BOYSTOWN — Leather-clad lovers of Manhole rejoice: The bar is reopening next week.
After an abrupt closure in December, the leather-themed bar at 3200 N. Halsted St. at Belmont Avenue will reopen May 14, along with a second, still-unnamed upstairs venue.
"This time, we're here to stay for good," said Sean Kotwa, managing partner for LKH. "This is something that we've wanted to be a part of very much."
Ariel Cheung discusses the new spot and the overall Boystown scene:
Manhole will keep its original concept, but the upstairs will become a 1920s-style cocktail lounge. While the large leather chairs and Prohibition-era cocktails bring to mind a certain Wicker Park lounge, the theme is slightly different.
"It's geared toward a much more masculine look than Violet Hour," Kotwa said.
The cocktail lounge will open May 14 as well, but Kotwa said there was still debate between two names for the space that formerly housed Chloe's.
The former Spin Nightclub space has been spinning through owners since the longtime staple closed in May 2014, kicking off what Kotwa called an "unfortunate series of events."
A month later, new owner Jason Zilberbrand opened Whiskey Trust and '80s-inspired dance club Chloe's.
LKH Management — the team behind Boystown hotspots like Hydrate, Elixir and Replay — assumed management of the bar and nightclub at the end of August 2014 and rebranded Chloe's as Manhole, which opened Sept. 18.
The original Manhole dance club was located at 3458 N. Halsted St. and closed in 2002, at which point LKH converted it to Hydrate.
Spin's former owner, David Gassman, reacquired the 3200 N. Halsted St. location after Whiskey Trust and Manhole abruptly closed in December. Gassman and LKH partnered for the reopening.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
