Buddy Guy To Close Club, Look For New Space
02.06.07 (4:59 am) [edit]
Bluesman Buddy Guy announced Thursday his legendary club, Buddy
Guy's Legends, at 754 S. Wabash Ave., will close sometime around
June, to make way for a new student center for Columbia College.
Guy, who has been at the South Loop location since 1989, has been
working with the city to find a new spot for his club.
Guy said he wants to stay in the South Loop. "I even looked at the
old E2 club [at 2347 S. Michigan Ave.] two weeks ago," he said. "I'm
having a contractor go in there to see if they can turn it into a
blues club. There's two or three buildings near there the city
recommended I look at."
He had been checking out the historic George Diamond Steakhouse
building, 630 S. Wabash Ave., until it was gutted by fire in October
and had to be demolished.
"Next week I'm looking in the [original] Maxwell street, which is
where the blues started," said Guy, who turned 70 last year.
Columbia College has been planning to build a student center at the
site of Legends ever since the land was donated to the school in
1999. Columbia College spokeswoman Micki Leventhal said the school's
two-year extension on Guy's lease expires May 31.
"We're not ready to start construction on June 1," she said. "We're
willing to be flexible, but eventually we need this space for
expansion."
In a statement, Columbia College pointed out that they have owned
the building where Legends has located since 1989.
"Buddy has been renting space from us at his current "Legends"
location since we acquired that building in 1999," the statement
said. "It was understood from the beginning that this was a
temporary arrangement, and we have extended his lease several times.
"Although his current 2-year lease is up at the end of May, Columbia
is definitely willing to be flexible while Buddy locates a new site
for his enterprise," the statement added.
The statement said the college supports Guy "as a blues artist and
cultural icon," and had presented him with an honorary doctorate
last May.
Guy loved his 754 S. Wabash Ave. location because of its proximity
to downtown and hotels.
"If I can't find another spot in the South or West Loop, I don't
know what's going to happen," Guy said.
Guy's Legends, at 754 S. Wabash Ave., will close sometime around
June, to make way for a new student center for Columbia College.
Guy, who has been at the South Loop location since 1989, has been
working with the city to find a new spot for his club.
Guy said he wants to stay in the South Loop. "I even looked at the
old E2 club [at 2347 S. Michigan Ave.] two weeks ago," he said. "I'm
having a contractor go in there to see if they can turn it into a
blues club. There's two or three buildings near there the city
recommended I look at."
He had been checking out the historic George Diamond Steakhouse
building, 630 S. Wabash Ave., until it was gutted by fire in October
and had to be demolished.
"Next week I'm looking in the [original] Maxwell street, which is
where the blues started," said Guy, who turned 70 last year.
Columbia College has been planning to build a student center at the
site of Legends ever since the land was donated to the school in
1999. Columbia College spokeswoman Micki Leventhal said the school's
two-year extension on Guy's lease expires May 31.
"We're not ready to start construction on June 1," she said. "We're
willing to be flexible, but eventually we need this space for
expansion."
In a statement, Columbia College pointed out that they have owned
the building where Legends has located since 1989.
"Buddy has been renting space from us at his current "Legends"
location since we acquired that building in 1999," the statement
said. "It was understood from the beginning that this was a
temporary arrangement, and we have extended his lease several times.
"Although his current 2-year lease is up at the end of May, Columbia
is definitely willing to be flexible while Buddy locates a new site
for his enterprise," the statement added.
The statement said the college supports Guy "as a blues artist and
cultural icon," and had presented him with an honorary doctorate
last May.
Guy loved his 754 S. Wabash Ave. location because of its proximity
to downtown and hotels.
"If I can't find another spot in the South or West Loop, I don't
know what's going to happen," Guy said.
