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Former owner Ted Banick asks Highwood to expedite reopening of Teddy O'Brien's
Summary
At the April 21 council meeting Ted Banick, the former owner of Teddy O'Brien's (432 Sheridan Road), said he has a tentative lease and plans to reopen the long-standing bar in late May and asked staff for guidance on repairs, permits and inspections.
Ted Banick told the Highwood City Council on April 21 that he hopes to return Teddy O'Brien's at 432 Sheridan Road to operation and asked for the city's help to expedite necessary paperwork and inspections.
"My name is Ted Banick. I am the former owner of Teddy O'Brien's at 432 Sheridan Road," Banick said, adding he ran the business from December 1999 until December 2021 and that "we have a lease agreement tentatively waiting to happen." He said he and others have been cleaning and repairing the building and that a mid-May to end-of-May reopening is realistic if things move quickly.
Banick described planned repairs and preparations, noting he has plumbers and vendors working on issues he described as a roof concern and clutter in the basement, and that the kitchen has a hood, a three-foot grill and a fryer. "I've had the dependable fire out. They service the hood, service the fire extinguishers. And we are doing all the steps that we need to do to to be ready to roll," he said.
Councilmembers questioned Banick about his years of experience (he said "just over 22" years running the establishment), building upgrades and what the city should expect from the owner. Staff asked Banick to provide a list of repairs and a basic business plan; a councilmember offered to meet on site and walk the property to confirm scope.
Rocky Lonardi, whose family previously owned the property, spoke in support of reopening and said the family is willing to invest in cleanup and fence replacement. "We're willing to, you know, work with Ted, put the money in," Lonardi said, and asked staff to coordinate inspections and checklists.
Why this matters: Teddy O'Brien's has long been a part of Highwood's nightlife and business fabric. The possible reopening would restore a neighborhood business and require city sign-offs, health and safety inspections, and any necessary building or licensing approvals.
Next steps: Staff asked applicants to submit a repairs list and a basic business plan and offered to walk the site with the applicant; no approvals or permits were issued at the meeting.
