On a street corner in a quaint area of Yorkville, Illinois, one of the coolest attractions in all of Illinois lies. The Law Office is a bar that seems normal on the outside, but deeper within rests a special history that is hard to find anywhere else.
The bartender and business partner of The Law Office, Ben Seaver, went through the background history of the building before it became a bar.
“My friend Boyd Ingemunson, his family had a law practice here. His father bought the building in 1983. They had a practice here until 2015,” Seaver explains.
A list of cocktails at the top of the bar is illuminated with lights, grabbing any customer’s attention.
After the Ingemunson family relocated the law practice from the building, Boyd Ingemunson decided to turn it into a music venue. There is also more history to this building that goes beyond the law practice in 1983.
“Before [it was a law practice or music venue], the building was built in 1865. It was grocery stores, restaurants, farm implement stores, [and] it was the high school in Yorkville for a few years,” Seaver describes.
Not only is The Law Office a bar with some special history, but it also supports indie bands that need a gig or some exposure.
The Law Office prepares a band with mic-stands and speakers before they are ready to perform.
“We try to only support independent music. We don’t have full-blown cover bands that come in,” Seaver says. While it’s primarily up and coming touring bands that perform there, The Law Office has also had their brushes with fame. The Law Office itself is actually connected to a Yorkville music festival called Summer Solstice, in which they host. Throughout this festival’s history, Grammy winner Sturgill Simpson and Grammy nominee Cory Chisel ended up performing. It is crazy to think that a small business in Yorkville can attract acts such as those.
On the outside it may not look like much, but one will be pleasantly surprised when they walk in. The walls are decorated with abstract paintings of musicians and with bright lights. The stage is also lit up with color changing special effects to create an appropriate atmosphere while a band is playing. However, this is not even the most extravagant part of The Law Office.
Seaver actually took me down to the green room where the bands can rest up and prepare before a show. The stairway leading to the area has this multicolored light at the top, giving off a relaxing and psychedelic vibe. This is only the beginning to the strobing ambiance that the room encapsulated – once entered, there are colored lights all over the ceiling, a bar, decorations, artwork, and lounge area. For bands, it seems like the perfect place to chill and relax before a long and tiresome concert.
Abstract artwork covers the walls, giving the place an extra layer of aesthetic.
If one is thinking this is a great place to take the family out for a nice meal, they would be wrong. The Law Office really breaks the conventions of a normal pub.
“We don’t have a kitchen, so it’s only cocktails and music. We don’t have any TVs, we don’t have any fluorescent lights, [and] we don’t have any poker machines,” Seaver humorously explains. All someone has to do is sit back, grab a drink, and enjoy the show.
As Seaver went on, he revealed the whole purpose of why The Law Office even exists.
Below The Law Office is a green room with a bar, lounge, and lights, giving the bands a unique place to wait
“The whole thing is about supporting music,” Seaver says. Sure, The Law Office is there to give entertainment to the everyman, but it is also a symbol of the celebration of live music.
The hospitality of this establishment is incredible not only for those underground bands that need more of a boost, but also for the public. It is undeniable that live music is a slowly dying art, and Northern Illinois is lucky to have The Law Office in its backyard. The live performances, incredible atmosphere, and the insanely detailed history makes The Law Office a unique treasure in an otherwise dry part of the world.
This is my first year working with 42Fifty, and I hope to make it a great one. I have strongly enjoyed writing ever since I was in elementary school. Throughout my school years, I would get so excited to write whenever I had the chance. I am now a junior in high school, and I have found a great outlet for my writing with 42Fifty. I really enjoy watching movies and playing music in my free time. I play the drums in a rock band, as well as take part in Oswego High School’s drama productions. With interests like these, I have the knowledge to be a strong Entertainment Co-Editor. I hope I can bring a lot to 42Fifty’s table during my first year.
