Bottom Lounge: Going, Going....

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 25, 2005 3:32PM

When Chicagoist first learned about the concept of eminent domain—when the government requires you to sell your privately-owned land to them to make way for new roads or other projects—we thought it was a sucky idea. But since the government helps you get a new house, we figured we’d be OK with it if the government helped you buy a mansion or something (we were 12 at the time so logic was not our strong suit). But a mansion is not going to help the folks at the Bottom Lounge, which has been scheduled for demolition under eminent domain as part of the CTA’s Brown Line Expansion Project.

This week’s issue of Time Out Chicago—which finally started arriving in our mailbox before the weekend begins—has the story. After opening Lakeview Links in 1991, owners Brian Elmiger and Phillip Trimble were told in 2001 that the club was to be razed to make way for the expansion of the Belmont platform so it could accommodate eight cars instead of the maximum six. The owners took the name the Bottom Lounge and have been booking live music regularly since then, waiting for the ax to fall. With the recent discussions of closures on the Brown Line, the demolition of the Bottom Lounge seems closer than ever.

But here’s the kicker: though the government is required to help businesses relocate when their property is taken, the article points out that Bottom Lounge’s liquor and all-ages licenses are tied to the property itself—not the owners. So if Bottom Lounge goes, so goes yet another all-ages music venue. With the Fireside Bowl now 21 and over, the spaces for these shows are dwindling. We’ve been noticing a lot of art galleries like Texas Ballroom and the Open End Gallery at Ideotech being re-purposed for live music in recent weeks to accommodate this crowd. Though The Bottom Lounge believes the city’s hostile relationship towards bars and clubs will seal their fate, perhaps the Chicago Music Commission can step in and save the day.

Image: michaelblumberg.com