let our customers order food and beer via messenger or text and then pick it up to go.
Only Child Brewing Co., 1350 Tri State Pkwy., Gurnee, IL 224-656-5241
Starting Tuesday 3/17, we will be open EVERYDAY of the week from 12pm – 7pm to offer beer for sale to go. In this time of difficulty & need, we ask that when you purchase beer to go, please remember that our Taproom staff rely heavily on their tips, & please consider how much less that will be without people staying & drinking in the Taproom. PLEASE TIP on to go purchases. This is a time when we all must stand together as a community, & support each other. We have decided as a company, to also donate 10% of all of our to go sales to put into a Tip Pool, that will be distributed to all of our staff, to help provide them with additional income while their hours are cut short for the remainder of the month.
Ravinia Brewing Co., 582 Roger Williams Ave., Highland Park, IL (847) 780-8127
Tuesday the Taproom will be closed for Dine-In but we will begin our carry-out, curbside, and delivery (hopefully by the end of the week) options. We appreciate your support and we are asking for your continued support of small local businesses. With that being said, we also ask to please leave a gratuity when ordering to-go items. Our staff is reliant on tips as a major source of income.
Sketchbook Brewing Co., 821 Chicago Ave., Evanston, IL (847) 859-9051
The taproom will be open from Noon-8pm every day, including Mondays, until further notice. We’re selling items TO-GO ONLY. Packaged beer only, No growler fills. Walk-in, order online, or call your order in.
Smylie Brothers Brewing Co., 1615 Oak Ave., Evanston, IL 224-999-7320
We will be open for the foreseeable future, FOR PICK-UP ONLY, from 12pm-8pm and until 9pm on Fri/Sat.
We’re playing all the hits- Packaged beer, growlers and howlers*, full BBQ menu, pizzas, limited sides, house salad, white bean dip and friggin poutine and more! Click the link below or visit smyliebros.com and check out the Pick-Up Menu.
Call us ahead of time to place your food orders. Beer can be ordered on the fly or called ahead for growlers and howlers. Please be mindful of social distancing while ordering beer on site or picking up. We kindly ask you not order food in person and wait.
We will be taking payment via credit card only. Curbside delivery upon request. We will be working to eventually offer a delivery service. This will be an evolving process so please bear with us! We appreciate all the outreach and support for our establishment and the other local businesses that have been affected. New howlers and growlers only. We will accept your used (and clean) glass 32oz howlers and 64oz growlers and exchange them for a new one. We will not introduce a guest supplied vessel to our system. Sorry no canteens, water bottles, uKegs, etc.
Temperance Beer Co., 2000 Dempster St., Evanston, IL (847) 864-1000
It’s time for us to try the most American of food & beverage service — the Drive-Thru! We’ve figured out a way to get you the beer you need without having to wait in long lines and while maintaining as much social distancing as possible. This means that we will only be selling beer to go, and there will be no activities inside the Tap Room or brewery. Staff will be wearing nitrile surgical gloves and washing hands often. We will spray the cans with isopropyl alcohol before we hand them to you. We are also selling kegs! Got a kegerator at home? We are selling most of our beer in either 1/2 or 1/6 barrels. Email [email protected] to confirm availability so that we can make sure we have what you want.
Ten Ninety Brewing Co., 1025 Waukegan Rd., Glenview, IL 224-432-5472
We at Ten Ninety are looking to reopen for takeout orders starting either Wednesday or Thursday. That would include both package beer and food. We are looking into implementing an online ordering system as part of this.
Une Année Brewery/Hubbard’s Cave, 6343 W. Gross Point Rd., Niles, IL (847) 635-0655
We will have online ordering of limited food and all of our beer that is available in package. If you buy some food and a package product you’ll get three dollars off the order. Our website is live. Pickup hours today from 4-10. Only at our new location at 6343 W. Gross Point Rd. Niles. E-gift cards aren’t also available online.
ZümBier, 3232 Monroe, Waukegan, IL 847-420-7313
Until 3/30 we’ll be doing package sales, curbside delivery, and delivery text ‘menu’ to 847-420-7313 to see what we have canned/bottled.
Closed:
Buffalo Creek, Long Grove (starting Wednesday), Kings & Convicts, Highwood.
Fresh Beer Events, occasional bacon, but always spam free, opt out any time.
Meet The Blogger
Mark McDermott
Writer, trivia maven, fan of many things. I thought to learn all there is to know about beer as a way to stay interested in learning. It is my pleasure to bring Chicago’s craft beer scene to you.
Herewith, I will try to present a listing of hours, and takeout policy for bars and brewpubs forced to close their public spaces during the COVID-19 emergency. I’m trying to get specific information for each establishment, based on their social media, as I remove their events from the calendar listings. If you want to get your policy mentioned here, please drop me a line.
Please remember that this situation is constantly changing, so check with your locals. If any of these places will be doing beer delivery, I will include that information. We look forward to the resumption of normal activity on March 31.
Alarmist Brewing & Taproom, 4055 W. Peterson Ave. (Rear Building), Chicago (773) 681-0877
Starting March 17th at noon, we will be offering drive-thru services on all of our packaged beers and gift cards.
Go to our website, place your order (credit card/Paypal) and we will run it out to you curbside based on your desired pickup time. We ask that you please call the taproom upon your arrival.
Though you are permitted to drop by and purchase beer as usual, we highly encourage you to order through our website to keep things as contact-free as possible.
ALULU Brewery and Pub, 2011 S. Laflin St., Chicago (312) 600-9865
Since we’re all at home, we’re altering our hours. 7 days a week: Noon-9pm for take-out orders, starting Tuesday March 17.
Thank you for supporting us, and keeping safe during this unique situation. We’re only able to offer take-out beer and a limited menu for the time being. While we’re working together to take care of each other, we hope our craft beer and food will help you through this trying time.
Call ahead and we can prepare your order.
The Beer Temple, 3173 N. Elston Ave., Chicago 312-772-3373
The bottle shop is remaining open. We will begin offering local delivery very soon!
Bitter Pops, 3345 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago 773-857-7677
Bitter Pops Retail Shoppe will implement reduced store hours beginning today 3/16/20. Our new hours for the Retail Shoppe will be Monday through Sunday 11 am – 8 pm. Our Crew Members will be practicing strict sanitation guidelines, and social distancing as we interact with our Guests. We ask for your help in limiting your time in the Shoppe, and to keep social interactions to a minimum.
Cruz Blanca Brewery & Taquería, 904 W. Randolph St., Chicago 312-733-1975
In our effort to support our community and our staff, we will continue to offer our entire menu + Cruz Blanca beer for delivery via Caviar. We’ll also announce special menus to keep you healthy during this difficulty time. We are all in this together and we’ll come out of it stronger and excited for our Chicago summer. Love you all. Thank you for your continued support.
Haymarket Pub & Brewery, 737 W. Randolph St., Chicago 312-638-0700
We will be open 12-9pm for curbside pickup & delivery of food & beer. Delivery of food & beer is through @caviar. Give us a call at 312-638-0700 for curbside pickup! We’ll process your payment via the phone. Stock up on your growlers & 6 packs – all non-barrel aged growler fills are $11! Please be safe out there – and keep an eye on our social media channels for updates as they become available!
Horse Thief Hollow Brewpub, 10426 S. Western Ave., Chicago 773-779-BREW
Announcing HTH 2GO! Starting Monday, March 16, at 3:00 pm, Horse Thief Hollow Brewing Co. will launch a carry-out system for our food and beer. Our bar and dining room will be closed to customers, as we focus on keeping our friends & neighbors safe during uncertain times. But our kitchen and brewery will be open for take-out orders!
Customers can call 773-779-2739 to order from our Lunch, Catering, and On Tap menus. On March 16 and 17, you can also order Irish-themed dishes from our St. Paddy’s menu!
Our new phone-in, carry-out service will be available from noon to 8:00 p.m. daily.
Customers can also purchase HTH gift certificates and branded merchandise over the phone for pickup at our hostess desk.
Lake Effect Brewing Co., 4727 W Montrose Ave, Suite C, Chicago 312 919 4473
We are instituting a temporary delivery service to provide hours for our employees and to provide product to your doorstep. We will take orders online from our shop and deliver in the delivery windows of 10am-2pm and 2pm-6pm starting Tuesday March 17th. Simply visit our online shop at and choose your selections. Go through the checkout- we are working out the kinks but go through the steps and answer the questions for delivery details (STEP 3). Pick up is also an option and we are holding normal hours Monday – Wednesday 10-5 and Thurs-Saturday 10-7. If you need help, call us at 312-919-4473. We ask that you make the order a $20 minimum to cover the cost of the delivery.
Midwest Coast Brewing Co., 137 W. Walnut St., Chicago (312) 361-1176
UPDATED HOURS FOR TO-GO ORDERS ONLY: Mon – Thurs: 3 – 7PM, Fri – Sun: 12 – 6PM. Plenty of quick and free parking.
While we can’t offer normal tap room service, your support would mean a lot through the purchase of to-go beers and merchandise. We are working to get online ordering up soon, and have plenty of 64 oz growlers. As luck would have it, we happened to run out of crowlers right before this, but are getting some simple ones expedited ASAP.
Off Color Brewing, 1460 N. Kingsbury St., Chicago (312) 929-2916
We’re working to get delivery services setup with Grubhub and Caviar shortly. Stay tuned. Since there is no on-site consumption, we’re making on-site consumption bottles available to-go.
Old Irving Brewing Co., 4419 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago 773-916-6421
On Wednesday, we will start take-out only for food & beer (cans; new growlers only and no refills) on Wednesday thru the 15-day State-mandated closure period for restaurants and bars.
For take-out food orders, we will limit the options available to our Lunch menu, which can be found on our website. Take-out orders will be available from 11-9pm each day by calling the brewpub. You can stop in to pick up your order or we will have curbside pickup available where we will bring it out to your car. For take-out beer, we will make sure we have the cooler stocked with cans as much as possible. We will also have gift certificates available for purchase, which can be purchased by stopping in or on our website (on the Shop page).
Piece Pizzeria & Brewery, 1927 W. North Ave., Chicago 773-772-4422
We will continue our delivery business through our own drivers and our third-party drivers. We will also provide curbside service through the loading zone located in front of Piece Out and Piece. Our entire menu, including growlers of our beer, will be available for delivery and pickup. For ordering, please contact us at (773) 772-4422, www.piecechicago.com, or through our partners Grubhub, Caviar and DoorDash.
Please note that during this time we will be accepting credit cards only.
Pilot Project Brewing, 2140 N. Milwaukee Ave, Chicago
In response to COVID-19, Pilot Project will be open for take-out coffee & beer during abbreviated hours, Tuesday through Sunday. See our website for hours.
Revolution Brewing Brewpub, 2323 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago 773-227-BREW, & Tap Room, 3340 N. Kedzie Ave., Chicago 773-588-2267
We’ll be suspending all retail operations at the Taproom and Brewpub given the current public health situation. We do not currently have plans to offer delivery or pickup, but we’ll evaluate that as the week progresses.
Roots Handmade Pizza, 1924 W Chicago Ave., Chicago 773-645-4949, 2200 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago 773-645-4949, 1608 N Wells St., Chicago (312) 210-7788
We will continue to uphold our superior levels of sanitation in our venues that will still offer pick-up and delivery for the remainder of this time (3/17-3/30), which includes all Roots Handmade Pizza locations. We hope to add a bit of normalcy and comfort to your lives in the coming weeks.
If you’d like to support our staff and our business, you may purchase gift cards at thefifty50group.com, you may of course order from our locations offering delivery/pick-up, and you are welcome to contact us directly for any other means of support outreach and we’d be happy to facilitate. Our group is fighting for the livelihood of all of our staff, and we’re working on the best ways internally and externally to take care of our people.
Twisted Hippo, 2925 W. Montrose Ave., Chicago (708) 844-7768
We will continue to offer delivery and pickup service through the duration unless advised to the contrary, though there will be some corresponding adjustment to our hours of operation. Still formulating a cohesive plan, we will share more information tomorrow. In the meantime, if you would like to order, or if you would like to purchase a gift card for future use, please use the links here. We appreciate your support through these strange and trying times. Be safe, be well, and wash your hands!!
Urban Renewal Brewery, 5121 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago (773) 293-7612
Now is the time to fill er’ up! Order our beer online at: Urbanrenewbrew.shop and we will bring fresh beer to your doorstep. Must have a valid ID upon delivery. Please allow up to 24 hours for us to process and deliver.
Our retail shop continues to be open as well. We will offer curbside pick up. Call us in advance to get your order ready and we will bring your order to your car.
Closed:
BiXi Beer, Bucktown Pub, Delilah’s, District Brew Yards, Dunning Pour House, The Green Lady, Hopleaf, Jolly Pumpkin–Hyde Park, Laschet’s Inn, The Long Room, Monk’s Pub, Paddy Long’s,
Fresh Beer Events, occasional bacon, but always spam free, opt out any time.
Meet The Blogger
Mark McDermott
Writer, trivia maven, fan of many things. I thought to learn all there is to know about beer as a way to stay interested in learning. It is my pleasure to bring Chicago’s craft beer scene to you.
Tonight’s City of Chicago edition of Public Affairs features Republican Primary Cook County State’s Attorney Candidate Judge Patrick O’Brien. The show airs throughout the City of Chicago proper at 8:30 pm and midnight on Cable Ch. 21 (CAN TV).
How does Judge Pat O’Brien stack up against his Republican Primary opponent, Chris Pfannkuche? Is O’Brien more qualified for the job? Does O’Brien have better experience for the job due to his experience as a TRIAL LAWYER both in and out of the State’s Attorney office?
And, if Pat O’Brien wins the Republican nomination on March 17, how would he stack up against Democratic Party potential opponents: Kim Foxx, Bill Conway, Bob Fioretti and Donna More?
What is the Smollett Kim Fox mess all about? Did Foxx do something wrong (unethical or illegal) to cause the mess? Is it a FIRING offense? Who will do the FIRING if it is? THE PEOPLE? SPECIAL PROSECUTOR DAN WEBB? BOTH WEBB AND THE PEOPLE?
Who gets the credit for homicides declining in Chicago in last 3 years? THE BLAME FOR THE INCREASE IN HOMICIDES THE FIRST 2 MONTHS OF THIS YEAR?
Is the Cook County bail policy a mess? If yes, who to blame? Chief Judge Evans? State’s Attorney Foxx, who has ratified Evans’ and Preckwinkle’s desire to go easy on bail, even for violent offenders– the revolving door, as Mayor Lightfoot put it for dangerous arrestees accused of weapons violations-– nevertheless, Lightfoot endorsed FOXX
What are the most important qualifications to be Cook County State’s Attorney? Does Judge O’Brien have some of them? all of them? Do his actual or potential opponents have the qualifications? The Right Stuff? O’Brien have the Right Stuff? These and many more questions all answered tonight on Public Affairs
Walking through the Pilsen neighborhood, it was very strange to see the streets so empty. Passing by closed restaurants and shops was, well, different. Welcome to the coronavirus world.
I came across one brown-bricked building with people inside, who looked like they were working. Given the times, I ducked inside to check it out. I soon found out from the owner that I had happened into OFFIX, a new co-working space in Chicago. They are specifically located in neighborhoods, offering easy accessibility.
OFFIX in Pilsen
During a time when fears about the coronavirus mount and many workplaces have shut their doors asking employees to work from home, OFFIX is able to stay open due to reduced risk factors.
“One of the great benefits for our tenants during this challenging time is the fact that they can just walk from their home to their office here at OFFIX,” said the owner, Lior David, who recently opened his first two office complexes. “They avoid the risk of social interaction because they don’t have to take a crowded bus and train. In addition, the offices here are all private, so there is a separation there as well.”
Having previously used co-working spaces in the past, OFFIX is most definitely unique, offering business owners the opportunity to easily access their workplace and eliminate the time, travel and costs required to lease an office downtown. At present, the majority of co-working spaces in Chicago are offered downtown. Besides the Pilsen location I visited at 917 West 18th Street, Mr. David also opened an OFFIX in Wicker Park at 1200 N. Ashland Avenue. There will be three more locations opening soon in Lincolnwood, Logan Square and Skokie with a total of 10 by the end of 2020.
Private Office
Very ambitious, but he has a great idea, so why not?
“Today, 99 percent of businesses in the United States are small and medium size companies,” he explained. “50 percent are freelancers who are located outside the downtown areas. They want this solution. There is no benefit to going downtown when they can have a nice, affordable office with a conference room and free parking close to home.”
During my tour through the complex, I was impressed to find out that each office space is private, which would allow professionals to work comfortably, uninterrupted and socially-distanced, which is an important factor these days. The smallest space can easily accommodate two desks. And all the offices are sanitized and cleaned on a daily basis, which is another key factor. Included in the rental cost is the use of conference rooms, printer, kitchen, beverages, special weekly events, spacious restrooms and cleaning services.
Kitchen Area
I noticed a wide variety of office designs, giving tenants the opportunity to select the office that best meets their needs and preferences. Offices are equipped with refrigerator, furniture, coffee machine, pictures, flowers, carpet, spa, pool table and even some with TVs and PlayStations.
“We work to be a reliable partner for our customers, offering maximum flexibility to be most supportive,” said Mr. David, whose customer-accommodating approach differentiates OFFIX from other co-working spaces I have worked from in the past. “We provide good size office spaces at a fair price, which includes all of the services.”
Recreation Area
OFFIX customers include a wide range of businesses from marketing professionals, financial investors, movie production companies, lawyers, real estate agents, security firms, technology experts and podcast producers. And they will be adding a new tenant very soon, a writer. If anyone else is interested, you can check out www.OFFIX-usa.com.
John Ruane is an author with four published books and a novel due out next year. He is a public relations counselor and journalist, having written for the Sun-Times, Tribune and Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has also written for the stage, television and film.
This version got to 49 on the Billboard charts in 1972.
Herewith, I will try to present a listing of hours, and takeout policy for bars and brewpubs forced to close their public spaces during the COVID-19 emergency. I’m trying to get specific information for each establishment, based on their social media, as I remove their events from the calendar listings. If you want to get your policy mentioned here, please drop me a line.
Please remember that this situation is constantly changing, so check with your locals. If any of these places will be doing beer delivery, I will include that information. It might be that Über Eats or Doordash might not let its drivers deliver alcohol. We look forward to the resumption of normal activity on March 31.
Now Indiana has joined in ordering restaurants to be closed. Three Floyds in Munster has announced, “our brewpub, kiosk, and tasting room will be temporarily closed until further notice. We look forward to reopening as soon as possible and will continue to keep you updated as things develop.”
Arrowhead Ales Brewing Co., 2101 Calistoga Dr., New Lenox, IL 815-717-6068
Here are current deals we are offing for pick-up/curbside pick up.
Call us to pick up an order. Tuesday ~ Thursday: 3pm – 9pm; Fri ~ Sun: 12pm – 9pm
BrickStone Brewery, 557 Latham Drive, Bourbonnais, IL (815) 936-9277
We are concerned for our staff, many of whom earn hourly wages and gratuity, and would like to help by giving them 15% of all gift card sales to be split equally among the team. Purchase a ticket now through April 1st and redeem it for food and beverage purchases at a future date. See the link at the bottom of this message to purchase a gift card online.
At this point in time we are going to attempt to provide carry out orders for our loyal customers. We will bring the food out to you so you do not have to leave your car. This may change as more information is provided to all of us. Currently our carryout situation is as follows:
Hours will be 11am-7pm. Online ordering is available through DoorDash
Call the Brewpub to have your order delivered ($3 delivery fee, $25 minimum) or curbside pickup. Get $1 off our packaged goods when you do curbside! We will have 6-packs of beer available for purchase, as well as gift cards. 10% of curbside pickup orders will be going back to our staff, in addition to the portion of gift card sales.
Brothership Brewing, 18781 S. 90th Ave., Unit E, Mokena, IL 708.995.7014
We will be open on Wednesday to provide “To Go” options. Stay tuned for beers available, hours open, and other important information. We appreciate your continued support for local small businesses during this time.
Craft’d, 16031 S. Lincoln Hwy., Plainfield, IL (815) 782-8832
Starting Tuesday, March 17th – Craft’d will be offering take-out orders from 11am to 8pm.
We have a carry-out window open for pickup.
Can’t pick-up? No worries, we can deliver it to you! (Restrictions apply.)
DOC’s Smokehouse, 19081 Old La Grange Rd., Mokena, IL (708) 995-5533
Open at 11 am starting March 17 for delivery, takeout & curbside orders.
Evil Horse Brewing Co., 1338 Main St., Crete, IL 708-304-2907
Evil Horse’s Taproom will only be open to complete carry-out. Carry-out orders consist of:
6 packs – Trot Hopple, Sergeant Reckless, Downtown Hottie
Bombers – Grampa Z’Big A$$ and Doorbreken
Growlers of any draft beer, for draft list visit our website or taproom.
1/2 & 1/6bbl Kegs – Call for availability.
Our revised hours through this partial closure are as follows:
Monday – Closed; Tuesday-Saturday – 4-8pm; Sunday – 1-5pm
We appreciate your continued business and support through these times. To show this, we will be offering a raffle coupon for every carry-out order, and will do a weekly drawing for a $50 Evil Horse gift card.
Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery, 1035 Sterling Ave., Flossmoor, IL (708) 957-BREW
Quick curbside pick up and delivery service begins Tuesday! We also have corned beef and cabbage available for carry out if you want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day from home!
Hailstorm Brewing Co., 8060 W. 186th St., Tinley Park, IL 708-480-2268
During the shutdown we are able to sell beer and food TO GO. Effective Tuesday at noon through 3/30 we will be offering $10 off when you purchase a full case of beer, feel free to mix and match. Crowler 3-Packs will be $25 for all beers under 10% ABV. Our draft list for fills is updated in real-time on our website.
Hunter’s Brewing, 1535 S. Calumet Rd., Chesterton, IN (219) 728-6729
Yes, we’ll be moving to delivery and carryout. Those services will be for both our beer and food. More information and ordering info (phone and online) to follow.
Mad Hatchet Brewing, 913 Brookforest Ave., Shorewood, IL
We will be open for to go beers only, per the governors mandate through March 31st. Come April 1st we expect to resume normal operations. (No fooling)
We will have more info tomorrow as well as an email to follow.
Metal Monkey Brewing, 515 Anderson Dr. Suite 900, Romeoville, IL (815) 524-3139
We will be offering curbside pickup at the brewery. Please visit our website to place your order and follow the instructions on the page.
By order of the Governor’s office, our taproom will be closed at 9pm tomorrow, Monday 3-16 through the end of the month. As you can imagine, this will be a huge impact for our business, our staff and our families, so please feel free to leave a tip for your bartender through the website, or buy a gift card so you can come in once we can reopen.
We have many canned beer options available to-go as well as Crowler fills of our draft beers. All of the prices include tax. Orders will be processed within an hour of placing them. Please call the brewery at 815-524-3139 once you’ve arrived and we’ll bring the order out to you.
Region Ale, 1080 US-41, Schererville, IN 219-322-2337
We have On-Line ordering available! Type in the code ONLINETIME for A 10% discount. Plus, we’ll have all our Irish Food Available for today and St. Patrick’s Day! And if you call when you arrive, we’ll run the food out to you!
Rock Bottom Bolingbrook, 639 E Boughton Rd., Bolingbrook, IL (630) 739-6036
Starting this Tuesday March 17th and until March 30th we will be open for Growler Fills and Carry Out food only.
During this time, our hours will be 12pm-8pm (Sunday-Thursday) and 12pm-9pm (Friday and Saturday).
Sovereign Restaurant, 24205 W. Lockport St, Plainfield, IL 815-556-8577
Starting March 17th, Sovereign will convert to carryout ONLY. We are exploring the potential opportunity for delivery, and will update our social media and website if and when delivery happens.
∙ Our restaurant hours will be from 11am-8pm, every day
∙ We will be serving a slightly modified, more carryout friendly menu
∙ Orders can be placed by calling the restaurant directly at (815) 556-8577 or by visiting our online ordering website (link coming soon)
∙ Cash is preferred
∙ We will have donation buckets set up for our staff that is out of work at this time, any donation is an incredible help
∙ All tips received will be split amongst hourly employees.
Steam Hollow Brewing Co., 450 S. Spruce St. Unit C, Manteno, IL
We will reopen on Friday with CURBSIDE to-go sales. See below for weekend hours and pre-order info! Azteca Catering Co. will also be serving CURBSIDE. Friday curbside hours: 4-7pm. Saturday curbside hours: 1-5pm. Sunday curbside hours: 1-5pm.
FOR PRE-ORDERS: email us at [email protected] or message us with your 4-pack, crowler, or keg order. We will email you an invoice to pay online. Once paid, just pick up your order this weekend! The updated beer list can be found on under BEER LIST on the website. You do not have to pre-order, we will be accepting cash or card at the curb!
The Tap House Grill, 1243 S. State St., Ste. 109, Lemont, IL 630-257-5992, 24402 W. Lockport St., Plainfield, IL 815-733-5540
Curbside carryout is live at Tap. Call in your order, pay over the phone, pull into our parking lot, call us from their, and have ID ready. This will go on while we are closed. We will be open for carryout and delivery 11am-8pm. Details about free delivery to be posted soon. Free pretzels.
Tribes Brewery & Tap Room, 11120 Front St., Mokena, IL 708-995-1361
You can still have Tribes beer! You can still come and get our beer “to-go,” and discount Tuesdays are still on! We will be open until about 6pm every day (let us see how things go for a bit — be patient). And we are in the midst of setting up beer delivery to nearby locations! Social distancing is a must. Beer distancing — well, that’s something we don’t support. We want you to have our beer. We made it, why shouldn’t you drink it?
Wildrose Brewing Co.,1104 E. Main St., Griffith, IN (219) 595-5054
Tuesday we will be canning most of our beers and will have carry out four packs available soon. We will be doing carry out food and growlers as long as it makes sense.
We prefer any carryout food order be phoned in ahead to help the situation. You can walk in and order carry out but unfortunately we will not be able to serve you during your wait. Thanks ALL for the continued support.
Will County Brewing Co., 1142 W. Jefferson St., Shorewood, IL (815) 582-4157
During the shutdown March 17th – March 30th:
– We will be open 3 pm – 8 pm daily for carry-out sales
– Call ahead orders greatly encouraged (815) 582-4157
– We are selling Crowlers, Growlers & 4-Packs to-go ONLY Also, Crowlers are on sale 3 for $25!
Check out our live menu here. Stop in and stock up!
Windmill Brewing Co., 121 Gettler St., Dyer, IN (219) 440-2189
Effective immediately we will be selling beer “to go” only. We’re also selling crowlers of most beers we have on tap. Check our website for additional pricing information. We’re working on getting some local delivery options set up as well in the near future so stay tuned.
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Meet The Blogger
Mark McDermott
Writer, trivia maven, fan of many things. I thought to learn all there is to know about beer as a way to stay interested in learning. It is my pleasure to bring Chicago’s craft beer scene to you.
Coaster for Chicago’s first Atlas Beer, by Prager Brewing.
Herewith, I will try to present a listing of hours, and takeout policy for bars and brewpubs forced to close their public spaces during the COVID-19 emergency. I’m trying to get specific information for each establishment, based on their social media, as I remove their events from the calendar listings. If you want to get your policy mentioned here, please drop me a line.
Please remember that this situation is constantly changing, so check with your locals. If any of these places will be doing beer delivery, I will include that information. It might be that Über Eats or Doordash might not let its drivers deliver alcohol. We look forward to the resumption of normal activity on March 31.
Alter Brewing Co., 2300 Wisconsin Ave. #213, Downers Grove, IL 630-541-9558
Alter’s tap room will be open for “to go” sales of packaged beer only through the end of March. Orders will be placed and picked up curbside (sidewalk side actually) from our garage door between suites 211 & 212.
Abbreviated Taproom To-Go Beer Pickup Hours; Monday-Thursday 2-8pm • Fri-Sunday 12-8pm
Orders will be fulfilled through our garage doors outside between suites 211 & 212 (just west of our main entrance)
6-packs, crowlers, and NEW growlers will be available for purchase
We are not filling customer growlers at this time
Growler Club member fills will be honored with 2 crowlers per traditional growler fill: Same volume, Mix and match crowlers for more selection, More sanitary for our staff
Toilet paper will not yet be accepted as currency.
BeerShop, 1026 North Blvd., Oak Park, IL (847) 946-4164
We will remain open everyday from 12-8pm for package to-go, gift certificate, and merchandise sales, or maybe just to stop by and see a friendly face during this time.
The Beer Cellar, 488 Crescent Blvd., Glen Ellyn, IL 630-315-5060
1. We are still open for to-go purchases with slightly shortened hours (from March 16-30, that’s Sunday: 12-5 PM and Monday-Saturday: 12-8 PM). If you choose to stop in, please know we are continuing to follow strict cleaning and disinfecting procedures. As much as we appreciate your support, if you are sick, PLEASE stay home and consider using the next option.
2. You can purchase a gift card by calling us during our business hours at 630-315-5060. We can mail it to you, so you don’t even have to leave your home!
3. Our online store is now live, so you can choose from a selection of products and select either curbside PICKUP or DELIVERY! You will add items to your cart and check out online, but you will not pay online. Instead, we will be calling you to take a credit card payment over the phone after you’ve submitted your order. If you place an order from 12-7 PM on Monday-Saturday or 12-4 PM on Sunday, you can expect a call within 5-15 minutes. If you place it outside of those hours, you can expect a call when we open next around noon. If you’d like to place an order, we ask that PLEASE read the entire “In Response to the Illinois Bar & Restaurant Declaration” on the store website linked here, as it will fully explain the PICKUP/DELIVERY process and (hopefully) answer all your questions.
BuckleDown Brewing, 8700 W. 47th St., Lyons, IL (708) 777-1842
All to go sales will be offered through our rollup garage door (the one with the “Belt Guy” pained on it)
Starting Tues 3/17 we will open sales twice daily 11am-1pm and 4pm-7pm.
Feel free to just pull up and order there. We’ll have someone there to help you.
Based on support and sales we may adjust this (we welcome any and all customer feedback to serve you better)
One of the singular most important things you can do as a customer is continue to support local business in this trying time.
Crosstown Pub & Grill Batavia, 1890 Mill St., Batavia, IL 630-406-0669
3/16 -3/30 Our Dining room will be closed to the public our new hours will be 11pm-8pm for take out / Curb side / Grubhub & Doordash (delivery)
FAST & READY GRAB & GO – 20 for $20. Wings or Buff-A-Lope’s (Any rub, sauce & dressing)
Dry City Brew Works, 120B N. Main St., Wheaton, IL (630) 456-4787
We will be open EVERY DAY from 4pm-8pm for carry-out GROWLER FILLS ONLY. We will also happily refill growlers any time we’re here brewing/working, which we will keep you posted on. **Due to this unprecedented situation, we greatly appreciate you bringing in any of your growlers to refill, so we can ensure our supply of fresh growlers can go as far as possible. We will clean and sanitize them for you if necessary (we’re very good at that!).
Elgin Public House, 219 E. Chicago St., Elgin, IL 847-468-8810
We are offering to go orders starting Tuesday from 11-7 with a limited menu including some apps, burgers, sandwiches, melts, pastas & salads!
Hours may vary.
Elmhurst Brewing Co., 171 N. Addison Ave., Elmhurst, IL 630-834-2739
We are starting Curbside Pick-Up as well as Delivery starting Tuesday March 17 from 4pm-9pm M-Thursday, and from 11am-9pm Fri/Sat/Sun, until further notice. We ARE allowed by the City to deliver our beer in 4-packs (Brutus only right now), sours in bottles, crowlers and growlers, as well as bottles of wine and our canned cider WITHIN ELMHURST. Our full food menu is available, but no brunch items over the weekend. PLEASE see our full menus at www.elmhurstbrewing.com.
Place your order at 630-834-BREW (2739) between 4pm and 9pm M-Th, and 11am-9pm Fri/Sat/Sun
Credit cards only please (to avoid contact)
A $5 delivery fee will be added to all delivery orders
For curbside pick-up please park in the front of EBC and our staff will find you (no delivery fee)
Please feel free to tip your driver or curbside EBC staff member as this is a key part of their income
Please follow us on social media for continued updates
Flapjack Brewery, 6833 Stanley Ave., Berwyn, IL (708) 637-4030
We will offer Curbside Pick-Up service and delivery of To-Go Canned Beer and Pizzas. We’ll have a limited number of growlers for sale. Due to the current circumstances, no outside growlers are allowed. At this time our hours of operation will be Wednesday-Saturday from 2p-10pm. We will stop taking orders at 9:45pm. You can place your orders during business hours by calling or ordering on our website. Must be 21 years of age or older to order To-Go Canned beer and must show valid ID at time of delivery and/or pick-up. Berwyn Delivery Zone only. No access to the Taproom is allowed during curbside Pick-Up orders.
Forge Brewhouse, 216 N. 6th St., DeKalb, IL (815) 517-0237
We will be at the taproom Tuesday if you are in need of beer to go. We’re in here working so give a yell if we don’t see you right away.
Geneva Ale House, 319 W. State St., Geneva, IL 630-262-3877
We then be open for curbside pickup from 11-8 everyday. We are going to miss seeing all of your wonderful faces and hearing your stories the next couple of weeks, but we are glad we will still be available to feed you!
Ike & Oak Brewing Co., 6315 Main St., Woodridge, IL (331) 998-2907
Starting 3/17 until 3/31, we will be open for carryout only. Mon-Thurs: 5-9pm • Friday: 3-9pm • Saturday: 12-9pm • Sunday: 12-8pm
Check out our website for carryout menu and call the brewpub (331-998-2907) to place orders. Our beer cooler is stocked with 4 packs for carry out and we will be doing crowler & growler fills.
Delivery Options: doordash & grubhub are available as well.
Any carry out order (over $20) placed directly with the brewpub will receive a free 32oz crowler of your choice.
Miskatonic Brewing Co., 1000 N. Frontage Rd., Darien, IL 630-541-9414
All right Space Cowboys, for the foreseeable future we are introducing…Beer Delivery and Pick-up Orders! During our new to-go hours, simply use the link below, and you’ll be able to make a pickup or delivery order. We deliver anywhere within a twenty minute drive! Follow the instructions on the order page, and we’ll get in touch to get you in touch with your Miskatonic goodness. It even takes your payment over the web, so there is no handling of credit cards, and you can enjoy a contactless exchange. We appreciate your support as we get through this together healthy and happy while still enjoying some MBC liquid. Cheers! Order form.
More Brewing Co., Villa Park & Huntley, IL
The recent mandate will allow us to continue to serve you in a to-go style fashion for both food and beer. More details on that will follow soon.
The Olympic Tavern, 2327 N. Main St., Rockford, IL 815-962-8758
We will be open with a limited menu from 11am-9pm for carryout only. We are currently working on updating the menu on our website (and likely will be donating a lot of produce to Miss Carly’s and other local food banks/charities today and tomorrow). Please understand that we cannot offer our full menu during this time but we’ll keep the core items that you know and love, like burgers, reubens, and yes, corned beef & cabbage. Give us a ring at 815.378.8079 and we’ll have an order ready for you to pick up. There’s a lot of fast moving pieces to this puzzle. and we are doing our best to stay on top of it – we will keep you updated of any changes via FB and Instagram.
One Lake Brewing Co., 1 Lake St., Oak Park, IL (708) 434-5232
Wednesday we will have curbside pickup and adding delivery. We love being part of the neighborhood and want to help our community in the best ways we can.
Orange & Brew, 1027 Burlington Ave., Downers Grove, IL (630) 541-3880
We WILL be selling package beer and draft beer howlers to go starting Tuesday, but we expect that folks won’t be able to sit down and have a beer on-premise.
Discounts…everyone loves draft beer. Effective immediately, we’ve lowered the howler prices for our drafts available to-go. You can get any of our Irish beers, or lagers, for $9 in our 32-oz howler (tax-included). We’ve also discounted the glassware to take it home to $3, AND will still give you a free St. Paddy’s Day glass to take home and enjoy the beer in (while supplies last). Any other beer on draft, that’s NOT already in cans on the shelves, has also been discounted for howlers so you can take home and enjoy.
For now, we’re going to be closed on Mondays (starting on March 16th). If you need anything before then, please come see Matt today, say hello, and give him an ensuring elbow bump.
Finally, we’re working on a curbside delivery program starting Tuesday. Bear with us as we roll it out and adjust to keep it smooth, and to meet everyone’s needs…stay tuned for more info.
Penrose Brewing Co., 509 Stevens St., Geneva, IL (630) 232-2115
We will offer limited drive up service for beer to go sales today until 6 PM and Thursday from 3-7 PM. This includes only cans and kegs, no growler fills. Please give us an hour notice if you are picking up a keg. Stay tuned for more information on how you can help our staff during this difficult time. Stay safe out there friends.
Pig Minds Brewing Co., 4080 Steele Dr., Machesney Park, IL (779) 423-2147
Starting Tuesday until further notice we will be offering to go/curb side pick up for our delicious vegan eats and tasty brews! Please see below for hours and details. In the mean time, please take care of each other, smile and keep your chin up high! We are all an integral parts of the greatest nation on Earth! We got this!
Hours: Monday – Friday 3-8pm; Satuday & Sunday 12-7pm
Food: Order online thru our Website or Facebook, you can also give is a call 779-423-2147
Beer: Beer will be available in 22oz bomber bottles, 32oz. crowler cans and new 64oz. growler bottles (no refills). Please call in advance so we can have those ready for you!
Prairie Street Brewing Co., 200 Prairie St., Rockford, IL 815-277-9427 DoorDash is available and we will start a curbside pick up and delivery service Tuesday (more information to come).
Short Fuse Brewing Co., 5000 N. River Rd., Schiller Park, IL (847) 260-5044
Short Fuse has decided to be open for delivery, pick up, and curbside pick up for the next 2 weeks. We thank you for your cooperation. Please follow this link for beer to go.
Two Brothers Brewing
Due to Governor Pritzker’s mandate Two Brothers will be closing its locations (Warrenville, Aurora Roundhouse) through the end of the month.
During this time we will continue to brew, roast and distill Two Brothers products. Please consider supporting not only us, but all local companies, as we try to navigate these challenging and unprecedented times.
All Two Brothers products (beer, spirits, coffee) are available at most local retailers in the Chicagoland area and our coffee and gift cards are available online at www.TwoBrothersCoffeeRoasters.com.
We thank you for your continued support and we look forward to serving you soon.
Two Hound Red, 486 Pennsylvania Ave., Glen Ellyn, IL (630) 547-2912
We WILL be open every Wednesday through Sunday from 12pm-8pm for carry out and on line delivery orders ONLY. Please call 630-547-2912 in advance to place your order OR order on-line and click on “Delivery Services”. Additionally, you will be able to purchase gift cards during these hours and we would love and appreciate the support!! Stop by and grab one OR purchase one over the phone and we would be happy to mail it to you!
We will also offer NEW growler sales ONLY (NO refills due to sanitary reasons) and keg sales on those days during the same hours. Please call 24-hours in advance for all keg orders.
Please continue to check social media or visit our website for the most current information.
We sincerely thank you for your patience and understanding during these unprecedented times and look forward to seeing you again in-house as soon as possible!
Closed:
Bavarian Lodge, Lombard; Barrel House Social, LaGrange; Cadence Kitchen, Downers Grove; LunaR Brewing, Villa Park; Plank Road Tap Room, Elgin;
Fresh Beer Events, occasional bacon, but always spam free, opt out any time.
Meet The Blogger
Mark McDermott
Writer, trivia maven, fan of many things. I thought to learn all there is to know about beer as a way to stay interested in learning. It is my pleasure to bring Chicago’s craft beer scene to you.
What follows is the update emailed to our friends and family, regarding today’s very long, long, long experience at the hospital.
Hello, everyone.
First, I hope this message finds you all safe, healthy, and not together. As somebody watching health professionals scramble to prepare and accommodate the influx of Covid-19 patients, I urge you to follow every bit of advice around social distancing. The hospital is a weird place to be under the shadow of the looming pandemic.
Now, onto the business of Mike’s surgery.
Mike went in for surgery at 5:30 this morning without a hitch. The procedure began at 9:13, and they extubated him around 1:45, and by 3pm he was talking, joking, and even singing some Rolling Stones to the doctors. We had a wonderful visit from a friend who works at the hospital, who he was pretty sure was a hallucination. He’s been in and out of consciousness ever since, but not in a too-much-pain-to-focus way. It seems that four surgeries in, with all of the hindsight of repetition, with his doctors genuinely listening to our experiences and concerns, and without the hindrance of medical trial requirements, we have figured out how to have a nearly flawless brain surgery.
Mike’s pain is managed. His nausea is nonexistent. He’s able to sleep, he’s comfortable, all of his meds are being dispensed correctly (still surprisingly something I had to put some extra elbow grease into), they’ve even taken him for his MRI early (he’s there now), so the only thing he’ll have to do from about 10pm local time until shift change in the morning is his neurological exams, accepting IV medications and fluids, and resting. The only concern I have for him now is his blood pressure, which is a little bit low, probably a result of the anesthesia. We’ll be monitoring it carefully all night.
As for the surgery itself, it went very well. The surgeon estimates he removed 95-99% of the large mass and did not go after the smaller one hiding behind it, nor the other tiny spots that show up on MRI. These will be attacked via his other treatments– chemo and radiation and even perhaps going back to Optune. Mike’s surgery was assisted by a plastic surgeon who not only closed up his skin with particular care to avoid the delays in healing from seven months ago, but bandaged him up like an Asian pear with a top knot. He looks remarkably cuddly, as opposed to his last surgery, where his wound was livid and bare for quite some time. It’s amazing how different some parts of this are, no matter how routine other parts are starting to feel.
That said, it is truly bizarre to be doing this in the midst of Covid-19, and the repercussions of the timing are significant. The children are not allowed anywhere inside the hospital. Guests have been restricted to a single designated person (hello!), and there is talk of even more restrictions on that subject. Already, other hospitals in Chicago and the surrounding area have banned ALL visitors, aside from a single parent in NICUs. Should they implement that policy here, I have a feeling I’ll be able to get myself a dispensation to stay, but then I *really* won’t be able to leave until he does. As it is, I am sleeping at the hospital, and I don’t expect to see the children in person until Mike is discharged. I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have Mike’s parents, my parents, Miriam and her family, and so many friends coming together to help us through this time. I also cannot adequately express my gratitude for technology that is allowing the children to participate in activities with their friends, do their school work, and giving me the chance to speak face-to-face with them a few times a day. It’s not the kind of social distancing I want to be doing, but it’s exactly the kind that will keep Mike safe.
THAT said, the folks at the hospital are not messing around when it comes to this virus, and neither should you. I am taking precautions that when I came up with them in the comfort of my own home seemed a bit extreme, and now are essentially the only way I am able to be with Mike. Things like bringing extra clothes to change into and out of every time I leave the hospital, keeping my hair tied up and covered, and carrying hand sanitizer with me everywhere. (Shout out to the lady from my local Facebook group who heard me complain of my plight and GAVE me a full pint-sized bottle of hand sanitizer. Thank you, kind stranger.)
We are taking every precaution not to expose Mike to this virus, which according to some sources inside the hospital is already causing a lot of slow-downs in some of the inner workings of the hospital (the labs are allegedly being overrun with test kids, postponing other less critical tasks), and doctors are being forbidden from traveling outside their “zones,” meaning Mike’s oncologist will be unable to visit him in his hospital room, as has always been the case.
So far it appears Mike has not regained any function on his left side, but it already appears that he HAS regained some sensation, so I remain incredibly optimistic about what the next few days will bring!
I will update again tomorrow when I am able, hopefully from beyond the Neuro-ICU.
Lea Grover scribbles about sex-positive parenting, marriage after cancer, and vegetarian cooking. When she isn’t revising her upcoming memoir, she can be found singing opera, smeared to the elbow in pastels, or complaining/bragging about her children on twitter (@bcmgsupermommy) and facebook.
Today was the first of many days of schooling and working from home in our household due to state mandated school closures as a result of COVID-19. This is now the reality for many families across the country, as we await the end of this global pandemic. Many schools are sending classwork home to ensure that students don’t miss a beat while schools are closed. This is similar to what happened earlier this year when cold weather kept children home for a few days. The difference this time around, is that most schools are closed for at least two weeks, giving parents an opportunity to see just how hard teachers work.
I was prepared to print out and review my daughter’s assignments daily and get everything back to the teachers as directed. What I didn’t account for initially, was the volume of work she’d receive and what it really takes to stay on top of it, all while working from home and managing my own deliverables. After today, I have a few tips that will help other families stay organized during this time, including:
Read through ALL communications from the school and ask questions if you’re unsure of anything
Inform teachers if there is any reason that the assignments can’t be completed within the designated timeline
Have school (paper, pencils, pens, rulers etc.) and printing (paper, ink) supplies available at home or make special arrangements to ensure that everything can be printed/completed
Develop a lesson plan to balance the workload to prevent you/your student from becoming overwhelmed
Map out time each day to talk through instructions and review completed assignments with your student(s)
Pay close attention to subjects that your student(s) may need additional guidance/direction on
Tap a family member/friend virtually to help with assignments if you aren’t able to assist adequately
Most importantly, be patient and work with your child/children the same way we count on teachers to do daily. We know that educators have a tough job, and now it’s our time as parents to do our parts so they can focus on their own families. These are just a few things I thought through as I set us up for week one. Feel free to share any additional tips in the comments or via social media that may be useful.
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