"WestEnd, a sports bar near the United Center that’s been a popular pre- and postgame stop for Blackhawks and Bulls fans, will close this weekend after 14 years on the Near West Side, a victim of the pandemic. COVID-19 kept fans away from the arena the last two seasons, while cancelled sports events across the country meant fewer games for the bar to show on live TV. In Chicago, collegiate sports affiliations remain important, and WestEnd was one of the biggest bars for University of Michigan fans. The United Center opened in 1994, in the middle of Michael Jordan’s tenure with the Bulls. The area around the arena did not have many bars at the time. By the time WestEnd opened more than a decade later, many bars and restaurants had already sprouted up near the Madhouse on Madison. But neighbors considered the spot a reliable place to chat with friends and nosh on fried appetizers. The bar offered shuttles to and from the UC. WestEnd will close on Sunday, August 8." - Ashok Selvam
