CHICAGO — After nearly two decades of redefining the city’s nightlife and crafting a legacy of mixology, The Violet Hour — the famed Wicker Park bar credited with sparking Chicago’s craft cocktail movement — is officially closing its doors for good.
The unexpected announcement comes just weeks after the bar temporarily shuttered due to serious plumbing issues and building damage. But in a June 27th social media post, the team confirmed that negotiations with the building’s landlord had failed, making reopening impossible.
“Despite extensive efforts and negotiations, we were regretfully unable to reach a resolution with our landlord,” the Violet Hour management wrote.
A Legacy That Changed Chicago’s Cocktail Culture
Opened in 2007 at 1520 N. Damen Ave., The Violet Hour helped usher in a new era of cocktail innovation, making drinks like the Juliet and Romeo and Paper Plane household names in bars across the country. The sleek, curtain-shrouded venue earned national praise and mentored a generation of bartenders who went on to lead other high-profile establishments.
Run by One Off Hospitality — the same group behind Big Star, Dove’s Luncheonette, avec, and The Publican — the bar was celebrated for its creativity, ambiance, and hidden-in-plain-sight entrance behind ever-changing murals.
A Sudden and Disheartening End
The closure was initially expected to be temporary as the team grappled with major plumbing repairs. But One Off Hospitality partner Terry Alexander had warned that the extent of the damage made fixes far from simple.
“It’s literally busting open floors, going down and repairing pipes… there’s always surprises,” Alexander told Block Club Chicago.
Ownership of the building rests with Magic Carpet LLC, which acquired the property in 2012 for $13.2 million, according to city records. The property is linked to Newcastle Investors, a Chicago-based real estate investment firm. The nature of the disagreement between the bar and the landlord remains private, but the outcome leaves a deep void in the local hospitality scene.
What This Means for Wicker Park
The Violet Hour was more than a cocktail bar — it was a cultural anchor in Wicker Park, drawing visitors from across Chicago and beyond. Its closure follows a troubling trend of iconic local establishments shutting down amid rising rents, landlord disputes, and building deterioration.
For residents and small business advocates, it also raises deeper concerns:
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Will Wicker Park continue to be a haven for independent and creative ventures?
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How can legacy businesses survive in an environment of increasing real estate pressure?
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Should the city intervene in disputes that result in the loss of historic or culturally significant venues?
Is This the End of the Violet Hour?
Not necessarily. While the Damen Avenue location is shutting down, management left the door open for a potential revival.
“This may not be the end. You may see us again somewhere down the line,” the bar said in its farewell message.
Fans across social media reacted with a mix of grief, gratitude, and hope, remembering first dates, quiet conversations, and unforgettable cocktails enjoyed behind the bar’s iconic velvet curtain.
Did you ever sip a Juliet and Romeo at The Violet Hour? Have a memory to share or thoughts on preserving Chicago’s iconic nightlife spaces? Drop your stories in the comments or visit ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com for more local coverage on business, development, and community culture.
