Ashok Selvam is the regional editor for Eater Midwest and in charge of coverage in Chicago, Detroit, and the Twin Cities. He’s a native Chicagoan and has been with Eater since 2014.
Perhaps country bars aren’t the money-making machines folks believe. Eight months after a splashy opening, Welcome to the Farm has closed in River North. The bar, backed by a team of celebrities including NBA star Jimmy Butler, NFL standout Roquan Smith, and country sensation Chase Rice, shuttered in late March.
The space, at 15 W. Illinois Street, was billed as a combination music venue, country bar, and barbecue restaurant. The culinary component was called Drinking Pig BBQ. Miami chef Raheem Sealey created the menu, known more for his work at a South Beach restaurant called KYU, a space that’s garnered national attention. But the smoked meats didn’t translate well in Chicago…