The Chicago restaurant and bar “Drew’s” has a welcoming feel. Walk-ins are often greeted warmly, by first name, and the vibe is comfortable enough that people hang out for hours, laughing and mingling until closing.
Co-owners and couple James Kendal and Drew Johnson believe in creating a safe environment from the inside out. They met 20 years ago on the north side of Chicago, back when Drew was just bartending and managing. James joined the team about five years later and one by one, together they bought out the remaining partners, renaming the place after Drew.
Both Drew and James are naturally gifted at bringing different kinds of people together. Both of them also come from accepting families: James has a gay brother, and his mom was a Chicano rights activist, while Drew comes from an open-minded family in Ohio. But finding an accepting workplace was a challenge both had to face before embarking on their own venture.
Drew remembers after graduating college and working at a hotel in Tennessee, one of his first managers casually mentioned that if he found out anybody working for him was gay, “he would send us back in a body bag.” These brushes with prejudice meant that for a long time, Drew kept his sexuality private at work.
But Drew says, “Even in the era we grew up in, [discrimination] wasn’t really an issue for me.” Drew acknowledges that while he wasn’t ashamed of who he is, he didn’t feel the need to be out with everyone in his life, finding it easier to blend in. He explains, “I fit into a certain group where straight and gay people are comfortable with me. I mind my own business and assimilate pretty easily.”
James also found that LGBTQ+ acceptance in the workplace still had a long way to go. His last employer didn’t offer same-sex benefits for many years, and he often encountered shocked attitudes from executives as he worked to promote sometimes LGBTQ+ events. But James fought tooth-and-nail to win those benefits and further acceptance for staff, including health insurance and other benefits for domestic partners, and later, for same-sex married partners.
Both of their careers eventually brought them to Chicago, to each other, and to “Drew’s.” After nearly 20 years of pouring their hearts into the place, Drew and James have created a real safe haven on the north side, not only for their regulars but their staff. The love and respect Drew and James have for each other is reflected in the way customers and employees are treated: some of their staff have even been as long as they have.
The key to creating a safe environment for everyone? Drew says “Respect.”
“I think it’s important to be a leader,” James says. Because of their past experiences, they know how important it is to maintain a safe working environment, especially for people who already experience barriers to employment stability. It’s a safe place to work,” James continues—“We mentor our staff and treat them with respect.”
Drew is immensely proud of what they’ve built together: “We have a good reputation for minding our own business, doing a good job, and staying consistent. I literally can’t wait to go to work every day—I couldn’t be more proud of this business.” But they insist that, even if “Drew’s” hosts LGBTQ+ events, it’s not just a gay bar.
At any given moment, take a look in the crowd at one of their drag brunches and you’ll see a pretty wide array of people. “We’ve served trans people, college kids, grandparents, their children, a lesbian baseball team, married straight surburbanites. We welcome anybody and everybody.”