Sunday Fun Day has been going on for 18 years at The Family Den, according to 54-year-old Devo Robinson. He’s an equity partner at the Den and the original curator of Sunday Fun Day. He said the concept for Sunday Fun Day was taken from a bar on the North Side called Duffy’s Tavern and Grille. 

“We loved how they had music playing while the game was going on and people were dancing. So we said let’s take this to the South Side of Chicago, and it has been a hit ever since,” he said.  

After 40 years in the business, Robinson said The Family Den has become a staple in the community, giving adults somewhere safe to go. On Sunday mornings when they open at 10:30 a.m., according to Robinson, there are people already outside waiting for the bar to open ahead of the games. 

“What makes it so interesting here at The Family Den is it’s a different sound of a DJ as a guest every Sunday here at The Family Den straight for 52 weeks,” said Robinson. Spinning on the ones and twos this week during commercials and game stoppages was DJ L Boogie, but the resident DJ for the bar is 106.3 FM radio DJ Malik Shabazz, who’s also the official DJ for the Chicago Sky.

After the Bears game, the bar hosted “Greek Sunday,” which included more DJs spinning throughout the night, including Chicago House DJ Nick Nonstop. 

“If the Bears win, the people are excited, [and] they keep going throughout the night,” Robinson said. 

Ford called the Den a “Bears bar.” She keeps coming back, she said, because it’s a safe space with tasty drinks, good music and the “Den Chicken.” The bar, which attracts mostly a Gen X crowd, has a warm and family-like feeling as soon as you walk in, earning the nickname of the “Black Cheers” from patrons.

“If you’re a single lady that comes outside, it’s a super safe place to be,” Ford said. “There are no fights, no drama; it’s no nonsense.”

Even though The Family Den houses a loyal following of Chicago Bears fans, according to Robinson, the business has grown tremendously with the Bears winning this season. 

“Win or lose, we’re going to be here for the Chicago Bears,” he said, “but with the Bears winning, that takes it to a whole ‘nother level absolutely.”