Chapel Street’s Lucky Coq Closes After 20 Years, New Morris Hospitality Venue Coming
Lucky Coq has shut after two decades, with Morris Hospitality planning a major renovation and a new venue set to open by year’s end.
A long-running late-night staple on Chapel Street has gone quiet, with Lucky Coq closing after 20 years.
Misryoum reports that the venue at the corner of Chapel Street and High Street in Windsor called last drinks on Saturday, April 18. For years, it drew students and backpackers for live music, DJ sets and $5 pizzas, but the lights are now out as the space prepares for a full reset.
The closure also signals how quickly nightlife hotspots can change when neighborhood tastes shift. Even so, Misryoum notes that the operator is aiming to keep the venue’s core identity while updating the experience.
Morris Hospitality, which runs multiple venues across Melbourne, says it will completely gut and renovate the property. The group expects to open the successor venue by the end of the year, with plans focused on evolving alongside Chapel Street rather than freezing the past in place.
In a statement shared through Misryoum, Morris Hospitality head of marketing and sales Grace Dorman said the intention is to keep Lucky Coq’s role as an “institution,” while acknowledging that the street’s evolution calls for changes to match.
Misryoum says the overhaul matters because it highlights a broader pattern: established venues often face pressure to modernize as foot traffic, customer expectations and the competitive scene move on.
Lucky Coq originally opened in 2006 under the founders of Naked for Satan: Eddie Crupi, Pat and Max Fink. Morris Hospitality took over operations more than 15 years ago and later purchased the freehold in 2022, while earlier efforts by the group also saw other venues close, including Bimbo in 2024.
For the upcoming space, Misryoum reports that design work will be led by Ineke Hutter of Studio Co & Co. Food operations will be overseen by group executive chef Peter Reffell and group operations chef Iker Garcia.
While the new concept will be revealed later, the operator says the venue will keep a 3am close and continue to center eclectic live music. Weekend nights will feature DJ programming, with a more relaxed, “chill” vibe during the week.
Even the menu is expected to change: Misryoum reports Dorman said there will be no more $5 pizzas, pointing to the reality that the broader world is not built around that kind of pricing.. In the end, the message from Misryoum is clear: Chapel Street is shifting, and the new venue is meant to move with it.