Charlie Trotter's closes (2012)
Charlie Trotter's, a pioneering fine-dining restaurant in Chicago's Lincoln Park, closed in August 2012 after a 25-year run. Chef-owner Charlie Trotter had made it one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the country through the 1990s and 2000s.
The closure made national news and ended a defining chapter in Chicago fine dining.
It showed that even celebrated restaurants eventually shut, as ownership, lease, and health-code pressures affect every kitchen.
A business license is only the first step of a restaurant's life. Yor Yak's new license lets it operate, but the conditions on its first inspection and the industry's churn mean staying open is never guaranteed.
