McHenry council to discuss upscale barber shop with whiskey bar for Main Street

Dan Hart has announced his latest McHenry business venture – an upscale barbershop on Main Street.

The McHenry City Council will meet Monday to consider issuing a license for Whiskey Straight, planned for 3932 Main St. Hart and Kevin Slimko are partnering to open the business. Slimko owns Slim’s Barber Shop in Crystal Lake, while Hart owns the D.C. Cobb’s restaurants, Smith’s Central Garage and Hart’s Saloon in Hebron, and he is a part owner and investor at McHenry’s Hub Market.

Slimko had wanted to open a second location before Hart approached him with the concept, according to city documents.

Whiskey Straight will primarily operate as an upscale barbershop, but the two also plan to offer shoe shines and repairs, barber training, video gambling and a small whiskey and scotch bar, according to city documents.

The business also plans to offer wine tastings and small group events, according to city documents.

“I am supportive of this project on many levels,” McHenry Mayor Wayne Jett said in a memo to the council. “First, Dan and Kevin bring proven business success. They each own existing businesses [in Dan’s case, many businesses] with a built-in following that will no doubt bring instant interest in this new venture. Second, this concept is unique not only to McHenry and McHenry County, but to this region.”

Jett added that the business might be the type of investment needed to kick-start revitalization on Main Street.

“With this concept, [Hart] is willing to invest in an area of McHenry that is often overlooked and overshadowed by Green Street and Riverside Drive, and he understands that Main Street has great potential,” the mayor wrote.

Hart plans to remodel the exterior and interior of the building, which will feature dark wood and leather decor, he said in a letter to the council. The building currently is vacant and most recently was used as a tattoo shop.

Slimko will be head barber at the shop, which will draw in people from around the area, Hart said.

“Many of Kevin’s clients commute from as far as Chicago to get a haircut at Slim’s,” Hart said. “Kevin also has a very large social media following and produces training videos for barbers.”

The council has been discussing creating tighter regulations for video gambling in the city. Hart said he would offer the amenity as “discretely as possible” by building a small, enclosed room with a “1920s speak-easy” feel for the gaming machines, according to city documents.

The City Council will meet at
7 p.m. Monday at the McHenry Municipal Center, 333 S. Green St.