The Local
The Local (originally The Blue Frog 22) in Chicago, Illinois has closed. It closed in 2018 — 6 years and 10 months after its Bar Rescue episode first aired. Its run exceeded 90% of the 141 rescued bars with a recorded closing date.
The episode
| Status | Closed (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Episode | "The Blue Frog Sings The Blues" |
| Season | Season 1, Episode 6 |
| Originally aired | August 21, 2011 |
| Original name | The Blue Frog 22 |
| Relaunched as | The Local |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois |
| Address | 22 E Hubbard St Chicago, IL 60611 |
| Yelp | As Blue Frog's Local 22 |
| Google reviews | Read reviews on Google |
Key dates
- August 21, 2011Bar Rescue episode “The Blue Frog Sings The Blues” airs — Jon Taffer's rescue of The Blue Frog 22, relaunched as The Local, filmed earlier.
- 2018Closed.
The rescue
Jon Taffer relaunched The Blue Frog 22 as The Local.
The Blue Frog 22, relaunched as The Local and later blended as Blue Frog's Local 22, closed in May 2018, after Mimi decided to retire. Construction at a neighbouring property had prevented the bar from opening its patio from 2015 onward.
What happened next
Thirty days after the rescue, The Local was drawing a stronger downtown Chicago crowd. Food sales rose 50 percent, and Mimi stepped back from running the restaurant, leaving her son, John Reed, to run the business. The stronger trade supported higher prices: before the rescue the bar sold a cheeseburger and a beer together for $6; afterwards it charged $15 for a burger and $8 for a beer without losing customers. The owners blended the old and new branding, trading as Blue Frog's Local 22, and Taffer later revisited the bar in a Season 6 Back to the Bar episode. From 2015, construction at a neighbouring property prevented the bar from opening its summer patio. It closed in May 2018, when the owners retired.
By the numbers
| Season | Season 1: 8 of 10 bars have closed (80%). |
|---|---|
| Illinois | One of 12 rescued bars in Illinois; 5 still open. |
Quick answers
Is The Local still open?
The Local (originally The Blue Frog 22) in Chicago, Illinois has closed. It closed in 2018 — 6 years and 10 months after its Bar Rescue episode first aired. Its run exceeded 90% of the 141 rescued bars with a recorded closing date.
What did Jon Taffer rename The Blue Frog 22?
Jon Taffer relaunched The Blue Frog 22 under a new name: The Local. The rescue is Bar Rescue season 1, Episode 6 (“The Blue Frog Sings The Blues”), first aired August 21, 2011.
When did The Local close?
The Local closed in 2018.
Where is The Local located?
The Local was located at 22 E Hubbard St Chicago, IL 60611.
Sources: Reality TV Revisited · Reality TV Updates · Yelp · Wikipedia episode list. Compiled October 2026; cross-checked against local reporting and each bar's own web presence where available.
More rescued bars nearby
The closest other Bar Rescue bars to The Local: