The space that was once home to Berlin Nightclub is set to reopen this month as a new venue: The Belmont, a cocktail bar, and Decibel, a late-night dance club.
Berlin, the eccentric Lake View nightclub at 954 W. Belmont Ave once filled with murals, drag performers and blaring music, closed its doors in 2023 after pay negotiations between owners Jim Schuman and Jo Webster and employees came to a standstill. The storefront will now operate as The Belmont until 10 p.m. and later transform into Decibel (or dB for short) on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights.
Marcus Devin, one of the new managers at the bar, was a regular at Berlin as far back as the 1990s. Sneaking into the bar at only 17, Devin eventually became an employee in 2016 and climbed up the ranks until the doors shut. He said he hopes Decibel and The Belmont bring back the same sense of acceptance that Berlin provided for so many people.
“It is separate from Berlin,” Devin, 47, said. “It’s just trying to bring back the feeling and the community and the night life that Berlin used to have, especially before the pandemic.”
“It used to be, ‘Everyone’s welcome here, from any background,’” he added. “You would come here and you would feel comfortable and everyone accepted you, and you got to be yourself. That is what we’re going for.”
Decibel and The Belmont will have a private opening April 25 and 26, and will open to the public once the bar receives approval from the city. Marcus said the bar could open to the public as early as April 25 if it receives approval.
The Belmont’s door will be open Tuesday to Saturday and patrons at Decibel will be charged a $5-$10 cover after 10 p.m.
The new venue will keep Berlin’s elevated stages for drag performances while adding new lighting and sound systems, bathrooms and two LED-lit bars. The new team will also include previous Berlin employees, including programming director Austin Neff and special events DJ Greg Haus.
Joseph Giannini, who performed in drag under the name of Gina Taye at Berlin, said the shuttered nightclub could never be recreated, but he is thrilled for a new generation of revelers to enjoy the space.
“I’m overjoyed that the space is being revitalized,” Giannini said. “I was hoping that it wasn’t going to get demolished and turn into condos or something like that. So knowing that the space is going to stay there, it’s kind of like our Chicago Stonewall, if you will.”
Giannini first danced in Berlin nightclub when he was 18. Now 55, he said he is excited to visit the new bar. A few decades older, he said the Belmont cocktail bar may suit him more now.
“I don’t know if I can make it out past 10 p.m. anymore,” Giannini joked. “But I’m willing to come out of retirement for a grand opening party.”
While a landmark for the LGBTQ+ community in Chicago, Giannini reflected on Berlin as a place of extravagance and self-expression for all types of people.
“I hope that the space can be all inclusive again without having to be tagged as a gay bar,” Giannini said.
