Jim Meehan’s Prairie School

The man behind New York City’s PDT has recently unveiled a new cocktail bar in Chicago. Located in the Fulton Market Neighborhood – home to the Ace Hotel, Google and a host of new Chicago hot-spots – Prairie School first opened its doors last month and is already the talk of the town – Food & Wine magazine is deeming it “the place to be in Chicago.”

Meehan is a dear friend of the Moore & Giles family. Over the past 10 years, we have worked with him to create two bags made especially for bartenders, put out a leather bound version of his acclaimed PDT cocktail book and developed the Sidecar–our luxury bar cart.

Through our collaborations with Meehan, we have developed a deep respect for his craft and have grown to admire the thoughtfulness that is found in each of his endeavors. We knew Prairie School would be a special place. Partnering with Heisler Hospitality on this project – the group responsible for designing some of Chicago’s top bars & restaurants – Meehan’s creativity is evident in each and every detail. We were thrilled when he reached out to us about using Moore & Giles leather throughout what is sure to become Chicago’s most sought-after reservation.

Kevin Heisner and Matt Eisler – the duo behind Heisler Hospitality – use an unconventional and organic approach towards each individual project while infusing their distinctive sensibilities. They have developed award-winning concepts that are current, refined, and timeless. While in Chicago for #DesignChicago, we met up with Heisler to get a peek at the new bar. Kevin and Matt walked us through the space and praised Meehan’s creativity and vision. “With Prairie School, and all of our projects, we want to create spaces that are uniquely special and places that we would want to go to,” says Heisner. Much of the design inspiration for Prairie School pulls from Frank Lloyd Wright’s prairie-style architecture – a reflection of his work in both the US and Japan. In addition to the space itself, Heisner is responsible for all of the furniture design which showcases some of Moore & Giles’ finest leathers.