From cultural landmarks to craft beer: Chicago's winter of closures
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Urban Belly in Wicker Park. Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios
It's been a brutal winter for business closures in Chicago.
The big picture: Winter closures are part seasonal, part survival — but they offer a window into Chicago's changing restaurant and retail landscape.
- 2026 is already following the path of 2025.
Here are some notable closings in February:
The "Pride" of the South Side: Pride Cleaners, one of the most striking buildings on the South Side, has closed. There are no plans for new ownership and the building, with its geometric, modern design, is not landmarked.
- Sun-Times architecture critic Lee Bey is worried about the building's future and that worries us, too.
Lightning-quick expansion forces move: Hattie B's, which just opened its first Chicago outpost in Wrigleyville last week, announced plans to set up shop in Wicker Park by 2027. They are moving into the Urbanbelly space just south of North Avenue on Damen Avenue.
- Urbanbelly will close at this location, but promises to relocate.
When it rains, it pours (drafts): A cluster of Chicago-area breweries has already called it quits in 2026.
- The craft beer boom has slowed since COVID and many breweries have pushed into other areas like hemp-derived THC drinks.
- Notable closures include Whiner Beer Company (Back of the Yards), Illuminated Brew Works (Norwood Park), Alarmist Brewing (Sauganash), Casa Humilde Cerveceria y Cocina (Forest Park) and Short Fuse Brewing (Schiller Park).
- Whiner produces "Le Tub," the popular barrel-aged wild saisons. The Back of the Yards staple is set to close permanently by the end of March.
Art without a budget: The DePaul Art Museum is closing in June. The North Side gallery will shutter after the university cut its funding.
Razed and confused: Affordable Portables on Clark Street may have closed in 2022, but the massive building near the Wiener's Circle is in the process of being demolished to make way for a new condo project.
- Without that building, the Clark Street jog looks and feels a lot different.
It can't be closed if it never opened: Plans to renovate the Wilson Theater and turn it into a new Double Door space were shelved and instead, the Double Door will partner with the Bucktown bar Gallery Cabaret to curate bands and lineups.
- The Gallery isn't turning into the Double Door, though; it will still retain its quaint, dive bar vibe.
- No word on whether the famous open mic night will continue.
Other recent closures: Lizard's Liquid Lounge (Irving Park), 90 Miles Cuban Cafe (Roscoe Village) and Open Books (Logan Square).