Chicago’s Violet Hour closes after 18 years
The Violet Hour cocktail bar in Chicago’s Wicker Park has closed following failed negotiations with the landlord.
The bar is part of One Off Hospitality, which also operates Bar Avec, Big Star and The Publican in the city.
The Violet Hour closed temporarily in May due to “unexpected damage to the building”. The team have since been unable to reach a resolution with the building’s landlord.
The bar opened in 2007 and is cited as the birthplace of modern classic cocktails, including the Paper Plane and The Art of Choke.
The team comprised Toby Maloney, Jason Cott, Donnie Madia, Peter Garfield and Terry Alexander.
All Violet Hour employees will be offered roles at other One Off Hospitality concepts.
In a statement, the bar said: “After 18 incredible years behind our discreet, unmarked doors in Wicker Park, it is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the velvet curtains at The Violet Hour have closed for the final time.
“Between our partners at One Off Hospitality, we’ve spent nearly a quarter of a century in this building, 18 of those years as The Violet Hour. Several weeks ago, we closed temporarily due to unexpected damage to the building. Despite extensive efforts and negotiations, we were regretfully unable to reach a resolution with our landlord.
“When we opened in 2007, Chicago’s cocktail landscape was a vastly different place. What began as a gamble – a hidden, candlelit space devoted to serious cocktails – helped shape what has become one of the most dynamic drinking cities in the world.
“Over the years, The Violet Hour became known not only for signature drinks like the Juliet & Romeo, Paper Plane, and The Art of Choke, but also for the community it nurtured: the bartenders, artists, friends, and guests who brought the space to life night after night.
“Names you might recognise include Michael Rubel, Kirk Estopinal, Eden Laurin, Robby Haynes, Kyle Davidson, Nandini Khaund, Stephen Cole, Ira Koplowitz, Mike Ryan, Abe Vucekovich, Susie Hoyt, Pat Ray, Brad Bolt, Dan Smith, and many more who went on to leave their mark on cocktail programmes across the country.
“The Violet Hour has remained an essential fixture in Wicker Park and a quiet icon on the national cocktail scene. From the artists who painted our ever-changing facade to the bartenders who opened their own award-winning bars, we’re proud of the role we played in sparking a cultural shift in how this city drinks and gathers.
“This is not the end of The Violet Hour as a brand, but it is the end of this chapter. You may see us again somewhere down the line.
“To every guest who ever found their way behind the curtains: thank you. You made this place what it was. We are forever grateful.”
In December last year, we spoke to the founders of London’s Paloma Café, which was forced to close due to repeated claims from a disgruntled neighbour.
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