In just a few years, the West Loop has welcomed countless new restaurants as well as the headquarters of companies like Google and McDonald's, but that rapid growth hasn't come without consequences. Some businesses that have called the area home long before Michelin-starred dining and tech industry giants arrived have been forced out of the neighborhood, including many of the meat-packing companies that once dominated the West Loop and Fulton Market district. The latest casualty is The Mid, a nightclub located at 306 N Halsted Street that opened its doors in 2010.
The Mid's co-owners Lucas King and Nick Karounos announced the nightclub's impending closure via an email, which attributes the decision to “recent expansion in the West Loop and Fulton Market District.” February 5, 2019 will be the club's final night in operation, when supporters can attend an event called “One Last Song.” King and Karounos are promising plenty of parties and special events in the month leading up to the Mid's closure, though the venue's website currently lists previously announced shows.
Since opening in 2010, the Mid has hosted some of the biggest producers and DJs in the world, including the first-ever Chicago appearance by dubstep producer Skrillex, as well as Calvin Harris, Diplo, Kaskade, Claude Von Stroke and more.
In the email sent to the Mid supports, King and Karounos state that they “look forward to opening new venues in Chicago in the near future.” The pair already have a stake in Lincoln Park's Prysm nightclub and the Concord Music Hall in Logan Square, two music venues that will likely pick up many of the acts that the Mid formerly booked. For now, you've got four more months to dance under the Mid's disco balls before the club shuts down for good.