January 5, 2003

Sara Fiedelholtz Staff Reporter
Chicago Sun-Times

Setting the table with art that won't tap you out

You never know where in the city you are going to find art. It can be on the side of building, underneath your feet or on the table at Keefer's restaurant, 20 W. Kinzie.

It seems that owner/general manager Glenn Keefer's pet peeve is going into a restaurant and having a waiter push bottled water and making you feel unsophisticated or cheap if you want tap water.

For his restaurant, Keefer decided customers wouldn't have a choice. Every table would receive filtered water.

Now comes the art. The water glasses and bottles on all tables are hand-blown in Mexico.

"They are not tempered glass. Every glass and bottle is different," said Christina Keefer.

"The exact color was also very important. Glenn didn't want a deep blue, he wanted a very specific light blue. He wanted a signature turquoise color."

Over the last year, many patrons have asked if the glasses and bottles are available for purchase.

The demand has been so great that Keefer's recently started to sell a little collection of art (a set of four glasses and one bottle).

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