Chicago's Secret Hot Spot is a Northbrook Creation

A secret club - the perfect chill spot in the middle of everywhere - has its inspiration from a small street in central Northbrook.

Birch Road Cellar, tucked into a nondescript storefront in Chicago’s thriving Lincoln Park neighborhood, is the creation of best friends Kim Bosse (nee Harris) and Sharon Provins (nee Yun).

Bosse and Provins have known each other since they were both fourth graders at Wescott Elementary School, when Provins moved to the community with her family.

“She was the new kid in class - and when the teacher asked who is going to be her buddy, I was like, ‘Me!’,” Bosse says with a smile.

After they became friends at school, the two realized they had something else in common. They both lived on Birch Road.

Fast-forward about 25 years and they are still best friends, co-operating the Cellar named after said street. It’s a members-only “BYOB” club that’s open during most hours of the day and night, offering a place to unwind from the busy city life.

“When we were trying to come up with a name, we knew we wanted it to reflect the idea of having a space to have a good drink with friends. What’s in your glass and who’s at your table is what we are about,” she said. “Birch Road was perfect because that’s where it all started for us. We spent so much time in the neighborhood, at each others houses and riding our bikes to school.”

The club, whose restrictions are so tight all members need to have their fingerprints scanned in order to enter the wine cellar, is a result of both Bosse and Provins both looking for “our next thing” in 2012. Provins had just returned to the United States after traveling around the world with her husband and Bosse was working for a company in the restaurant industry that was shutting down.

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“We were thinking about a restaurant - but knew that would be a huge commitment and weren’t sure that would succeed,” Bosse said, adding that the two quickly decided that if they were to go into business together, it would be nowhere but the city of Chicago.

“So we thought it would be good if we could just have a place where you could just hang out. We’ve both been to a lot of bars and enjoyed that, but sometimes it’s best to be able to just sit bar and relax with friends while sipping some wine.”

A place to “lose yourself with friends,” the Cellar is the optimal spot to go after a date night with your significant other.

“When we are here, we are just like members,” Bosse said. “This outlet allows you to maintain your sanity sometimes.”

After talking about a year to find the place (this is Chicago), Birch Road Cellar opened in May of last year.

Even in the heart of one of the city’s best neighborhoods, the place is classy. There’s no television, the cellar had to be dug out and beautiful artwork graces the walls of the former photography studio. Comfortable chairs and couches are mixed in behind an adjoining room with a bar.

Special themed nights that occur about once a month allow members to enjoy the time away from work and form new friendships. The membership is diverse. Some are married, others single. Most live in Chicago, but some come in from the suburbs.

“There are lawyers and doctors, tech people and a lot of people who run a business from home. We have a Chicago fireman, artists and construction workers. You could be sharing a glass with a contractor or a CEO. The thing is, once you get here, everybody is just a member,” Bosse told DNAinfo.com Chicago.

Read Mark Konkol’s take on Birch Road Cellar via DNAinfo.com Chicago

I was invited to take part in one of the most recent themed nights, which just happened to take place on my 30th birthday. The theme was ‘Irish Whiskey’ - presumably because it was four days before St. Patrick’s Day - and Friday the 13th as well.

Everyone brought in a bottle of whiskey and sampled the many different kinds. A whiskey connoisseur just happened to be part of the group, but for Colin Ulrich, a contractor, it was about being able to try new things.

“I have been to a whiskey tasting before - so it’s good to have some knowledge going in,” he said. “But I’m still finding out about more brands. Before this I would only try 1 to 2 brands, but now I can say I like 4 or 5.”

Kevin McNally, a Boston native in the hotel business who just moved to the city for work, said it’s all about the networking for him.

“This is natural for me,” he said. “I like that there’s no TV, that if I want to bring my guitar here and play it, I can. I’m no Dave Matthews - but I know that if I want to play, I can play.”

It’s also a way for him to forget about the “17 seconds” comments he hears outside on the streets when he walks around in his Bruins jersey.

Once you are a member and you pay the membership fee ($89 a month for individuals, $119 for couples), members don’t pay for anything.

“Once they’re inside, members never spend money with us,” Bosse said. “They can leave their wallet at home.”

There are also no employees. Come and hang out when it’s convenient for you and no one is going to give you a hard time.

Looking to grow

Birch Road wants to add to its membership for the first time since opening nearly a year ago.

While each potential member has to meet with the owners before they are approved for membership, Glenbrook North grads “definitely get a warm welcome from us,” said Bosse, a 1997 GBN alum.

“Northbrook is a tight knit community,” she said. “From kindergarten through high school you go to school with the same people and know them so well. I look back fondly on the days when we’d bike to school and sell soda and water at the adult softball night games.”

But you don’t have to actually know where Birch Road is to be welcome. Anyone interested should seek it out and fill out an inquiry form at www.birchroadcellar.com.

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