“One of the greatest taverns and most impactful nightclubs in the history of this toddlin’ town, the Green Mill sits near the corner of Lawrence and Broadway, at night its neon sign a welcoming beacon. And next Friday night on June 19, it will celebrate its 40 years under the remarkable ownership of Dave Jemilo, who does not own it anymore but who has happily, confidently and gratefully placed it in the hands of two people who are like family members.

“‘This place has been my life for more than 40 years,’ Jemilo said one recent afternoon, sitting in a Green Mill booth. ‘It was time. Nothing dramatic. I just don’t think I have the energy, that high level that it takes to be here every day until sometimes four in the morning. And there is other stuff in life I’d like to do.’

“The new owners are Jason Cole and Jill Skintges, and any regular Green Mill patron will breathe a sigh of relief, erasing the anxiety and worry that arose when Jemilo, having in 2021 purchased the adjacent retail spots in the Green Mill building for $5 million, announced last summer that the Green Mill was for sale.

“He knew them both very well. The 55-year-old Cole has been, with a break or two, a bartender / manager since he was hired while in college at 22. Skintges, who has been a professional dancer with the Joffrey Ballet and math teacher before going to work as a Green Mill waitress and bartender nearly 30 years ago. They are bright and personable people, enthusiastic too.

“Says Skintges, who is originally from the West Side and now lives in Lincolnwood, “I like to think of us as stewards, caretakers.”

“History has always hung heavy in the air at the Mill. Jemilo first heard of the place as a teenager, traveling north to visit his divorced father. ‘My dad would point the place out to me, tell me about hanging out there in the ’30s. The first time I walked in, even though it was in bad shape, heroin addicts were sleeping on the floor, I could see the beauty. I fell in love with it.’

“When he learned that the Green Mill was for sale, he managed to put together enough money — maxing out his credit cards and borrowing $300 from his attorney — to become the fifth owner in its long history. He was 30.

“He opened on June 19, 1986, and Larry Kart, then Tribune jazz critic, wrote that it was, ‘As comfortable as an old shoe and as friendly as your favorite roadhouse waitress. And as a setting for music, the club is just about ideal—with a long curving bar, a plethora of booths, an ample bandstand and a good sound system.’

“The lively history of the Green Mill has been well charted in stories going back to its 1907 opening as Pop Morse’s Roadhouse; its heyday as a speakeasy and nightclub; its associations with Al Capone and comic Joe E. Lewis; and the hard times, along with its Uptown neighborhood, until Jemilo came around. Much has been written about it, including by local historian and Tribune contributor Robert Loerzel.

“There is a fine movie making the film festival rounds, “The Green Mill: A Real Chicago Joint.” It is the work of Paul Carr, who was among the guests at the recent retirement party for Jemilo at the Green Mill, a bash of which he wrote, “I’m proud to have been there since Day One when Dave hired me to be his first bartender. Dave made The Green Mill the world class joint that it is and he launched many many careers and helped folks make a living. In the often cut throat world called the bar business, Dave was the fair and always honest guy who did right by people.'” (Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 6/10/26)

Preservation Chicago is thrilled and relieved to learn about the sale of The Green Mill to Jason Cole and Jill Skintges who will continue the incredible legacy of this beloved jazz club. The Green Mill (Gardens) Building is a contributing building in the Uptown Square Chicago Landmark District which includes 49 historic structures. The exterior facade and roofline are protected by this landmark designation status. However, the interior and use are not designated or protected by the landmark designation and this is of concern. The Green Mill’s exterior, interior and use are all highly significant and should be protected. Preservation Chicago would strongly support an expanded individual Chicago Landmark Designation for the Green Mill.

Read the full story at Chicago Tribune

• Column: The Green Mill has new owners, and the music plays on, Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 6/10/26
• Bix, Billie, Benny and Branford all performed at this famed Chicago jazz club for sale; Green Mill is also known for movie cameos and Prohibition-era ties to gangster Al Capone, Ryan Ori, CoStar News, 6/5/25
• The Green Mill Is For Sale — But Will Likely Remain Unchanged; The owner of the iconic, historic jazz club is selling the Uptown building it calls home, Madison Savedra, Block Club Chicago, 6/5/25
• Green Mill building up for sale in Uptown, It’s not clear yet what may happen to the iconic jazz club that was once Al Capone’s Prohibition-era hangout, David Struett, Chicago Sun-Times, 6/5/25
• Green Mill Gardens Building Looking for a New Owner, Uptown Update, 6/4/25
• Wait, is the Green Mill jazz club being sold? Here’s what’s going on with the iconic venue; The historic Uptown building that houses the legendary club is on the market, Laura Ratliff, Time Out Chicago, 6/9/25
• Piecing Together the Green Mill Puzzle, Robert Loerzel, 3/4/24
• Green Mill, 4800-4810 N Broadway Street Listing, LoopNet