The Double Door has been under fire since October 31, when the legendary Chicago music venue's lease expired. The issue was exacerbated when their landlord filed a complaint with the Cook County Circuit Court to get them evicted on November 3. That court battle is still ongoing.
Why try to evict your tenant that regularly sells out shows and has brought the Rolling Stones, the Flaming Lips and Sonic Youth to town? The answer is simple: Rent. Double Door currently pays $22,760 each month for a space reportedly worth millions, the club's attorney told the Tribune a while back, and the attorney alleges a better use of the space could generate five times that amount in monthly rent. Which is understandable—Wicker Park was an entirely different neighborhood in 1994, the year Double Door opened on the corner of 1572 N Milwaukee Ave. But does its cultural value eclipse monetary gain? Some would say so.
Fans of the club aren't willing to say goodbye, and neither are Double Door's owners. A petition was recently started to drum up support and possibly influence a judge in court. The last time Double Door was threatened with eviction ten years ago by the same owners, a petition of 5,000 signatures helped sway the judge. A new petition has been started in hopes to do much of the same.
Love Double Door as much as we do? Sign the Change.org petition here.