Father’s Day

Meet 10 Cool Dads in Chicago

By Kelly Aiglon June 9, 2013

Dads have the magic touch. They turn roughhousing into an art form, have an unending arsenal of silly faces and can make tears dry with a single smooch. Chicago is full of cool dads and we want you to meet a few. Get to know a trend-setting store owner, longtime improv actor, restaurant and bar tastemaker, baby-business entrepreneur and other fellows that do their families — and Chicago — proud.

Eric Williams

If four-year-old Sage ever wants cool new jewelry, she doesn't have to look far: Her dad, Eric Williams, is the owner of The Silver Room, which is part jewelry boutique, part event space, part art gallery and will soon also be a music store. It's been a Wicker Park hot spot since it opened in 1997 and, as a small business owner, Eric puts his heart into it, doing everything from buying to promoting to designing to DJing there. The Garfield Park dad also happens to be a four-time marathon finisher. Yet his biggest love is Sage and together they enjoy reading, going to art openings and playing outside. "It all goes by so fast, so I'm trying to enjoy every moment," says Eric.

Do you know a Chicago Cool Dad? Let us know about him! Leave your nomination in the Comments section below, or email kelly@tinybeans.go-vip.net.

— Story by Kelly Aiglon