WICKER PARK — Internationally-renowned cocktail bar and lounge The Violet Hour is closed indefinitely as negotiations stay ongoing with its landlord concerning plumbing points within the constructing.
The influential bar, which received a James Beard Award in 2015 and is famed for growing cocktails which have since turn into mixological mainstays, closed about three weeks in the past as a consequence of plumbing points, in response to managing companion Terry Alexander.
On Friday, these issued remained unresolved, Alexander stated, forcing the bar to announce in an Instagram put up that it could be closed till additional discover.
“We’re occupying an previous constructing,” Alexander stated. “We’ve had plumbing points earlier than, and sadly now we have plumbing points once more.”
Alexander stated that there was no timeline for when The Violet Hour, 1520 N. Damen Ave., may reopen.
“It’s powerful, and it’s not a easy repair,” Alexander stated. “It’s actually busting open flooring, happening and repairing pipes, and the one factor you by no means wish to do is go down and attempt to repair one thing, since you don’t know what’s beneath us. There’s at all times surprises.”
The bar is closed at an inopportune time, because the James Beard Awards are set to reach in Chicago June 16. The Violet Hour was scheduled to host a pop-up for the 2025-nominated Scotch Lodge, a Portland, Ore., bar, on June fifteenth. That occasion has been relocated to Pals of Pals, 2001 W Grand Ave., which was based by a former Violet Hour bartender, in response to the Instagram put up.
Alexander stated that the bar has had a superb relationship with its landlord for the previous decade, however the two sides are nonetheless negotiating about one of the simplest ways to resolve the repairs.
“We’d like some assist from the owner,” Alexander stated. “They’re attempting to work with us. We’re attempting to work with them.”
The Violet Hour bar is nestled inside an unmarked constructing, typically painted with murals or different works of public artwork. Property information present the constructing was bought by Magic Carpet LLC for $13.2 million in October of 2012. The handle related to the LLC is listed as Newcastle Buyers, a Chicago-based actual property investor.
The Wicker Park bar is owned by One Off Hospitality, a restaurant group whose different ventures embody The Publican in Fulton Market and Huge Star taqueria, which has areas in Wicker Park, amongst different locations.
Based in 2007, The Violet Hour has turn into synonymous with Chicago’s craft cocktail commerce, producing a tree of bartenders that branches throughout the town and nation, in addition to quite a few cocktails, together with the Paper Airplane and the Juliet and Romeo, that are actually thought of basic libations in different bars and lounges.
The prohibition-style bar has occupied the identical constructing on Damen Ave. for the previous 18 years, in response to Alexander. He stated he hasn’t thought of transferring.
“To discover a area, to revamp an area, that’s not two weeks,” Alexander stated. “That may very well be two years from now.”
Alexander stated most employees have been moved to different areas owned by One Off Hospitality. He hoped this wasn’t final name.
“We’re simply going to proceed to take actually in the future at a time to determine what we will do to maneuver ahead,” he stated.
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