Tip-Top-Tap

The Allerton Hotel #2, originally uploaded by William 74.

A little bit of altitude for this week's Neon Friday!

Opened at the height of the Roarin' Twenties, Chicago's Allerton Hotel has been a fixture ever since. One of the first skyscrapers to open on Michigan Avenue, the Allerton was originally a residential "club hotel", with over 1,000 rooms for both men and women, in addition to sports leagues, a library, a solarium, and it's own in-house newspaper.

But the Allerton's most famous feature was probably the swanky Tip-Top-Tap lounge, located on the building's 23rd floor, and which quickly became known as one of downtown's hot spots. Although the Tip-Top-Tap closed in '61, the room gained more notoriety as the Cloud Room, especially when Don McNeil began broadcasting his show from the lounge. The 23rd floor went through another name change, becoming the Renaissance Ballroom in the late 1990's, after the Allerton Hotel was designated a landmark building and underwent a $60 million renovation.

Amazingly, the hotel still retains it's original name, without any corporate re-branding in sight. More amazingly, the long-gone Tip-Top-Tap's sign is still hanging, fully operational, and illuminated every night. Fortunately, with the Allerton's status as a landmark, this one'll be around for a while.

Apropos of nothing, but do you like what you see here? Wish you could have something like that to brighten up the blank walls in your home? Or your office? Or your home office? Know someone who would like something like...okay you see where I'm going with this. Well, we here at View. Found. have got you covered! Our chief photog and scribbler (a.k.a. Yours Truly) is offering pictures like the one you've just been enjoying, as well as other cool things, over at our new website! Stop 'round and have a look-like all good lounges we're open late!