Chicago’s classical music scene is getting a serious upgrade, starting with a venue that could only happen here: a former 7-Eleven turned chamber concert hall. The CheckOut, the latest project from nonprofit Access Contemporary Music (ACM)—and the company's first brick-and-mortar location—opened mid-September at 4116 N. Clark Street in Lake View, and it's already shaking up what “classical” can look like.
Closed since 2018, the former 7-Eleven location presented a myriad of problems for ACM, from the usual (all that reno, plus landing a liquor license) to the specific (do you know how filthy abandoned 7-Elevens can be?). But now, the CheckOut is sparkling clean, with cheeky bods to its origins scattered throughout the space. Looking for a cocktail? Try one of the slushies (if the machines look familiar under a different name, that's because Trademark). The menus are in the shape of chip bags, and every new attendee's entrance is accompanied by that classic bell sound.
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But the music and ambition belie the kitsch factor of the repurposed space. ACM has run everything from music lessons to composer collectives, and the next step in its mission was to open a permanent home for contemporary classical, new music, jazz and even cabaret.
The venue will hold about 60 people, with standing or table seating, and the layout means you can feel the music during the CheckOut’s opening festival, running September 13-28, with 12 concerts ranging from chamber works to jazz-inflected sets and cabaret, premieres from Chicago composers and a nod to tradition with pieces by Arvo Pärt to mark his 90th birthday.
It’s not just the new space that feels electric. The rest of Chicago's classical calendar already has momentum, with concerts by rising stars and returning festivals. There’s something in the air, maybe in part because artists and presenters are rethinking what a classical concert can be, from who’s in the room to where musicians perform.
So if you’ve been looking for a way to attend a classical music concert that doesn’t feel like homework and is as much about experiencing it as hearing, this is your chance. Tickets for The CheckOut’s opening run are surprisingly affordable, and seeing music in a place that used to sell Slurpees? That alone is worth the walk.
For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.