Lincoln Square residents vote to end century-old booze ban

Residents living in a portion of Lincoln Square and Ravenswood voted to overturn a ban on alcohol sales that has been in place for more than 100 years.

Nearly 85% of voters from a sliver of the 9th Precinct of Chicago's 47th Ward casted ballots against continuing the prohibition on alcohol sales in the neighborhood, according to election results. The measure appeared on the ballots of the less than 500 residents who live in the precinct's three-block radius.

The ban covered about three blocks, from Lincoln Avenue on the west to Damen Avenue on the east, and Sunnyside Avenue to the north and Montrose Avenue to the south. It has been dry since 1907, more than a decade before Prohibition took hold of the country.

"Being able to lift this would allow our existing businesses to do better while incentivizing prospective businesses to give a closer look to this stretch," said Ald. Matt Martin, 47th, before yesterday's election. "It has the opportunity to really fill in some gaps."

Local restaurants and businesses said the prohibition had hurt their bottom lines in an industry with ever shrinking and tighter margins. XOchimilco, a restaurant at 2030 W. Montrose Ave., said selling alcoholic beverages — which typically yield higher profit margins in a restaurant than food — could also stave off price increases to menu items.

Small Cheval, a burger restaurant owned by Chicago-based Hogsalt Hospitality, is planning to open in the area that had been affected by the ban.