Overview

• The Palace Grill, a historic restaurant on the Near West Side of Chicago, was severely damaged by a fire on Thursday night.
• Owner George Lemperis vows to rebuild, drawing parallels to the reconstruction of the World Trade Center.
• The cause of the fire remains unclear, with initial suspicions of a grease fire being questioned due to the timing of the blaze.
• The restaurant has a storied history, having survived the 1968 riots and hosted notable figures like Vice President Al Gore and Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin.
• The fire's timing is particularly challenging as the restaurant was anticipating increased business from the 2024 Democratic National Convention.