The trio of nightlife veterans who created JIMMY at The James in New York City has taken the concept to the Windy City to bring Chicago a taste of the high-end design and mixology for which the original venue is famous.
“It’s a pretty common story,” says Larry Poston.
We’ll beg to disagree. The vision and success of JIMMY at The James is quite uncommon, actually, which is why The James Hotel luxury chain requested that Poston and his two partners revive the concept at a Chicago location. Not often are “common” bars duplicated. In all fairness, Poston’s comment on a “common story” was actually in reference to his own beginnings in the nightlife industry. “I cam to New York to be an actor, and part of that process is working in restaurants” he says. “And as with anything else, whatever you’re doing, make sure you’re doing it the best. So I worked hard in my restaurants and kept getting promoted. Pastis was my first restaurant managing job. And once you’re in the mix, you start learning all the details of restaurants and bars. Each advancement made me hungry and wanting to climb and get involved with more restaurants, because I was seeing how it was done.”
Today, Poston and his two partners, David Rabin and Johnny Swet, have forged a name for themselves from that early ground-up experience, culminating this past August with the opening of JIMMY at The James Chicago. Following the success of their New York location, Rabin, Poston and Swet are bringing their signature ingenuity to the Windy City with their newest venue. Discreetly located behind the new Burke’s Bacon Bar at 610 N. Rush Street in Chi Town, JIMMY is the second location in the partnership between the three hospitality veterans whose names are synonymous with lively sophistication.
“I think a big part of this is the relationship we developed with the people behind The James Hotels,” says Poston. “We really executed and performed beyond their expectations [in New York], and I hope we can continue to do so.”
“We’re excited to bring JIMMY to Chicago, as we’ve long admired the city’s dynamic and influential restaurant and bar scene,” says Rabin. “We’re thrilled to open our little jewel box of a cocktail bar in a prime downtown location at The James.”
Read the full article about JIMMY at The James Chicago in the November 2013 issue of Bar Business Magazine by clicking here.
