Warehouse (nightclub)
The Warehouse was a historic nightclub in Chicago, located at 206 South Jefferson Street. Opened in 1977 under Robbie Williams, it is best known as the birthplace and namesake of house music, a style that began there under the club’s first musical director, DJ Frankie Knuckles. Posters described events as “house” parties, helping the term catch on.
The three-story former factory drew about 500 people from midnight Saturday to midday Sunday, mainly gay Black and Latino men. The club focused on disco and R&B, while Knuckles experimented with editing disco breaks on a tape recorder, blending sounds to create a new, house music style. This space fostered a spiritual, open atmosphere that made it a safe place for its community and a key hub for Chicago house.
In 1982, after the admission fee increased, Knuckles left to start his own clubs, Power Plant and later Powerhouse. Warehouse owners opened Music Box at 326 N Michigan Ave and hired Ron Hardy, who also helped shape early house music.
In 2004, Chicago renamed the block where the Warehouse stood Frankie Knuckles Way and proclaimed August 25 Frankie Knuckles Day, with support from Barack Obama. The building was designated a Chicago Landmark on June 21, 2023.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 18:50 (CET).