Playoff Energy Is Pumping Cash Into Wrigleyville — And DraftKings Is Pulling Out as Hattie B's Hot Chicken Prepares to Move In
By Socialhood News · Wrigleyville ·
Wrigleyville neighbors, October is officially here — and the neighborhood around Clark and Addison is riding a wave of playoff energy that is reshaping the block in real time. The Cubs' postseason run is doing exactly what it always does to this stretch of the North Side: opening wallets, filling barstools, and accelerating the business calendar in ways that a regular-season September simply cannot.
First, the economic picture. With the Cubs back in October baseball, local businesses along the Wrigleyville corridor are already counting the upside. According to CBS News Chicago, bars and restaurants in the Wrigleyville area are hoping for a deep postseason run so they can keep their doors open for additional weeks of playoff traffic — a dynamic the block hasn't experienced since 2020, when the last playoff series at Wrigley drew fans back in force. The Cubs finished the 2026 regular season at 89–73, good for a .549 winning percentage, according to Baseball Reference, and the roster that produced those numbers — led by Pete Crow-Armstrong, who set a Cubs franchise record for home runs by a left-handed batter with his 44th homer on September 16 against Atlanta — is the kind of team that brings the whole city to Clark Street when October games are on the line.
But playoff buzz is only part of the story reshaping Wrigleyville right now. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that DraftKings has pulled the plug on in-person betting at its namesake Wrigley Field sportsbook at 1012 W. Addison St., citing Illinois's high tax structure as the reason for ending live betting operations at that location. The closure marks the end of a chapter for what had been one of the most prominent sportsbook outposts in the city — steps from the ballpark itself. For neighbors who had grown accustomed to the DraftKings footprint as part of the Wrigleyville game-day experience, the space at 1012 W. Addison now becomes one of the more coveted commercial addresses in the neighborhood.
Into that evolving retail and dining corridor comes news that has been circulating on Chicago food blogs and Fox 32: Hattie B's Hot Chicken is set to open its first Illinois location in Wrigleyville. The Nashville-born chain, known for its heat-scaled bone-in chicken and signature sides, has been expanding aggressively in major markets, and a Wrigleyville address puts it squarely in one of the highest-foot-traffic dining corridors on the North Side. No official opening date has been confirmed publicly, but the announcement itself — flagged by Fox 32 Chicago — signals that the block's dining options are continuing to diversify heading into the postseason window and beyond.
For neighbors looking for something to do this weekend, Gallagher Way at 3637 N. Clark St. has you covered with a Harvest Hangout on Saturday, October 10, starting at 11:00 a.m. The open-air plaza adjacent to Wrigley Field — which has established itself as Lakeview's year-round town square — is hosting the fall-themed community event, giving neighbors a reason to gather on the block between playoff games. Admission details were not listed, but Gallagher Way events of this type have historically been free or low-cost, and the plaza's giant video board, food, and drinks make it a natural anchor for a Saturday morning through afternoon outing.
Taken together, this first week of October tells the story of a neighborhood in motion. The playoff run is the engine, driving foot traffic and revenue to the hospitality corridor in ways that the regular season, even at its best, cannot fully replicate. The DraftKings departure creates a commercial opening on one of the block's most prominent addresses. Hattie B's arrival adds another layer to a dining scene that has been actively evolving — alongside the previously announced Portillo's coming to Clark Street — and the Harvest Hangout at Gallagher Way on Saturday is a reminder that community life in Wrigleyville doesn't pause between innings.
Neighbors, are you heading to the Harvest Hangout at Gallagher Way this Saturday the 10th? And how are you feeling about the Cubs' October run — are you watching from the block or watching from home? Drop your plans and your go-to playoff bar in the comments, and let your neighbors know where to find you when the postseason heats up.
Sources:
1. https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/tag/wrigley-field
2. https://chicago.suntimes.com/wrigleyville
3. https://www.fox32chicago.com/tag/us/il/cook-county/chicago/wrigleyville
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Chicago_Cubs_season
5. https://allevents.in/chicago/wrigleyville
6. https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/2026-schedule-scores.shtml