The team behind Wax Trax! Records is advocating for the landmark designation of its former Lincoln Park storefront at 2449 N. Lincoln Ave., a site integral to Chicago’s underground music scene. The Commission on Chicago Landmarks granted a preliminary recommendation in August, with a final vote scheduled for February 6.

Founded in 1974 by Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher in Denver, Wax Trax! moved to Chicago in 1978, quickly becoming a cultural hub for alternative, punk, and industrial music. More than just a record store, Wax Trax! evolved into a groundbreaking label that helped launch the careers of Ministry, Front 242, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, and other pioneers of the industrial music genre.

Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Wax Trax! Records was at the epicenter of Chicago’s underground music movement, fostering a DIY ethos that influenced generations of artists. The store became a gathering place for musicians, fans, and outsiders looking for something beyond the mainstream. The label, meanwhile, became synonymous with the Wax Trax! sound—dark, electronic, and subversive.

Though the label struggled financially and was eventually sold to TVT Records in 1992, its legacy endured. The store itself remained open until the late 1990s, and its influence continues to be celebrated through reunions, documentaries, and reissues of its classic releases.

The former storefront, now listed for sale at $1.4 million, is no longer owned by Wax Trax! The current owner has not publicly commented on the landmark proposal.

“This building represents so much to so many people—not just in Chicago, but around the world,” said Mark Skillicorn, co-owner of the Wax Trax! label.

If granted landmark status, the building would be protected from demolition or significant exterior alterations, preserving its place in Chicago’s cultural history. Supporters believe the designation is crucial to honoring the impact Wax Trax! had on music, independent business, and alternative culture.

For more Stories From The 78, follow @tombarnas78 on Instagram and @storiesfromthe78 on TikTok.