Chicago-based hospitality and music collective 16” on Center (16OC) has sustained a growing portfolio of venues, bars and restaurants for more than three decades by rooting each project in its surrounding neighborhood and treating customers as the central driver of business decisions.
Founded in 1992 by Bruce Finkelman and Craig Golden, 16OC takes its name from a construction term for the center mark that yields the strongest build. That principle, Finkelman said, guides their approach: “creating the highest quality places that are meant to last.”
Neighborhood Roots and Diversified Operations
The collective’s portfolio spans The Empty Bottle, SPACE, Thalia Hall, The Promontory, and the Salt Shed, a venue built inside the former Morton Salt factory on the Chicago River. 16OC also produces community events and festivals. Each restaurant, bar and venue operates as a standalone business, with the collective providing shared support and services.
Our venues reside in the neighborhoods they serve. That is the cornerstone of any 16 on Center operations: its success depends on its neighbors.
Weathering Market Pressures
Since opening the Empty Bottle in 1992, the company has navigated a competitive landscape spanning real estate, live events and food, while costs have risen. Finkelman attributes the group’s resilience to a customer-first discipline.
We thrive by continuously trying to understand our customers. By making them a factor in almost every business decision we make. That goes for understanding how costs and rising prices affect our people.
Finkelman is active in the Chicago Independent Venue League (CIVL) and the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA). He said independent venues across Chicago face the same struggles.
A Complicated Relationship with Live Nation
Asked whether Live Nation and Ticketmaster affect the business, Finkelman acknowledged the multifaceted dynamic.
Absolutely. Live Nation is a competitor, a partner, and a vendor. With so many different aspects to our relationship, it certainly makes for a complicated one.
The ‘This and That’ Principle
Multiple income streams help insulate the collective from the volatility of live events, a strategy Golden calls the “this and that” principle.
Why have only one thing helping you survive when you could have many?
Artist Loyalty Through Family Ties
Artists including Modest Mouse, Alabama Shakes and Gary Clark Jr. have grown with 16OC, moving from the Empty Bottle to Thalia Hall and the Salt Shed. Finkelman said such loyalty is common because the relationships are familial.
We find it pretty common in our pipeline because the folks are family; people we have watched grow up throughout the years.
Finding Audiences Without Algorithms
When asked about marketing strategies amid algorithmic noise, Finkelman pointed to an internal compass rather than external tools.
We follow our north star which is doing the things we like, hoping other like them. Being honest with ourselves.
