During the days of cross country train trips, Chicago was where celebrities would stop on the first leg of their journey going from one coast to the other. The famous and the infamous needed a place a little bit nicer than the Billy Goat Tavern (established in 1937) to hang out at. The "A-List" celebrities would go to the infamous Pump Room restaurant / bar. Since 1938, the high class establishment has been located in the Ambassador East hotel.

Frank Sinatra and the other Rat Pack members were the most famous visitors. Sinatra was always given Booth #1, and that booth was donated to the Chicago Historical Society in 1980. The replacement booth, and all of the other contents of the nostalgic restaurant / bar have been recently auctioned off. The Ambassador East hotel is currently being remodeled, and the restaurant has been closed, supposedly temporarily. 

Other "A-List" celebrities who regularly hung out at the Pump Room were as follows: Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland & Bette Davis.

The famous Second City comedy group bought the current Booth #1 for $4,500, and they plan on putting it in their comedy club. The line to get into the auction had a two hour wait. Items were sold for as little as $1. It seems that other people have nostalgic feelings also.

Joyce Sloane, the executive producer of Second City, who is credited with discovering John Belushi, Jim Belushi, Steve Carell, Mike Myers and Tina Fey, would bring her talented comedy actors to the "Pump Room" for celebrations. That is one of the major reasons that Second City bought Booth #1, because it had a lot of sentimental memories.

Granted, things do change, but it would be a shame for the restaurant (from a happier bygone era) to permanently close. I've never stepped inside the restaurant in my life, and I would still miss the landmark restaurant if it never opened again. The restaurant holds a memory of the way society used to be. Yes, the memory is definitely seen through rose colored glasses, but it is a fond memory of the "A-List" celebrities hanging out in "my" city - the greatest city, and most BEAUTIFUL city in the world. 

Those morons on the Olympic Committee should have voted for Chicago. Having the Olympics in Chicago would have showcased the greatest city to millions of additional people.  

Posted below is a 1957 photo of a beautiful 1957 Cadillac in front of "The Pump Room." The "beautiful people" were dressed to the nines.











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