The slabs of prime rib may be gone, but items from the restaurant’s unique decor are for sale.
Block Club Chicago
Jay Koziarz 4:30 PM CST on Feb 1, 2021
RIVER NORTH — Lawry’s The Prime Rib permanently closed at the end of 2020, but fans of the iconic steakhouse have one last chance to scoop up relics from the Downtown institution on the cheap.
A no-reserve online liquidation auction is offering an eclectic mix of interior items, including classical-inspired paintings, statues, chandeliers and mirrors. Bids start at $1.
“I wouldn’t necessarily call the items fine art,” said Neal Sherman, whose company TAGeX Brands is running the auction. “I think ‘decor’ would be a more accurate description. But there are some beautiful things going for very little.”
The online bidding period ends 10 a.m. Today.
Lawry’s announced plans to close after a 46-year stint along Ontario Street in September. Lawry’s CEO Ryan Wilson told the Tribune the decision was the result of an expiring lease agreement combined with a slow-down in business brought about by the pandemic and civil unrest.
“We want to sincerely thank the Chicago community for its outpouring of support,” Lawry’s owners said in a statement on its website. “The Lawry’s family is indebted with gratitude and thankful for the opportunity to share countless meals and memories with Chicagoans.”
This week’s auction caught the eye of Christopher Brandt, a Chicago resident and former Lawry’s The Prime Rib regular.
“One thing that struck me about that place was that it was incredibly old-timey,” Brandt said. “How cool would it be to hang a piece of art on your wall and tell people that it came out of Lawry’s?”
Brandt said he’s also curious about the future of the former restaurant’s 1890s Beaux-Arts style building, which started life as the L. Hamilton McCormick mansion and would later become the Kungsholm Puppet Theater.
“It will be interesting what this space turns into,” Brandt said.
Auction winners can collect their items 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursday at 100 W. Ontario St. According to the website, buyers are responsible for disconnecting wired fixtures such as chandeliers and for the removal of heavier items, like bronze lion statues currently going for $830 a piece.