I have no information about Man's World's status, but I can add that there was an article in The Reader earlier this summer about the impact that major property tax hikes are having on businesses along the Clark Street commmercial strip that includes Man's World at its southern end.
At least two businesses closed their doors after getting tax bills that were double or even triple what they were last year. Many other business owners quoted in the article questioned their ability to stay in business much longer. So it would not be surprising if this were the motivation for Man's World to close.
It seems unlikely that condos would be the culprit. The condo market is slowing and there are already over 100 units going up just down the street from MW that I doubt are all sold yet.
Obviously, Man's World serves a purpose for some guys, but I personally didn't care for the place, so I will not miss it. If it does close, there's a pretty good chance that that another bathhouse will open somewhere else in the city. A city of Chicago's size could easily support another bath or two.
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