After Eight Years of Nightlife, River North’s Studio Paris Closes

After more than eight years of DJ-fueled nightlife and revelry in River North, the dance parties are over at Studio Paris. Management announced that the chic second-floor nightclub on Hubbard Street held its last service on Saturday night before becoming something new.

Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, which owned the club as well as Italian restaurant downstairs Il Porcellino, teased that “something exciting is coming soon” on the club’s website. Management made the original closing announcement via social media back on January 12, writing “what a ride it’s been. Thank you all for the support over the years. After Saturday, February 2nd we will be closing our doors. Come out in our final weeks to send us off right.”

Studio Paris was the nightclub, lounge and event space that originally complemented Paris Club downstairs, before the French restaurant closed in 2016 to make room for Il Porcellino. It became a place for well known DJs, Lollapalooza after shows, and general celebrity spotting. Chance the Rapper hosted a Lollapolooza after show in 2017, and also celebrated a birthday party there. Many pop stars including Justin Bieber took its stage.

Industry and other observers believe that the recent opening of TAO Chicago, the clubstaurant behemoth and celebrity magnet brand from Las Vegas, New York, and other locales, has taken business from existing popular local nightclubs. Rockit Ranch’s the Underground plans to undergo another massive renovation and the Mid officially shuttered on Saturday too after announcing in October plans to close in the West Loop, for example. It’s unclear how much TAO impacted business at Studio Paris or LEYE’s plans for the space.

A Lettuce Entertain You rep says she’ll try to track down more information on the closing and what’s coming to the space. Stay tuned for any updates.

UPDATE: Even though Lettuce didn’t provide additional information on Tuesday, LEYE President R.J. Melman posted a Facebook video (complete with Whitney Houston music) on Wednesday that announced Studio Paris would morph into something called Dance Studio. Dance Studio is pegged for a July opening, though the video also mysteriously announces “closing January 2021.” It’s a bit confusing and it sounds like a pop-up. Check back later if LEYE updates or posts another ambiguous video.