smart bar
smartbar is a Chicago independent nightclub operating since 1986, hosting house music, techno, and LGBTQ+ dance events (including the 14+ year-running Queen! Sunday party) for 21+ patrons via recurring weekly programming and co-produced events with Metro Chicago.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What smart bar does
smartbar operates an independent nightclub venue located at 3730 N Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois, within the basement of the 100-year-old Auditorium Hall. The venue has been in continuous operation since 1986, making it one of Chicago's longest-running independent dance music clubs, and it operates three nights per week (Friday through Sunday) with late-night hours, restricted to patrons aged 21 and over. The venue features a Funktion-One sound system and is not wheelchair accessible due to the building's structural layout.
The venue's core products are its recurring event series rather than physical goods. The flagship is Queen!, a weekly Sunday LGBTQ+ house music dance party that has run for over 14 years and is hosted by Lucy Stoole and Nico, featuring resident DJs including Derrick Carter, Michael Serafini, and Shaun J Wright. The venue also operates additional series including Statement Piece (resident-led by Madeline), Diamond Formation, Oxygen (presented by Global Swing), and co-produced "all-building" events with neighboring Metro Chicago such as Market Daze Queen!. Resident and guest DJ programming totals over 100 artists, drawing both Chicago house music figures and international talent.
Revenue is generated primarily through advance and door ticket sales, with prices ranging from $15-$30 depending on event and timing. Tickets are distributed via Etix.com for online sales and through a shared Metro/smartbar box office at 3728 N Clark Street; door sales are cash only, and student discounts are available before midnight. The venue operates without external funding, parent company ownership, or disclosed M&A activity, functioning as an independent operator with a stated shared-management contact email ([email protected]) indicating operational linkage with the adjacent Metro venue.
smart bar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- smart bar
- Website
- https://smartbarchicago.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- smartbar is a Chicago independent nightclub operating since 1986, hosting house music, techno, and LGBTQ+ dance events (including the 14+ year-running Queen! Sunday party) for 21+ patrons via recurring weekly programming and co-produced events with Metro Chicago.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
smart bar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nightclub and Live Music Venue
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- DJ & Electronic Music Venues (MPAGAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nightclub & Small Live Venue Operations (Clubs, Bars with Stages) (MPAGALAF), Nightclubs & Dance Clubs (THAFAEAC), After-Hours Clubs (MPAGAIAK), Nightclubs & Dance Clubs (CRANACAG)
Keywords
Where smart bar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
smart bar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: smartbar generates primary revenue through ticket sales for live music events, DJ performances, and special events. Tickets are sold in advance through Etix.com and at the box office with cash or credit card. Door tickets are cash only.
- Venue Operations: The venue operates as an independent nightclub generating revenue from event admissions, with tickets ranging from $15-$30 depending on event type and timing (early/advance/door pricing). Student discounts of $5 off are offered at the door before midnight.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Event Tickets |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Special/All-Building Events |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Student Pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
smart bar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
smartbar operates an independent nightclub venue located in the basement of a 100-year-old Auditorium Hall at 3730 N Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois. The venue sells event admissions and ticket access to live DJ performances and dance music events, including its signature weekly Queen! LGBTQ+ house music dance party and recurring resident event series such as Statement Piece, Diamond Formation, and Oxygen. Tickets are priced between $15 and $30, sold via Etix.com, the on-site box office, and at-the-door cash sales.
Product overview
smartbar is Chicago's premiere independent nightclub venue offering a portfolio of recurring weekly events and special programming. The core venue operates as a basement-level club hosting live music, DJ sets, and dance events. Key recurring products include Queen! (weekly Sunday LGBTQ+ house music dance party now in its 14th year), and resident-led events like Statement Piece (hosted by Madeline). The venue also hosts collaborative events with external promoters such as Global Swing, Format, and Mama's House. smartbar functions as an event space rather than a software product, with its 'products' being the physical venue experience and named event series.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Queen!: A cornerstone event of Chicago's house music scene and a pioneering LGBTQ+ dance party, celebrating over 14 years of unrelenting energy and inclusivity. Hosted every Sunday at smartbar.
- Statement Piece
Products and services
- smartbar Venue Chicago's premiere independent nightclub located at 3730 N Clark Street, celebrating 40 years of showcasing dance music and hosting cutting-edge DJs. Open to patrons 21 and over, operating Fridays 10pm-4am, Saturdays 10pm-5am, and Sundays 10pm-4am.
- Queen! A weekly Sunday LGBTQ+ house music dance party celebrating over 14 years of energy and inclusivity, featuring resident DJs Derrick Carter, Michael Serafini, and Shaun J. Wright alongside hosts Lucy Stoole and Nico.
- Statement Piece smartbar resident event series featuring Bambounou, Madeline, and Liquid City Motors, hosted by resident DJ Madeline.
- Diamond Formation
Quantifiable outcome
- 40 years in operation as an independent venue
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use smart bar
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
smart bar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
smart bar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- SpotHerominorsmartbar partners with SpotHero for parking reservations, directing patrons to book convenient and affordable parking in advance near the venue.
- Etix.comcoreEtix.com serves as the primary online ticketing platform for smartbar events, handling advance ticket sales for all shows and performances.
- Metro Chicagocoresmartbar operates in conjunction with Metro Chicago venue. Metro & smartbar present co-produced events such as the all-building Market Daze Queen! event. The Metro/smartbar Box Office handles ticketing for both venues.
- Format (Mark Angel, Adam Curtis, Brenda)coreFormat is a Chicago techno collective with a dedicated record label (Format Recordings) and Format FM podcast. The collective runs events at smartbar with a three-year residency, driving techno scene events and community connections.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
smart bar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Spybar: Independent electronic music nightclub in Chicago offering a similar premium DJ-focused late-night experience. Directly comparable as another small-format Chicago EDM club competing for the same DJ talent, ticket-paying audience, and house/techno customer base.
- Sound-Bar: Chicago electronic music nightclub with comparable programming focus on house, techno, and EDM. Operates as a direct competitor in the same late-night premium club category with overlapping DJ bookings and customer demographics.
- Berlin Nightclub: Chicago nightclub operating in a similar late-night electronic music format with comparable ticket pricing and target audience. Directly competes with smartbar for Chicago nightlife dollars on weekend nights.
- Primary Nightclub: Chicago EDM nightclub that competes for the same touring DJ talent and customer base. Comparable as a multi-room electronic music venue operating similar late-night premium ticketed events.
- Cerise: Chicago nightlife venue with comparable electronic and dance music programming. Operates in the same premium late-night category and competes for overlapping nightlife customers in the Chicago market.
- Berghain / Panorama Bar: World-famous Berlin electronic music club operating as the benchmark for house/techno venue prestige. Comparable as a destination-grade electronic music venue where international DJ talent and venue cachet drive premium positioning.
- Cielo: Long-running New York City electronic music club with comparable intimate venue size and premium house/techno DJ programming. Direct peer as a small-format destination venue where programming quality rather than scale drives pricing power.
- The Warehouse Project: Manchester-based seasonal electronic music club series offering similar premium ticketed DJ-focused events. Comparable as a destination electronic music venue that draws touring talent and dedicated dance music audiences willing to pay premium ticket prices.
Broad incumbents
- Ministry of Sound: Iconic global electronic music club brand originating in London with multi-city presence. Broader incumbent in the same genre category, offering comparable DJ-centric nightclub experiences but at significantly larger scale across multiple venues.
- Space Ibiza: Legendary Ibiza-based electronic music club with global destination status. Comparable as a house/techno venue where international DJ programming and venue brand command premium positioning, though operating at significantly broader scale than a single-city independent.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
smart bar social profiles
Digital presencesmart bar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
smart bar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
smart bar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
smart bar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about smart bar
What does smart bar do?
smartbar operates an independent nightclub venue located in the basement of a 100-year-old Auditorium Hall at 3730 N Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois. The venue sells event admissions and ticket access to live DJ performances and dance music events, including its signature weekly Queen! LGBTQ+ house music dance party and recurring resident event series such as Statement Piece, Diamond Formation, and Oxygen. Tickets are priced between $15 and $30, sold via Etix.com, the on-site box office, and at-the-door cash sales.
Is smart bar a public or private company?
smart bar is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was smart bar founded?
smart bar was founded in 1986.
Where is smart bar based?
smart bar is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does smart bar make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are venue Operations.
Who are smart bar's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Spybar, Sound-Bar, Berlin Nightclub, Primary Nightclub, Cerise, Berghain / Panorama Bar, Cielo and The Warehouse Project. Broad incumbents are Ministry of Sound and Space Ibiza.
Does smart bar have an API?
No public API is recorded for smart bar.
What industry is smart bar in?
smart bar's product category is Nightclub and Live Music Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAIAE, DJ & Electronic Music Venues, with a secondary code of MPAGALAF, Nightclub & Small Live Venue Operations (Clubs, Bars with Stages). Its NAICS code is 71131 and its SIC code is 7900.