Manhole Reopening Next Week With New Cocktail Bar to Fill Boystown Void

Spin's not returning to Boystown, but clubbers hunting for the latest incarnation of Manhole are in luck. The club, along with a new companion concept, The Den Cocktail Bar, is set to open next week inside the site at Belmont Avenue and Halsted Street that recently became a revolving door for establishments.

They'll open on Thursday, May 14. Management's describing The Den as having a 1920s men's social club lounge vibe with cocktails curated by Elixir's Vlad Novikov, with recipes from the Old Waldorf Astoria Bar Book. There's not many details about the third incarnation of the Manhole except there's going to be a shop for those interested in sport, leather and rubber fetish offerings. That will be run by Full Kit Gear, which operates a storefront in Boystown.

There's a bit of a complicated history for this site, so here's a primer. Boystown landmark Spin closed in May 2014, and new ownership came in and opened two neighboring joints: Chloe's and Whiskey Trust. After a few financially-trying months, Chloe's went away to make room in September for the second coming of the Manhole. The first Manhole closed in 2002 where Hydrate Night Club now stands down the street on Halsted. Still with us? Manhole and Whiskey Trust closed in December, as Spin's former owner, Dave Gassman once again gained control of the space.

Gassman declined comment, only pointing out that LKH Management, which also runs Hydrate and Elixir, will run the new Manhole and The Den. The former owners of Chloe's and Whisky Trust brought in LKH last year to help when those establishments floundered.

They're hosting a VIP party on the day The Den opens, granting admission before the general public gets a chance. Register here for the party.

DNAinfo first reported the opening, while Chicago Pride was the first to report the Manhole would return.