Wicker Park, once the stomping ground for a pioneering Chicago cocktail bar, The Violet Hour, will have to say farewell to its hidden gem. After an 18-year run marked by speakeasy vibes and award-winning libations, the beloved establishment is permanently shutting down. This closure, initially stemming from a temporary shutter due to building damage and failed landlord negotiations, marks an end to an era of cocktail culture in the neighborhood.
The Velvet Hour's struggle with landlord Magic Carpet LLC, a part of Newcastle Investors, became public after a series of plumbing issues led to significant damage. Despite efforts to reach an agreement on repairs, "extensive efforts and negotiations" fell through, according to a statement obtained by Eater Chicago. The complications forced the bar at 1520 N. Damen Avenue to relocate a pop-up event that coincided with the James Beard Awards weekend, signaling serious troubles ahead.
What set The Violet Hour apart wasn't just its cocktails, but its ethos. The bar, as CBS News Chicago reported, won a James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program in 2015 and established rules that eschewed cell phone use and mass-market beers. Instead, it demanded a level of decorum as if "you wouldn’t bring to your mother’s house for Sunday dinner." This combination of high standards, and high-quality cocktails, made it more than just a bar—it became a Chicago institution.
Not just locally treasured, The Violet Hour's influence rippled across the nation's cocktail scene, impacting bars from New Orleans to Louisville. From the creation of cocktails like the Paper Plane to setting a cultural shift in drinkmanship, the bar's legacy lives on. Alums of the storied joint have gone on to open their acclaimed bars, with names like Brad Bolt and Mike Ryan becoming central figures in their respective cities’ cocktail landscapes, as Eater Chicago highlights.
While the brick and mortar location may have poured its last drink, the essence of The Violet Hour may yet find a rebirth in a new location. "This is not the end of The Violet Hour as a brand, and yet it is the end of this chapter," the owners told their followers on Instagram, sparking a faint glimmer of hope for the bar's enthusiasts. As of now, patrons can only reminisce about the days when finding that unmarked door led to an otherworldly experience of mixology and ambiance synonymous with a once-transformative time in Wicker Park.
