The Aragon Ballroom on Lawrence Avenue. Photo: Warren LeMay from Chicago, IL, United States / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
On a sold-out night at the Aragon Ballroom, the block around Lawrence and Broadway fills hours before the doors open. Fans line up on the sidewalk, rideshares stack up along the curb and nearby bars and restaurants brace for a rush.
For many businesses near the venue, the concert calendar is the most important planning document they have.
Planning around shows
Owners say they check the Aragon and Riviera schedules weeks ahead to plan staffing and orders. A big show can double a typical night’s sales. A quiet week can leave a bar with extra inventory and staff waiting for customers.
Late-night food spots benefit most after the show. Pizza, tacos and hot dogs sell fast between 10 p.m. and midnight, when crowds leave the venues and look for something to eat before heading home.
The off nights
The challenge is that big shows are not every night. Owners have learned to build a base of regular customers from the neighborhood so they are not dependent on concerts alone. Trivia nights, happy hours, brunch and sports viewing help fill the calendar.
A district of venues
The Aragon opened in 1926 and has been run by Live Nation since 2017. Together with the Riviera, the Green Mill and the Uptown Theatre, which is still awaiting restoration, it forms a cluster of entertainment venues that few Chicago neighborhoods can match. When the venues are busy, the whole corridor feels it.
Concerns from neighbors
Busy nights also bring complaints. Residents nearby point to noise, double-parked cars and litter after shows. Business owners say the key is coordination, with the venues, police and the alderman’s office working on traffic and crowd plans for the biggest events.
The relationship is not always smooth, but most owners agree the concerts are worth the trouble. Without them, the corner would be much quieter, and many of the businesses on it would struggle.
Marcus Hadley covers business, transit and real estate in Uptown.
