Bar Rescue: Help The Abbey Pub

What's this campaign all about?

The Abbey Pub means so much to so many.  Tom Sr. and Brigitte Looney have operated The Abbey for over 30 years, and it's become part of the fabric of the North Side community in Chicago.  Since a tragic fire occurred on November 17th, 2015, the neighborhood also lost a familiar friend and home for so many experiences over the years and staff members are out of work.  From the minute the fire was put out, the owners and their children, Pat and Tom Jr., were determined to reopen.

The challenge of working with insurance companies and the building owners on serious repairs has taken a toll on the family mentally, physically and financially, but there's light at the end of the tunnel.  Thankfully, The Abbey is getting closer to reopening and needs a final boost to make that a reality.  

The Bar Rescue family would like to help The Abbey Pub raise money to try and get them back on track by hosting this GoFundMe campaign.


Why is The Abbey so special?

The pub side known as The Green Room @ The Abbey, hosted some truly amazing times.  Whether for  sporting events like the 1985 Bears Super bowl, the Michael Jordan era,  or the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cups to private parties around personal life events to just dropping by for a drink, The Abbey has “been there” for this neighborhood through thick and thin.

The Abbey is also a longstanding fixture in Chicago’s live music landscape, having hosted local and national artists including Florence + The Machine, Mumford & Sons, Fitz and the Tantrums, Wilco, Airborne Toxic Event, Dinosaur Jr, Brad Paisely, David Gray, Kris Kristofferson, Arlo Guthrie, Two door cinema club, and many others.


 How can you help us rebuild this community staple?

- Please donate what you can to this camapign.
- Please share this link to our story, https://www.gofundme.com/abbeypubbarrescue,
 on your social media and with family and friends!

Thank you - we can get back up and running together! 

"Getting the Abbey reopened would mean so much to our family. The Abbey has been a part of the Looney family since I was a small child. We have had a huge void in our lives since the fire. My own children have grown up in the Abbey and my hope is that they become the third generation of Looneys to experience the "magic" of the Abbey. Any help we can get to bring The Abbey out of the ashes and back into our lives would be so greatly appreciated." - Pat Looney


More on The Abbey below:
 Abbey staff members

The Green Room @ The Abbey (pre-fire)

The Abbey from the street

Florence + The Machine

Two door cinema club, pre-show

Bar Rescue stands behind The Abbey Pub!