UNIVERSITY VILLAGE — As 2015 came to a close, two area businesses decided to close their doors for good.
Powell's Books Chicago, 1218 S. Halsted St., and Bascule Wine Bar, 1421 W. Taylor St., both closed at the end of December. The bookstore and award-winning wine bar join a growing list of local businesses that have recently closed in the area.
Owners of Powell's Books Chicago closed the Halsted Street store Dec. 23 after nearly four years in business.
In a Facebook post, owner Brad Jonas said the University of Illinois at Chicago approached him about taking over the storefront previously occupied by Barbara's Bookstore, and Powell's subsequently opened in the spot in March 2012.
"While the issues faced by the previous tenant were taken into consideration before opening, it became clear that the location of the store would be the biggest challenge," Jonas wrote. "Despite our efforts to stock the store with amazing books, to promote the store through print and online advertising and host some incredible authors and events, we were not able to get enough people to come to the neighborhood. In the end there were simply too few customers walking in the door to make the business profitable."
Powell's Books Chicago continues to operate a store at 1501 E. 57th St. in Hyde Park. A Powell's Book Store in Lakeview, which Jonas co-owned with Michael Powell, closed in April 2014.
Bascule closes
After nearly a year in business, Bascule Wine Bar closed on New Year's Eve, according to an Eater Chicago report.
Sommelier Jason Prah opened the Taylor Street wine bar with partner Scott Harney in January 2015. Over time, business eventually dwindled in the "challenging" neighborhood near UIC, Prah said.
"We were crazy busy when we opened but after a few months the breaks went on," Prah told Eater Chicago. "I anticipated that the fall would have an uptick in business but it just didn't happen."
After announcing the Bascule would close, Prah thanked his friends for their support and love.
"To even have a turn on the carousel is divine," he wrote on Facebook.
At a community meeting Tuesday, Connecting 4 Communities Executive Director Dennis O'Neill said adding more density to the neighborhood was key to curbing the area's high retail vacancy rate.
"Density is our friend in this community," he said at a meeting on a proposed 99-unit luxury rental development at 1350 S. Union Ave. Adding new residents "isn't going to kill the neighborhood, it's going to help the neighborhood."
Under the latest plans for the 137-acre Roosevelt Square redevelopment, 500 more market-rate units would be developed on site.
To date, only 575 of the proposed 1,085 CHA units, 313 of the proposed 846 affordable units and 159 of the proposed 1,466 market-rate units at Roosevelt Square have been developed. The plan calls for a total of 3,396 total housing units to be developed.
Other closings
In early December, owners of Lucky's on Maxwell, 717 W. Maxwell St., announced the restaurant would close permanently after five years in business.
"We're sorry to say, but our lease has come to term and we've decided not to renew," owners posted on the restaurant's Facebook page.
On Dec. 21, a Bar Louie bar and restaurant opened at 1325 S. Halsted St. in a spot previously occupied by Morgan's on Maxwell for more than a decade. The popular bar was closed in October due to unpaid taxes.
Chapati Indian Grill, a new fast casual Indian restaurant, is expected to open in the third week of January at 727 Maxwell St.
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