Celebrating 10 years of Soho House in Chicago

Set in the Allis Building, a former belt factory in the Fulton Market District dating back to 1908, Soho House Chicago has been a part of the city for 10 years. In that time, we’ve seen the city’s food and music scenes continue to flourish – with our exciting programming, culinary pop-ups and community of creative members helping us to become a part of that.

As the House celebrates a decade since opening, we asked Kalan Sebert, Head of Membership and Communications, to explain just what makes the city of Chicago so special – and why it’s never been a more exciting place to be.

A city of music
‘There’s always so much going on in the city. Chicago has hosted the Lollapalooza music festival every year since 2005, and just two years ago a new festival arrived in the city, called Sueños. The line-up is all Latin and reggaeton music, and it’s great to see something new joining the city’s summer schedule. The music scene is a big deal, and that’s something we’ve always supported in the House; our music programming has included some amazing events over the past decade. 

‘I’ll never forget hosting Lizzo for a performance in 2018, right as she was about to blow up – that was pretty special. Erykah Badu and Patti Smith both performed in the House in 2020 too, which members loved. And, of course, we mark Lollapalooza weekend with Sohopalooza in the House each year. In 2019, Tame Impala played, and just last year we hosted a DJ set from Diplo. I love that we’re able to celebrate the festival spirit with our members.’

A buzzing food scene
‘The food scene in the city has really evolved in the time the House has been open too, especially in Fulton Market, where the House is. When we first opened, it was really just Stephanie Izard’s Girl & The Goat restaurant nearby. Now, Randolph Street really lives up to its name of “restaurant row”. It’s great that we’ve been able to support that growth at the House, particularly with our One Night Only events. Members have enjoyed special pop-up dinners from chefs like Paul Kahan, Rick Bayless, Joe Flamm, and the Triple Crown team. It makes me proud to say we hosted chefs that have gone on to become recognised faces in the Chicago food landscape.

‘Chicago is a sports city, and our members love to come in for screenings of big games. We have a great gym in the House too, which we just recently refreshed, with a big boxing ring and a weekly programme of classes. Art is also a big part of the House – no surprise really, as EXPO CHICAGO, a modern art exposition, is a landmark event for the city each year. Through our art collection, we support local and emerging artists alongside big names like Damien Hirst.’

A city of creatives
‘Ultimately, our members are really what makes Soho House Chicago so special, though – and they’re a great reflection of the city. We have a flourishing Soho Mentorship programme, which pairs members with young creatives from lower socioeconomic and underrepresented backgrounds. They really want to support the creative community in Chicago. People take pride in the city, and want it to succeed – we’re lucky to be part of such a generous community. I think that’s why Chicago remains such an exciting place; there’s always something new happening.’

Explore Soho House Chicago and apply for membership