Danny's Tavern, the tiny, groovy dive bar in Bucktown, announced that it may be closing earlier this month. On Tuesday, the owners of the club announced that, after an outpour of support from the community, they are working out a new lease with the landlords, and the spot would remain open.
"If it weren't for folks speaking out about the possible closing, we may have been looking at our final month of business after 26 years," Danny's owner Terry Alexander said in a statement. "But fortunately, our landlord has reached back out to us... and we're currently working towards signing another lease and repairing the roof that is quickly deteriorating."
DNAinfo's Wicker Park and Bucktown reporter Alisa Hauser first broke the story of Danny's closing after speaking with the bar's manager, Kevin Stacy, who blamed gentrification for the closing, and said that the bar has been on a month-to-month lease since a death occurred in the family who owns the building at 1951 W Dickens Avenue.
The announcement of the closing attracted a good deal of public outcry, as patrons rushed to the club for a chance to get in one last dance before it shuttered its doors for good. According to Alexander, that rush of support inspired the property's landlord to reach out to the owners of Danny's to work out a new lease.
We know what you're thinking: Considering that Danny's was never "officially" closing in the first place, all of the hubbub smells a bit like a publicity stunt. Regardless, Chicago's dance freaks are breathing a sigh of relief, and this writer will continue to twinkle his toes at the spot for the foreseeable future.