HR0722LRB103 40333 ECR 72526 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3Representatives wish to congratulate Simon's Tavern on the
4occasion of the 90th anniversary of its founding; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The doors of Simon's Tavern were first opened on
6May 15, 1934 by Swedish immigrant Simon Lundberg, and for the
7last 90 years, the bar has been lovingly referred to as the
8"Anchor of Andersonville"; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Simon's Tavern is best known for its iconic sign
10featuring a herring sipping a martini, its famous handmade
11glögg, pronounced glug, and its gregarious owner Scott Martin;
12and
 
13    WHEREAS, Since first opening its doors, little has changed
14at Simon's Tavern over the last 90 years; the bar still proudly
15features its original woodwork and coolers; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Owner Scott Martin, a life-long resident of
17Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood, has served as a steward
18of protecting the neighborhood's Swedish American history; he
19is the owner of the last Swedish business in what was once a
20predominantly Swedish speaking community; and
 

 

 

HR0722- 2 -LRB103 40333 ECR 72526 r

1    WHEREAS, Scott Martin purchased the tavern from Roy
2Lundberg, son of the eponymous Simon, in 1994; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Photos on the wall of Simon's Tavern harken back
4to a time when Andersonville's identity was synonymous with
5the Swedish immigrants who established it and show parades
6with floats celebrating Swedish heritage and traditions; and
 
7    WHEREAS, The hallmark of Simon's Tavern is its homemade
8glögg, a Swedish mulled wine traditionally served during the
9holidays and cold winter months; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Scott Martin has been brewing his own glögg
11recipe since acquiring the bar in 1994, and Simon's Tavern
12sold 3,000 gallons of its homemade glögg in 2022; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Simon's Tavern's in-house recipe includes
14raisins, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves, orange peels,
15almonds, port wine, and many secret ingredients known only to
16a few trusted Swedish Americans; therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
18HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
19we congratulate Simon's Tavern on its 90th anniversary, and we
20wish it success for the next 90 years; and be it further
 

 

 

HR0722- 3 -LRB103 40333 ECR 72526 r

1    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
2presented to Simon's Tavern and owner Scott Martin as a symbol
3of our respect and esteem.