HopCat, Lincoln Park’s Massive Craft Beer Bar, Closes

HopCat, a quirky bar for craft beer in Lincoln Park, has closed. The bar’s management made the announcement via Twitter. The Michigan chain opened its one and only Chicago location in September 2016 at 2577 N. Clark Street. The chain still has 16 locations in the Mitten State.

The company invested heavily in the Chicago space at the T-intersection of Clark and Wrightwood. The design was unlike other HopCats. A bar from the ‘90s movie, Jackie Brown inspired the decor. HopCat would host craft beer events and brought fancy brews to an area known for college sports bars the serve domestic macro lagers.

HopCat was also know for its fries, which recently went through a name change. In January, the chain changed the 11-year-old name from the insensitive “Crack Fries” to “Cosmik Fries.” Locally, the shutter is another blow to Clark Street which has vacancies including Dunlays on Clark and D.O.C. Wine Bar. Those bars, across the street from HopCat, closed in August.

UPDATE: The Tribune spoke with HopCat’s founder who blamed the Lincoln Park location. The Michigander didn’t know Chicago well enough to pick the right neighborhood for the beer bar.

The reasoning behind the shutter isn’t clear. See the full Twitter post below.