From Chicago dining rooms to small-town counters, familiar places say goodbye.
This week’s update introduces a new weekend schedule and support options while cataloging a poignant series of departures for long-standing Midwest institutions. The list is anchored by the end of an 80-year era at Missouri’s Sugar Creek (Kross Lounge/Ernie’s), a true generational landmark. Other significant losses include Chicago’s McCormick & Schmick’s due to lease issues, Indiana’s Back 40 Junction ending a 50-year run due to health concerns, and the scheduled closure of Milwaukee’s acclaimed Bavette La Boucherie. Alongside exits in Fargo and Grand Blanc, these stories reinforce the fragile nature of community fixtures that once felt permanent. This email was originally sent out on Jan 6th, 2026.
Welcome to Midwest Farewell. In the heartland, change often comes slowly—like the seasons turning—but when a Main Street café or a roadside supper club closes its doors, the silence is felt immediately. Every Tuesday, we document the restaurants across the Midwest that served as the backdrop for early-morning coffee, Friday-night fish fries, and decades of conversation. From the Great Lakes to the Great Plains, here are the places saying goodbye this week. Read more here.
