Bucktown Is Getting a Women-Owned Wine Bar — And the Neighbors Are Already Rallying Behind It

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Bucktown · June 2, 2026

A new Milwaukee Avenue hangout is on the horizon, and it's being built by two neighbors for the rest of the neighborhood. Friends & Neighbors, a wine bar from Bucktown residents Arin Butzon and Joy Johns, is taking shape inside the former Red & White space at 1861 N. Milwaukee Ave., with a target opening around Labor Day. The name says it all — this is a place born from friendship, a shared love of champagne, and a genuine gap the two spotted in their own backyard.

Butzon and Johns — who work in financial services and law respectively — met a few years ago and bonded over their passion for wine and the bar culture of the greater Bucktown-Wicker Park area. When Red & White shuttered last fall, what started as a lighthearted joke quickly became a real business plan. Their vision is refreshingly inclusive: Friends & Neighbors will stock a wide range of wines to welcome both casual sippers and serious aficionados, with cocktails, beer, non-alcoholic options, and charcuterie to round things out. As women of color, Butzon and Johns are also intentional about contributing to greater diversity in Chicago's hospitality industry. To help get the doors open, the duo launched a "Founders' Club" crowdfunding campaign with four giving tiers — and early community response has been strong.

With the Bucktown Arts Fest celebrating its 39th year on August 29–30 just around the corner, the neighborhood's summer social calendar is shaping up beautifully. Keep an eye on Friends & Neighbors at 1861 N. Milwaukee Ave., and consider joining the Founders' Club to help bring this community-first wine bar to life.

Sources:
1. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/04/21/friends-neighbors-a-women-owned-wine-bar-eyes-late-summer-opening-in-bucktown/
2. https://app.entrythingy.com/calls/external/bucktown-arts-fest-2026/