'Clever' Western Springs Drinking Option Coming

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – The space formerly occupied by The Opry cocktail bar in Western Springs may be filled soon.

On Tuesday, the village revealed that it had received a liquor license application from Aron Dorner, who plans to open an establishment called The Clever Drinker.

The Opry, which was at 4354 Johnson Ave., closed in April after a tough few weeks.

In early March, a fight between employees drew local police, with officers finding a drunk worker behind the register, according to a police report.

Around the same time, Nashville's famed Grand Ole Opry sued the local establishment, alleging trademark infringement.

Patch left a couple of online messages for Dorner on Tuesday.

Dorner, a Western Springs resident, has started an Instagram page for The Clever Drinker. He calls the business a "wine-focused bottle shop coming soon to Western Springs."

A couple of days ago, he wrote, "We’re officially in! With keys in hand and our license in process, we’ll soon be ready to welcome our community of Clever Drinkers!"

The village said a committee is set to review the liquor license application June 2.