On Halloween night, Doug Smith of John’s Tavern organized an experimental event to get people into the recently re-opened bar: a burlesque show.  When the show was advertised in late October, some in the St. Johns business district worried that this was the beginning of adult entertainment in Lombard’s central plaza.  

Smith said before the show that his intentions were not to turn John’s Tavern into a strip club. “I would never want to work in a strip club,” he said.  The idea was to have a bawdy but innocent show, one that would be a bit racy but more comedic than erotic and free of nudity.  

After the show, Smith was asked how it went.  “It was a great night for the business,” he said.  He estimated that at least 100 people attended the Oct. 31 performance.  He felt that a lot of new people showed up who had not been to John’s Tavern before.  

Smith reported that the show was provocative but not lewd, and that “absolutely nothing untoward happened.”  

Asked if this will be a regular occurrence at John’s Tavern, Smith said that he’d like to do it again, but that it will be a while. “Burlesque shows are expensive to put on.” 

Smith said that John’s was interested in trying out any events that were fun and original to attract customers.  

Jaime Potts, owner of Atomic Daylight Clothing, was a vocal critic of the burlesque idea when the show was first advertised.  When asked how she felt about it now, she said, “I was there, I went,”  adding that she did not think very much of the performance.  Potts did say that the tavern was more crowded than she had ever seen it before. “There must have been 40-45 people there,” she said, compared to the three to four she had seen on a previous Saturday night.  

Overall, Potts said that while she was fine with what happened, she would take exception if it were to become a regular occurrence.  “It’s not the kind of entertainment we want right there,” saying that she would prefer that central St. Johns stayed family friendly.  

While Potts said she understands the idea of old-fashioned burlesque, she did not think that Smith pulled it off.  “If you’re going to do that kind of show, go all the way ... get a stage and some lights, show me feathers, show me sequins.” 

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