Bourbon On Division

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. At Bourbon On Division, customers often noticed an old lady entering the bakery early in the morning. She’d grab a bagel and leave without saying a word. One day, a little girl followed her outside. The lady whispered something into the girl’s ear, causing both of them to giggle. The next day, the little girl returned with her own bagel. Again, they exchanged whispers and left together. Curious, another customer—a delivery driver—decided to follow them. Turned out, the old lady was just sharing secret recipes for the perfect cream cheese spread. Everyone got a good laugh when she finally revealed it was simply ‘lots of love’.

2. At Bourbon On Division, every morning around sunrise, a tiny dog would appear outside the bakery's door. It never barked or begged for treats but simply sat there, staring intently through the window until the first customer arrived. One day, an enthusiastic delivery driver arrived early and tried to coax the little dog inside with his donuts. The dog just looked at him with those big eyes, then trotted back out when the first customer walked in. Since then, whenever anyone asks where the dog went, everyone shrugs and says, ‘He probably found another bakery that gives away free samples.’

3. At dawn, when most bakeries were just lighting their ovens, someone began leaving mysterious boxes of pastries on Bourbon On Division's doorstep. One morning, a delivery driver found a box filled with croissants shaped like Chicago landmarks—unfortunately, they all faced the wrong way. A regular customer quipped that it must be an architectural protest against the city’s skyscrapers. Since then, customers joke about which famous building will get turned upside down next.

4. At Bourbon On Division, one day a little girl entered the bakery and asked the baker if he could make her a cake that looked exactly like his beard. The baker thought for a moment, then smiled and said, 'Why not? It’ll be a challenge!' The next day, everyone in the neighborhood was talking about the amazing beard cake—complete with twirls, whiskers, and even a mustache. And ever since then, whenever someone orders a special cake here, they always say, ‘Make it look just like your beard, baker!’