If you polish a dive, is it still a dive? Does proper maintenance keep a dive bar safe from rot or does the saloon become a simulacrum of its sainted self? A temple of easy nostalgia? After glimpses of the joint were shot for scenes in episodes of Lena Waithe’s “The Chi” and Joe Swanberg’s “Easy,” Ukrainian Village’s 1930s-era Rainbo Club made near-invisible upgrades as winter approached. The Ladies’ room was overhauled after decades; the trademark red-and-black squares of the floor were replaced with identical tile, creating the optical illusion that its antique style is somehow brand-shiny new. Then the windows to the modern outer world were replaced with carefully crafted replicas of the degraded 1950s-era originals. Replacement period Old Style signs and a painstakingly hand-painted “Rainbo Club” signature logo will soon grace the crisp, thick new glass. Same as it ever was in its thirty-three years under the same owner, only a little shinier, a little fresher, a little more dream than memory. The blade neon still burns bright, a familiar beacon with the word “Club” sputtering cheekily. (Ray Pride)
