Ultimately, the Chicago dive bar’s original location was marked for demolition to make way for that dreaded thing called ‘progress,’ forcing a relocation to the bar’s current address on Fullerton Avenue. The awning was inscribed at that time with the Polish word ‘Karczma’ that means tavern, an addition only recently removed after some confusion around the word and a desire for some simplification in signage. Wisniewski operated Whirlaway Lounge until the age of 70 before selling to the Jaimes family in 1980, a stretch of family ownership that remains intact today.
And from the Jaimes family comes Maria, unquestioned soul of Whirlaway Lounge and frequent sight within its walls, supported by her late husband Sergio, Sr. before his passing and now son Sergio, Jr. Today, the red awning looks as prominent as it ever did, a stark contrast from the classic faded tones of the residential buildings that surround Whirlaway Lounge. The brick façade receives a kiss of neon from a pair of signs nestled in two impossibly tiny windows that dot the front wall.
Inside, the layout doesn’t get any more classic as far as Chicago dive bars go, a shotgun-style, single room layout with a long bar on one side and a few short tables along the opposite wall. The stamped ceiling overhead provides a nod to the history of the space. In addition to the two windows up front, a few opaque glass blocks sit just below the ceiling to again let in only the suggestion of natural light rather than its full force. The picture game is strong here, from framed photos to the city to an immense mural of locals, a flurry of snapshots depicting the many faces that have come and gone over the years, many photos including a smiling Maria nearby.