In what is undoubtedly a setback for Champaign-Urbana’s cultural landscape, multiple posts on Facebook, and a mention on Mix 94.5 make it official: Chester Street Bar has closed. This is the latest in a string of closures in Champaign that has decimated the local venue scene, leaving fewer and fewer places for live entertainment.
The Midtown establishment, which has been open since 1984, was just announced as the host of some of the events at C-U’s Pride Festival for this year, and questions as to why the closure occurred, or what it means for the future of the building, remain unclear.
For more information, check out some Facebook posts below, names redacted:
Why C-Street remains closed is still a mystery, with some commenters saying it is just for renovations, and others saying that it is permanent. We will update this post as we get more information.