Open House Chicago has a lot to explore – from Art Nouveau clubs to antique shops

Peter Vale grew up on the Near North Side and was too young to visit Maxim's, the Art Nouveau restaurant his parents frequented in the basement of the modernist Astor Tower Hotel.

For this reason, he was determined to explore the space now known as “The.” Astor Clubas part of the annual Open House Chicago Tour on Saturday. The private dinner club at 24 E. Goethe St. has been restored to resemble the original restaurant that opened in 1963.

Vale and throngs of visitors entered architect Bertrand Goldberg's tall, elegant white building, descended a curving staircase and were ushered into an intimate yet spacious space with crimson walls and carpets, plush seating, ornate vintage lighting and memorabilia. Visitors can explore a small lobby, a bar area, two retro phone booths, and a dining room that includes a stage.

“It’s very grand and the architectural details are fascinating,” said Vale, who now lives in the Old Town. “The building is very modern. For me it’s fascinating to come downstairs and see how much it contrasts with the architecture of the 1960s.”

The Astor Club is one of more than 20 new sites at Open House Chicago, which is expected to draw tens of thousands at more than 170 locations this weekend. The free event takes place on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but hours at individual locations may vary.

Launched in 2011, the event aims to showcase the city's architectural beauty as well as its many historically and culturally significant institutions and sites.

Participants can plan their itineraries by visiting Architecture.org.

Employees are often on site to provide behind-the-scenes information. On Saturday at the Astor Club, staff and volunteers could be heard telling visitors stories from the past – and there's plenty of footage: Maxim's served a bevy of famous guests, including the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Kennedys and Muhammad Ali. According to Adam Bilter, who owns the club with his wife Victoria.

“We actually went through the old Sun-Times gossip column articles,” said Bilter, who also solicited information from former employees.

Detail-oriented design lovers will appreciate the original hand-molded plaster on the walls and ceilings, as well as the original marble bar. History buffs will delight in the Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec artwork on the wall, the 1936 Steinway piano, and the display of empty wine bottles from when the bar was open in the 1960s.

Bilter said he didn't expect the long line of visitors that greeted him Saturday.

“I thought there would be 50 people spread out throughout the day,” he said.

Natalie Garcia/For the Sun-Times

West of the Astor Club, people flocked to Salvage One, another new spot featured on the Open House Chicago tour. The architectural scrap shop, located at 1840 W. Hubbard St., has stored an impressive collection of items from demolished buildings in Chicago and beyond.

The West Town store has three floors of mantels, columns, doorknobs, sinks, bathtubs, sofas, chairs and pews. In one room there is an extensive collection of block letters that were rescued from old construction signs. another has hallway after hallway of old doors.

Natalie Garcia/For the Sun-Times

Particularly impressive is a deliberately decorated room with antique pink furniture and an elegant closet covered in pink fabric.

Although the space is used as a bridal suite (Salvage One hosts many courtyard weddings), all of the furnishings are for sale.

Every item in the shop has a story, whether known or not. On Saturday, owner Jane Rodak pointed to a bar rescued from the Bismarck Hotel and a bar that will move to the new TimeLine Theater building, scheduled to open in 2026.

“We’ve been in business since 1979,” Rodak said. “We have been working in this area since 2001. But there are still so many people who have never heard of us or who come in and say, 'Oh my God!' We have lived in this neighborhood for years. We didn't know you were here.'”

Natalie Garcia/For the Sun-Times

Places like the Astor Club and Salvage One impress with unique design elements. But places like the Fair Trade Museum also delight with educational exhibitions. The organization, located at 4704 N. Broadway, is dedicated to promoting fair trade, a business model that focuses on fair wages and environmental sustainability.

On Saturday, visitors toured exhibits about the sources of the food they consume every day, the history of the fair trade movement, the fast fashion industry and the labor movement in Chicago.

“We want to advocate for fair trade and make people aware of the issues behind all the products we simply take for granted,” said Nancy Demuth, director of public relations and engagement at the museum. “Participating in Open House Chicago and giving more people the opportunity to come and learn how they can make better decisions as consumers just makes sense to us.”

Open House Chicago's website provides not only details about each location, but also information about surrounding restaurants, playgrounds, and “activations” or programs at each location.

“We want people to spend an hour or two in a neighborhood and get to know the place a little,” said Adam Rubin, senior director of public engagement at the Chicago Architecture Center. “It’s really about increasing Chicago pride.”

Natalie Garcia/For the Sun-Times