Excalibur (nightclub)

The Excalibur nightclub in Chicago was first opened in 1989. It is located in the former Chicago Historical Society building which is an official Chicago historical landmark. The building was constructed in 1892 and designed by Henry Ives Cobb in the Romanesque Revival style; the gothic pair of large and imposing winged gargoyles at the entrance are a more recent addition.

The club was opened by Fred Hoffmann who purchased the building in January 1989 from Peter Gatien for $3.5 million. Gatien had been the owner of the New York nightclub The Limelight and had operated a club in the Chicago building under that name as well, but it closed in 1985. Hoffman spent $1 million renovating the building, and at the time of its opening in 1989 it was the largest non-hotel entertainment facility in Chicago. ["Out of the Limelight, Excalibur to emerge" by Stanley Ziemba. "Chicago Tribune" June 5, 1989, page 8.] The club is operated by Hoffman's company, [http://www.aceplaces.com Ala Carte Entertainment, Inc.]

CNN reported that on April 24, 2001, a waitress at the club, Colleen Gallagher, was tipped $10,000 by a customer on a $60 bar tab. [ [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0107/12/lt.03.html Man Leaves Generous Tip in Nightclub.] Aired July 12, 2001.]

The building is said to be haunted, and has been the site of several television shows on the subject. It is also the site of its own weekly theater show about the paranormal, "Supernatural Chicago".

The northern portion of the building has its own entrance and is operated as a sister nightclub, Vision.

References

General References

* [http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/F/FormerCHSBuilding2.html Photo] of the building
* [http://www.excaliburchicago.com/history.php History of Excalibur building]
* [http://www.supernaturalchicago.com "Supernatural Chicago" show at Excalibur]