A journey through Don Hardy’s colorful Westmont basement is a journey like no other through Chicago — a place where history and beer collide to tell an American story of advertising and alcohol. Hardy, along with former Westmont Police Chief Richard Johnson and his son Rich Jr., founded the Westmont Stroh’s Club. The group, which at one time boasted the largest membership of any chapter in the Beer Can Collectors Association of America, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Members are a rare brew with even rarer collections, which will be on display and for sale at the club’s annual exhibition this Sunday, Oct. 5. If you go What Westmont Stroh’s Club’s annual exhibition When Sunday, Oct.5 Where Elk Grove Village VFW Hall, 400 E. Devon Ave. Cost Admission to the public is free “At one time, there were over 50 breweries in Chicago,” Hardy said, gesturing to his homemade wooden bar top, adorned with labels, coasters and flattened cans from those breweries beneath a protective plastic surface. If the myriad of neon beer signs lining the walls triggers some sense of vague familiarity, it could be because you’ve seen them before. His collection — which includes thousands of pieces of Meister Brau memorabilia from cans and bottles, pre-prohibition advertisements and neon signs — was used as the backdrop for a scene in “A League of Their Own,” one of six movies in which Hardy’s breweriana has played a role. His collection of a ...
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A journey through Don Hardy’s colorful Westmont basement is a journey like no other through Chicago — a place where history and beer collide to tell an American story of advertising and alcohol. Hardy, along with former Westmont Police Chief Richard Johnson and his son Rich Jr., founded the Westmont Stroh’s Club. The group, which at one time boasted the largest membership of any chapter in the Beer Can Collectors Association of America, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Members are a rare brew with even rarer collections, which will be on display and for sale at the club’s annual exhibition this Sunday, Oct. 5. If you go What Westmont Stroh’s Club’s annual exhibition When Sunday, Oct.5 Where Elk Grove Village VFW Hall, 400 E. Devon Ave. Cost Admission to the public is free “At one time, there were over 50 breweries in Chicago,” Hardy said, gesturing to his homemade wooden bar top, adorned with labels, coasters and flattened cans from those breweries beneath a protective plastic surface. If the myriad of neon beer signs lining the walls triggers some sense of vague familiarity, it could be because you’ve seen them before. His collection — which includes thousands of pieces of Meister Brau memorabilia from cans and bottles, pre-prohibition advertisements and neon signs — was used as the backdrop for a scene in “A League of Their Own,” one of six movies in which Hardy’s breweriana has played a role. His collection of a ...