Thomas Vogel

Contributing reporter

"This town is on the upswing," said Marty Sorice, a local businessman, referring to his recent purchase of Doc Ryan's, a longtime Forest Park bar. Sorice and the bar's previous owner, Brian Sullivan, finalized the sale of 7432 Madison St., April 21, for $650,000 according to the Cook County Recorder of Deeds.

With this acquisition, Sorice adds to an already substantial list of Forest Park establishments under his control. He also owns Pioneer Tap, Angelo O'Leary's, Shortstop Lounge, Blueberry Hill and Circle Inn. When asked about the many local businesses he operates along with his wife, Sorice remarked, "We love Forest Park. We think Forest Park is coming back and we want to be a part of this exciting future."

Sorice told the Review he has no plans to change the bar's name. "Doc Ryan's is a really wonderful name," he said. "The bar has had a really wonderful run. We want to bring the bar back to where it once was." He does have several improvements planned. In the coming months, the building will undergo external renovations to the beer deck, and internal enhancements to the light fixtures, sound system and restrooms. According to Sorice, the back beer deck will be finished in the next few weeks, giving customers plenty of time to enjoy the summer weather.

He is confident his amelioration efforts, which will cost an estimated $150,000, will "benefit the town once we are done with it. It is going to be a real fun place to go to." He continued, "It is going to be a beautiful bar."

The staggered improvements will allow Doc Ryan's to remain open. Aside from structural upgrades, he also plans to improve the food quality, schedule musical acts and organize pool and dart leagues. Sorice did note that Doc Ryan's will not include karaoke, a popular activity at a few of his other businesses.

While mentioning his role on the Chamber of Commerce, Sorice voiced his excitement for MusicFest, the upcoming three-day festival, in July, which is replacing the old SummerFest. He believes it will be a "grand slam." As a large stakeholder in the Forest Park business community, Sorice concluded, "We just really believe in Forest Park."