FULTON MARKET — Time Out Market in Fulton Market will close Jan. 23 after seven years in the neighborhood.
The announcement came from the food hall’s parent company, Time Out, a publishing company that covers restaurants and entertainment news in major cities around the world, including Chicago.
Time Out Market opened in Fulton Market in 2019 with a mission “to gather Chicago’s most exciting food and drink talents under one roof.” Customers were able to order from numerous Chicago restaurants under one roof with open seating. The food hall also hosted events, including DJs on the weekends and storytime events for families.
Time Out Market is currently home to 17 vendors, according to its website.
Time Out Market’s sprawling first floor bar. Credit: Mauricio Peña/ Block Club Chicago
Michael Marley, CEO of Time Out Market, said in a statement that the decision was driven by decreased and inconsistent foot traffic following the pandemic, which has led to a hybrid work environment. Marley also pointed to increased operating costs.
“It has been an honour to serve Chicago, and we have loved our time here—Chicago is a fantastic city with outstanding food and cultural scenes. We want to thank our team, our chefs and restaurateurs who truly are the best of the city. It is thanks to all of them that the Chicago Market has been a wonderful place for our guests whom we also would like to thank wholeheartedly,” Marley said in a statement.
“We are proud to have been able to give our vendors a platform in Time Out Market, we will continue to champion these outstanding, best of the city talents. We hope to welcome many of you as our guests at the Market this month to enjoy our vendors’ amazing food,” Marley said.
Time Out Chicago, the website, will continue to operate, according to the announcement.
Jesse Li, owner of Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings, has had a location inside Time Out Market since the summer of 2024. Li told Block Club that he only found out about the closing Tuesday, calling it a “100 percent surprise.”
The restaurant was one and a half years into a two-year contract. Li said the food hall wasn’t as busy lately, as it appeared that few workers were in the corridor because many others worked remotely. He still thought having a smaller location in another neighborhood like Fulton Market was a good business decision.
Now, Li said his business must vacate by the end of next week.
Credit: Mauricio Peña/ Block Club Chicago
The company is also closing its Boston market, making its locations in New York City and Brooklyn the only remaining markets in the United States. There are currently Time Out Markets in Montreal, Dubai, Cape Town, Porto, Barcelona, Bahrain, Osaka and Budapest. Four additional markets are listed as under development for 2026 on the company’s website, including Vancouver, Abu Dhabi, Prague and Riyadh.
Time Out did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the future of its other locations.
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