There’s a new magic establishment coming to Chicago, and this one is making its home on the Magnificent Mile. According to the Chicago Tribune, the venue is called The Hand & The Eye and is backed by healthcare entrepreneur Glen Tullman.
“This is not some six-month pop-up thing. This is a once-in-a-generation project,” Tullman told the Tribune. At 36,000 square feet, the space is like a larger version of The Magic Castle and will hold seven performance areas, several bars, and a dining experience. Also like The Castle, Tullman said his venue “will not be a jeans and sneakers kind of place,” and will have a dress code. Guests will buy an inclusive ticket for the night and then make reservations at the various theaters and performing spaces throughout the venue, depending on their interests. There will also be a membership option. To join, an applicant will have to learn at least one trick, but other than that requirement, anyone can become a member (provided, presumably, they pay their dues). Jeff Kaylor is on board as the “curator of magic,” and other magicians will also be working on getting the venue up and running, including Nick Locapo and Michael Ammar.
“We want to open up people’s imaginations,” Kaylor told the Tribune, “and we also want to create a place where every magician in the world wants to perform.”
Opening night for The Hand & The Eye is currently scheduled for March 2026.