WHO WE ARE
Leisure Activities is a creative hospitality studio, specializing in concept creation, beverage development, project management & bar design.
WADE HALL MCELROY
Wade grew up in Phoenix and attended Arizona State University. Leaving the desert for NYC, Wade honed his craft behind the bar and became enamored with all of the creative elements that make up a hospitable environment and it’s cultural identity. Wade moved to Chicago with hopes of opening bars where people felt truly at home. An avid traveler, photographer and constant student of all things design, Wade oversees creative projects for LA.
JEFF DONAHUE
After graduating from Northern Illinois University, Jeff found his calling in hospitality through eating, drinking and working his way through the myriad layers of Chicago’s bar and restaurant scene. That passion for singular and genuine hospitality has driven his pursuit of inspiration through travel and exploration locally and abroad.
WHAT WE'VE Made
Leisure Activities has had the privilege to develop bar concepts and beverage programs, execute pop-up events, train and hire staffs, manage social media and most importantly, tend bar. With over 25 years of combined experience, LA consults in all aspects of creative hospitality while remaining deeply rooted in stable operations, continuing to evolve and stay informed of cultural trends.
Cara Cara Club
Cara Cara Club is a tropical aperitivo and amaro bar in the heart of Logan Square, developed in partnership with Joe Briglio and Lily Wang of Nine Bar.
LUDLOW LIQUORS
Ludlow Liquors is a neighborhood tavern in partnership with SuperHai offering burgers, seasonal cocktails, a great backyard and those perfect ludlow-liquors.com
SPORTSMAN'S CLUB
Leisure Activities partnered Heisler Hospitality to breathe new life into a run-down, 60-year-old, Ukrainian Village tavern called Sportsman’s Club. The focus would be on daily creativity, great music, top notch hospitality, and an undeniable neighborhood vibe.
ESTEREO
in 2016 LA partnered again with Heisler Hospitality to open Logan Square and Fulton Markets’s love letter to the Caribbean and Latin American sprits, the acclaimed Estereo.