Chicago Community Darkroom

My friend and I dropped in last night for the first time for Chicago Community Darkroom’s weekly «Print Out,» which is every Wednesday from 7 – 10 pm. For $ 15 each, we got full access to the black and white darkroom to either make prints or develop film. The facilities are well-​developed; there are seven enlargers and one sink in the middle with all the chemicals in trays.
The staff there, Ken, Greg, and Nate, were all very helpful and friendly. The use of the darkroom requires some basic knowledge of film photography, but they were all available to assist with the equipment or provide feedback on what my friend and I were doing. They also offer various classes, so if you haven’t had any experience with film photography but would like to learn, that is probably a good place to start!
The monthly membership is $ 75/​month and gains you 24-​hour access to the darkroom. I love that this place aims to truly be a community darkroom — we met film photography aficionados, students, and casual shooters. I don’t see myself coming here enough (I live all the way up north) to warrant a monthly membership, but I do hope to attend many more Print Outs!
Quick note on logistics: The darkroom is right around the corner from the Roosevelt Red Line. Metered street parking is also not hard to find on the block north of the building or on 11^th Street. Overall very convenient.