The club derived its name from the Kingston Mines Theatre Company founded by June Pyskacek in 1969 at 2356 N. Lincoln Avenue[1] and named after Kingston Mines, Illinois, where the father of one of its actors, Jack Wallace, worked. Pyskacek asked Harry Hoch and a partner to open a café and performance space in the front of the building called the Kingston Mines Company Store.[2][3]
The company was acquired in 1972 by Lenin "Doc" Pellegrino, M.D., and renamed the Kingston Mines Café.[4] The original production of Grease was written and first premiered at the Kingston Mines Theatre in 1971 before moving to Broadway a year later.[5] The theatre company expired in 1973, while the Café survived as a blues club. It moved to its current location at 2548 N. Halsted in 1982.[4][6]
After Doc Pelligrino died in 2018, he passed ownership to his daughters, Donna and Lisa Pellegrino.[7][4]
The club closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7][8] Fans donated over $60,000 to a GoFundMe to help the club reopen.[9] Before the pandemic, Kingston Mines showcased a variety of blues by two separate bands, every night year-round, on two stages.[8] As of 2023, the club is open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.[10]
Kingston Mines is still owned by the Pellegrino family and it is "the oldest, continuously operating blues club in Chicago."[11][7][12] Doc Pellegrino's motto was: "Hear Blues. Drink Booze. Talk Loud. You're Among Friends."[4]
Blues
Kingston Mines showcases blues music ranging from delta blues to Chicago blues. Their featured artists cover a broad and diverse spectrum of the genre.
