The Anthem, a 70s-themed sports bar, opened Wednesday in the old Makisu space. Once you've had the chance to visit, let us know what you think!
Photo courtesy of The Anthem's Facebook page
According to Wicker Park Bucktown Insider's Guide, the old post office space at 1443 W. Division will become a gym. No further details or an opening date are known at this time.
Zaraz Collection, the accessories boutique, will close at the end of the month.
Merchandise is currently priced at 20-30% off, with deeper discounts coming toward the end of the month.
Chicago Magazine reported today that the new concept coming from the Bangers & Lace owners will be a retro-themed sports bar named The Anthem. The former Makisu (and before that, Fuel) space at 1725 W. Division St.
"will sport a retro look with nostalgic seventies-era décor, including school lockers and paneling that evokes the old woodie station wagons. The grub will include homemade comfort food served like a TV dinner, cheese doodles made of pork rinds and Cheddar dust, and a Minnesotan staple called the Juicy Lucy, a hamburger with cheese inside the patty. The menu also covers fondue, crudité, and salads with “some of the brighter-colored dressings,” says Matt Eisler, one of the owners. Six draft beers and microbrews in cans and bottles will dominate the beverage program. And, of course, the TVs—two huge projection TVs and four 50-inch screens behind the bar will show the games but not overbear the atmosphere."
Between Fat Pour, which is supposedly opening in March in the former Adobo Grill space, and Paradise Cantina, which opened last April, it seems sports bars are cropping up left and right on Division Street as of late. Do you think The Anthem will fill a niche like Bangers & Lace or will the neighborhood get a case of sports bar fatigue? As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts.
Neighbors have been abuzz about the black-and-white mural that recently appeared at 2001 W. Division St., on the southeast corner of Damen and Division.
The mural is not to announce a new restaurant or ultra-exclusive speakeasy, but instead is a work of public art on the facade of a highly visible building in the neighborhood. Commissioned by the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, the mural was completed by Bernard Williams, a local Chicago artist. We asked him to tell us more about it:
"This mural is titled "Birds and Flowers." Many graphic symbols of birds and flowers are delivered from multiple points of view, culturally. Several bird and flower symbols come from Native American sources, others from folk quilt patterns, ancient Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
The repeated and varying motifs suggest a human connectedness within the difference, which attempts to reference Wicker Park Bucktown as a hub of cultural diversity in Chicago and in the nation.
My mural design follows a program of composition which I have practiced within my studio activities for over ten years. I have collected a group of signs and symbols which speak about the complexities of American history and culture. The strategy of arrangement is inspired by ancient picture-writing seen in multiple cultures, notably, Egyptian hieroglyphs, ancient Mexican glyphs, Chinese and Japanese Kanji or pictographs."
You can find out more about Bernard Williams' work at www.bernardwilliamsart.com.
No sooner had we said that we weren't sure what was going in the former Makisu space when the Bangers & Lace Facebook page posted this image this afternoon:
Folks over at Everyblock are saying that this new B&L concept is going in the now-shuttered Makisu space at 1725 W. Division, which was Fuel before that. If they can stick to their timeline, this new concept's opening might coincide with B&L's one-year anniversary on October 9th.
Do you think this new spot will be similar to B&L or a completely new spin-off? We're still a little fuzzy on the details but with a Mid-October opening, we're sure to find out soon.
**UPDATE: As of December 2011, it doesn't look like this place is opening after all. The for rent signs are back up in this building.
Still no word on what's going on behind the mysterious wooden boards covering the old Makisu building, but directly across the street in the former Edge space (1700 W. Division St.) is a new cocktail lounge and restaurant - Neat Lounge.
Neat Lounge doesn't officially open until mid-November, but this past weekend they had a preview event to test out certain drinks and recipes for their food menu. At this point not much has changed since Edge in terms of decor, but they have plans to build it out into a full-blown lounge "concept."
The drink menu is heavily gin- and whiskey-focused, with lots of options for vodka, champagne and rum. Just about everything we saw there was served in a champagne saucer after a fairly extensive mixing process - you can definietly get a G&T here if you want, but they're positioning themselves as more of a place for high-brow, artisan-style cocktails. There are also quite a few American craft beers by the bottle (Two Brothers, Great Lakes, Allagash Brewing Co., Dark Horse) and Belgian ales like Delirium Tremens and Chimay Preimere Red.
A few of the signature cocktails included:
The Neat Manhattan with High West double barrel rye, Carpano Antica and Peychauds The Bourbon Smash, with bourbon, fresh mint, fresh lemon juice and Marie Brizard orange curacao The Lazy Sunday with El Jimador Reposado Tequila, house made apple nectar and cardamom
In terms of eats, they are focusing on stuffed gourmet burgers featuring all-natural, grass-fed beef and high-fiber whole-wheat bread thins. There were quite a few ways to order your burger ($10), which included:
Stuffed with chorizo, grilled jalapenos and chihuahua cheese
Stuffed with goat cheese, spinach and sundried tomatoes
Stuffed with feta cheese, grilled onions, tomatoes, olives and mushrooms
Lean ground turkey meat stuffed with mushroom, tomatoes and swiss cheese.
Do you think this new spot is strong enough to survive in the doomed Edge space?
Time Out's Julia Kramer gave Division Street newcomer (1846 W. Division St.) a less-than-glowing review this week.
Photo courtesy of GrubStreet
"The dishes lacked balance, finesse and focus, yes, but nothing completely bombed: The food was, by and large, pleasant and crowd-pleasing, and a nice wine list with some cool biodynamic producers perked up the mundane meals. Well, nothing bombed except, on one visit, the service, which was a complete mess. Appetizers and entrées arrived before any drinks, and a general sense of confusion permeated the waitstaff. I don’t blame them; I don’t really get this place, either."
If you'd had the chance to try a meal at Prasino since it opened in August, let us know what you thought. Chicago Magazine and the Chicago Sun-Times had great things to say about it, but we'd like to hear what the neighbors think.
We've been following this story for several months on the East Village Association (EVA) blog, but haven't reported on it because their appeared to be so much back-and-forth and false starts. It seems like they've finally settled their differences - for the most part.
As a quick recap: 1601 W. Division (the old Pizza Hut site on the southeast corner of Ashland, which has been vacant for more than five years) was finally demoed this last July. Developer Robert Buono presented Alderman Moreno and community groups with plans for the new development -- a single-story drive-through bank. (Cue sad trombone on behalf of the EVA.)
Being a highly prominent location on the historic Polish Triangle of Division/Milwaukee/Ashland and directly across the street from the rather eye-catching former bank building, the community groups felt that they'd prefer this lot's development to have:
1) significant architectural presence befitting the character of the neighborhood
2) a number of affordable residential units
3) a mixed-use retail and office space
4) pedestrian/public-transit amentities
A single-story drive-through bank did not meet any of these community groups' four established principals, and theyletpeopleknowaboutit.
Photo courtesy of East Village Neighborhood Association
On Monday night a new proposal was presented and while the East Village association did have some qualms about it, they were by and large much happier with the overall plans -- which do, by the way, include a PNC bank on the group floor. Considering there was some disagreement about whether or not the developers were even required to take into consideration the wishes of the neighborhood, it was encouraging to see this dialogue going on.
We'll be interested to see when construction shapes up what will go in the new space. What kind of retailers would you like to see in that site? And should neighbors flex their collective muscle when it comes to the type of developments planned for empty lots of should they be grateful that someone is willing to occupy a vacant patch of parking lot?
Fat Pour, a new sports bar, is coming to the former Adobo Grill space at 2005 W. Division St. in Ukrainian Village.
Last we heard from Eater Chicago, Adobo Grill was evicted from the space by its landlord, who wanted to open an all-new concept in the two-story, 7,000 square-foot space.
When it opens in March, according to Metromix, the new sports bar will focus heavily on draft beer, with more than 30 varieties on tap. More info below:
This Ukrainian Village sports bar will offer a hearty assortment of import, domestic, specialty and craft brews when it opens in March. From the brains behind 404 Wine Bar Co, Jack’s Bar & Grilland The Irish Oak, beer connoisseurs can take in the two-story glass keg room or the table tap booths that are available to rent. Choose from more than 30 beers on tap (available in a pint glass or the signature "Fat Pour") or 50 by the bottle. To eat, you'll find sports bar favorites like pizzas and burgers. There are private party rooms for special events and a massive outdoor veranda on the second floor overlooking bustling Division Street.
It's always good news when a vacant storefront gets filled -- the lot Adobo Grill once sat on is a very prominent spot, and for it to remain empty reflects poorly on the neighborhood and the Damen/Division intersection. But we wonder how Fat Pour will distinguish itself from other sports bars on the block like Fifty/50, The Boundary, and, of course, Paradise Cantina.
Your thoughts about yet another sports bar coming to the 'hood?
Busy summer around Division Street! Before this blog descends into another two-month silence, we thought we'd better update. With an interesting rumor, to boot.
A tipster informed us that Moonshine, Division Street's own "urban roadhouse" and brewery, might be closing soon. They write:
"Moonshine is closing and owes several million in back taxes. One of their cooks came into [another Division Street restaurant] looking for a job and told everyone that he just got laid off, then told us about the taxes."
A staffer at the restaurant said the claim was "absolutely untrue" and the restaurant remains open currently. Guess we'll see what happens!
In other news, its nearby neighbor Prasino opened Friday with a 100-seat patio that includes some pretty sleek looking furniture. This seems like the perfect time of year to check out the new contemporary American spot.
Last night's storms were wild, and one grid on Division Street hasn't recovered yet. Businesses like Janik's Cafe, Mulberry and Me, Division Street Watch Co., Jimmy John's, Kiz Clothing, Small Bar, InnJoy, Thai Village and Fifty/50 are still dark, and many have handwritten signs in the window informing passerby of no power.
The entire grid is still out on the south side of Division Street between Hoyne and Damen, so make sure to call before you visit any of these places to make sure they indeed are open. Businesses across the street and just the next block over are experiencing no outages, but several reported that are having issues with air conditioning today. Stay cool out there!
One of the cons of living on Division Street is that it's a bit too far to take a quick trip to the lake, so many of us take to sunbathing in Wicker Park. But if you're looking for some water, today marks the opening of the Pulaski swimming pool, just north of Division Street on Blackhawk. The Olympic-sized swimming pool is open until Labor Day and entry is free to Chicago residents. There's also a kiddie pool and playground for the youngins.
For the most part, you'll be able to access the pool 1 p.m.-4:45 p.m. and 6 p.m.-7:15, but call ahead to confirm as the schedule is subject to change.
Division Street's own Real Naked Foods has been in the news this week over controversy surrounding its BYOC policy - that's "Bring Your Own Container" including jars, bottles, bags or the like. The Division Street grocery store has an entire wall of bulk items, such as grains, nuts, oils and teas where customers can purchase these bulk items using their own containers.
....to Chicago's Department of Public Health, the [BYOC] practice also can mean danger and potential liability if someone gets sick from cross-contamination.
"We don't … allow folks to bring in their own containers to restaurants, delis or any other place, for that matter," said Cort Lohff, medical director for environmental health at the Chicago Department of Public Health. "We are worried about people bringing in containers that are not cleaned very well and then contaminating any surface that they might touch with that."
Another clip from Fox Chicago shed more light on the policy:
Although Real Naked Foods owner Lauren Yucan said only about 25 percent of customers actually bring their own containers, it would be a shame to see this option shut down at the grocery store, which opened in April.
What do you think about BYOC - public health issue or sustainable, eco-friendly shopping practice?
When Threadless Kids (1905 W. Division St.) closed in March, the street lost a kid-centric retailer in between Elevenzees and Real Naked Food. Come July, it will be gaining a haven for women called Surreal. Half clothing store, half spa for nails and hair, they will offer a range of beauty services for women according to its owner, Dahlia. The target opening date is July 1. We wish we had more information, but the storefront is still bare and they're just getting started, so we'll just have to wait and see.
The location of Surreal, coming in early July
In other retail news, Paper Doll will be moving to the former Event Studio location at 2027 W. Division St. They're hoping for a mid-July move and will be closed for a couple of days during the moving process. Hopefully Maude the pug will approve of this new space!
We use Yelp all the time before going out for dinner or drinks -- the reviews should be taken more as "a heads up" than the ultimate gospel, of course. But it's easy to forget that Yelpers review just about everything, even street festivals.
Here is a random sampling of the good, the bad and the ugly from Do Division 2011. Remember that all these are certainly not representative of the larger opinion, but they're entertaining to read nonetheless.
The Good:
"The music lineup is strong, and very light on the midwest 80's cover bands that infest this city's street fairs."
"Division is a wide boulevard, allowing plenty of walking and relaxing space on all sides. The organizers put out plenty of benches with awnings, too."
"Big Freedia. There was tons of booty shaking and actual nudity. Insane. In the best way possible."
"Cevapcici! Best street meat around. And they have the line to prove it."
The Bad:
"A notably poor showing of craftsmen and vendors, beyond the zipcar and funnel cake booths at every festival. I couldn't bring myself to even browse, much less buy. No offense meant to the proprietors of these tents, but I have to give you an Etsy-Minus."
"My phone did not work at all the entire time I was there. No service. How do I communicate to my friends how awesome this is and they should come meet me??" (Editor's Note: See our earlier post about this.)
" The Ugly:
"...the area in front of Fifty/50 and Innjoy is best avoided, as it was a knot of the smarmiest clubgoing types I've ever seen outside of Excalibur. (And I've never been to Ex)."
It's taken us until today to recover from the fun and festivities of the Do Division fest, which stretched from Damen to Leavitt on Saturday and Sunday. How was your experience? We'd love to hear your thoughts on the music, the food, the vendors, the kids' area and anything else on your mind.
Overall, the crowds flocked to the streets, the music was diverse and up-tempo, and the smell of grilled meat was only surpassed by the ridiculous amounts of sunshine (except for the lone thunderstorm Saturday afternoon). All in all, it was a great year.
One thing that had tongues wagging was the changed presence at Wicker Wash at 2133 W. Division St. While in past years, the car wash has been home to throngs of dancers and several DJs, this year it was turned into a sedate island paradise (complete with sand), an event put on by a third-party sponsor that rented out the car wash.
So what happened? According to folks at the carwash, the West Town Chamber of Commerce had received complaints about the loud, pulsating music and crowds of dancers on the sidewalk, and did not allow them to bring DJs back to the space this year. After a series of talks, as far as they know the DJ is no longer permitted at any fest in the future.
(Footage of 2010 Wicker Wash party via YouTube)
What do you think? Were there less distractions without the car wash music or was something missing this year? There were several other "impromptu" jam sessions on the street that were not an official part of the festival (such as in front of the Division Gold Pawn Shop at 2112 W. Division St.), but the show went on for them. Regardless, a major hat tip to all the organizers of the festival, and we'll see you next year!
*UPDATE 6/7/11: An eagle-eyed reader pointed out that Armand's Grand Opening is tomorrow, June 8, and Delish is still not totally open -- although some readers reported being allowed inside for milkshakes and ice cream this weekend. However, the full menu is taped to the window in case you are curious.
The anticipation for the Do Division street festival is building steadily, and there are three new openings that will take advantage of the buzz on Division Street this weekend.
Word on the street is that Delish Diner & Bakery (2014 W. Division St.) will possibly be doing a soft opening Friday at 7 a.m., or Saturday at the latest. We can't wait to get inside this new breakfast diner brought to you by the folks behind next-door-neighbor Picante.
The secretive wooden plywood has been removed!
As we mentioned before, Armand's Pizzeria (2121 W. Division St.)still plans to open Saturday and Sunday for the first day of Do Division with a pizza-only menu. On Monday, it'll roll out its sandwiches, salads, pastas and more.
FoundRe Furnishings (2151 W. Division St.) has been open for a few days, but will make it's big debut this weekend. The custom picture frame and furniture gallery features recycled materials from around the city. That stretch of Division Street is a little quieter than the rest, so it's great to see retail units going up on that block -- especially when huge crowds are expected to descend on it for two straight days.
Any other openings on your radar? Remember to send tips into divisionliving@gmail.com.
If you were walking past Division and Winchester the other day, you probably someone painting a new name and logo on the window of what was formerly Urban Joe, the "barber shop for the everyday guy."
The biggest change is that they're now accepting women and children clients. They've also gotten rid of the pool table and added two more chairs, bringing their total from five to seven. The inside got a total makeover as well, with floor-to-ceiling gold drapes, gilded mirrors, old-school leather chairs and other statement pieces.
Some insight behind the facelift is on the shop's Facebook page. Here are the highlights:
You asked, they listened. Urban Joe, originally designed for the young average guy, has taken staff and client feedback to heart and is relaunching as Winchester Club this May. Unintentionally known before for inconsistent music selections, cliché catch phrases, and busy décor, the facelift transforms the space into a clean, classic, neighborhood shop offering the finest cuts for its steadfast male clientele while adding services for local ladies.
The shop features a variety of amenities including advance bookings, complimentary beverages, stylish yet relaxed surrounding, upgraded music, and haircuts starting at $21.
Music will change daily offering clients the best in genres ranging from old school Standards, Jazz and Alternative to Classic Rock, Oldies, and Mambo. Pre-booking appointments will allow clients to choose their favorite genre or opt for an introduction to something new. Kick back with the daily paper, throw back a 7 oz glass bottle of Coca Cola, or indulge in the shop’s Free Beer Friday. Dogs are welcome too with both water bowls and treats available!
File this one under things we didn't see coming. On a walk around Division Street this weekend, we saw that Anjenu Boutique (1747 W. Division St.) is holding a going-out-of-business sale.
The owner, Kristie Lee Wagner, confirmed the store will close for good this Sunday, May 29. She said she will still focus on a wedding invitation line in a private, appointment-only studio around the corner. Everything in the store is being sold at 50% off or more, and they will be selling all furniture, shelves and light fixtures as well.
Hours are today-Friday from 2 p.m.-6:30 p.m.; Saturday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday from noon-5 p.m. on their last day.
It was just a few months ago another stationary-focused shop, Event Studio closed its doors after a tough year. Paper Doll (which incidentally used to be located in the current Anjenu spot) seems to be still going strong, so the state of stationary shops on Division Street is not all bad.
But the closing of Anjenu was more of a surprise, since the store never had any deeply-discounted sales or other signs of distress, as we could see it. The store seemed especially busy on Saturdays and Sundays when destination shoppers made their way over to the Division Street boutiques.
Wagner did say it was "amazing" being on Division Street and that you'll definietly see her walking her mini-dachshund mascot, Molasses, around the neighborhood. So say hi! Best of luck.
From the looks of its new awning and windows, it looks like Armand's Pizzeria is getting ready to fire up the 9,000-pound stone pizza oven soon!
One of the guys standing out front told us that they plan to open during the weekend of Do Division with pizza slices only. Then the Monday after, they'll be offering the full menu. It looks like they're still looking for staff members, as well.
If you haven't seen it already, East Village Association's blog had a post about cell-phone reception in the West Town/Ukrainian Village/Wicker Park area.
"An AT&T repairman was working Mother's Day, tool belt heavy with gadgets to check land lines in the alley behind Damen Avenue.
Websites such as cellreception.com and mapmuse.com feature data on cell towers, but with a lot of noise: Records are incomplete, and leased towers don't disclose which carriers use them. A tower listed on Western Avenue looked more like flag streamers at a used-car lot.
So the best source to gauge call quality might just be you. Leave comments on your cell-phone experience in East Village, particularly if you can weigh in on the iPhone slugfest between AT&T and Verizon."
If you check deadcellzones.com, you can see several compliants about service with AT&T on Division Street. We thought this one summed it up pretty succinctly:
A couple of neighbors we've talked to have had to cancel their AT&T cell-phone service upon moving to the street, even after attempting to use an AT&T micro cell, a mini tower that gives an added boost of service. Friends and visitors in boutiques, bars and restaurants say pretty much the same thing - if you have AT&T, cell-phone coverage is pretty much non-existent on Division Street.
Have you found more success with a different provider, like Verizon or T-Mobile?
A new sign has gone up above Delish Diner, the new project from the owners behind Picante. Word on the street is that it's slated to be a retro-style atomic diner with checkered floors, neon, etc. Unlike Picante, it'll be a sit-down spot.
The black wooden barricades announcing its presence have been up since late last year, but most of the construction work has gone on behind the scenes and out of view from the street. This new retro-style illuminated sign mentions nothing other than burgers and chili, not even the diner's name. And call us crazy, but the sign's arrows are remind us of its neighbor across the street, Innjoy.
Okay, maybe not. Either way, we're beyond pumped for this addition to Division Street and can't wait until more details are released. There's been very little ink spilled about this project thus far, so it should be a nice surprise.
Could the sign mean they're getting closer to opening or is it just another tease? Intel is always welcome.
If you're anything like us, yesterday's 80+ degree weather makes you hungry (and thirsty) for some summertime sidewalking on Division Street. Last week, Chicago Magazine broke the story that a seasonal, contemporary American spot, Prasino (pronounced PRAH-suh-no), is coming to 1846 W. Division St. The good news? It opens in late July. The best news? It's bringing with it an 100-seat sidewalk patio.
What the building looks like now
A digital rendering of the completed building (via ChicagoNow)
We spoke to Ephi Maglaris, part of the team of family members involved in the restaurant, to get the low-down the new location:
The eco-chic spot has a solid contemporary American menu that highlights local, sustainable and seasonal ingredients for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Expect a full-on breakfast, with pancakes, eggs, crepes, etc, with lighter, upscale options for dinner -- salmon, braised short-ribs, wraps and entree-sized salads. (And all menus have plenty of healthy, vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free options.)
The menu will be more or less the same as the one that's posted here, and a smoothie and juice bar cafe will be offered at this location. The spot has been racking up accolade after accolade since it opened in 2009. Click here for the full run-down, but it includes Rising Pastry Chef and Best New Chicago Restaurant.
The focus on sustainability goes beyond food, with energy-efficient appliances, faucets, and building materials. In fact, many of the raw materials for the Wicker Park location were once destined for a landfill and will now be reclaimed.
The family-owned restaurant, with locations in St. Charles and LaGrange, is going for both an urban feel and familial vibe. "Being on Michigan avenue wouldn’t fit our style," said Maglaris. One of the family's cousins (and co-owners) had lived in the neighborhood and recommended the area for its vibrant street scene.
The restaurant will house 200 seats inside, with seating for 100 on the sidewalk patio. There are plans to add lounge seating, with banquettes and sectionals, for those who want to grab a drink and watch the clouds (and crowds) roll by. To our knowledge, this would be the first lounge-style seating on the street.
The end of July is the target for opening in the modern, glass-front condo building that has four floors and a completely open ground level. It's across the street (Marion Ct.) from Moonshine and next door to Ora Dental Studio.
For a neighborhood that has everything, there seems to be a lack of contemporary American fare on the block. Will Prasino fill that niche? Ephi and the team mentioned wanting feedback from the neighbors, so let's hear it. What will it take to make the spot successful?
In case you missed it, yesterday Do Division announced part of the line-up for the 2011 festival, which takes place June 4-5. More announcements are forthcoming, but for now the Damen stage will include:
Bonobo (A British DJ with a sample-heavy, down-tempo electronica style. Check out a YouTube clip here)
Big Freedia (A transgendered ass-shaking rapper taking riffs from New Orleans' "Sissy bounce" musical tradition. YouTube clip here)
Omar Souleyma: A high-octane Dabke (Syrian dance music) performer who's heavy on the synth-keyboard (YouTube clip here)
The Leavitt stage will include:
Led Zeppelin 2 (Chicago-based cover band eerily similar to the original. YouTube clip here)
This Must Be the Band (Playing music exclusively from the Talking Heads catalog, this group is fairly popular in the festival circuit - YouTube clip here)
What do you think of the line-up so far? Does the music make or break the Do Division experience for you or is it just background noise? Is there anyone else you'd like to see performing that weekend?
Yesterday, scaffolding went up in front of 2037 W. Division St., just east of the Betancourt Realty building and west of Kiz Chicago. Workers said the building is in the beginning stages of being completely torn down, and that the lot will potentially be completely vacant in as early as three weeks, pending good weather.
A city permit made reference to an "emergency wreck," so we spoke to one of the demolition workers who told us that the building's structural issues made it highly dangerous, especially a broken beam that had caused the building's south wall to lean into the back alley. "We're going to take it down before it falls down," said one worker.
A local architect, Nick Hadley of arch-H LLC architecture, had outdated plans for the building's gut rehab on his website, so we called to see if he had any other news about the demolition or future plans for the lot. He said that there will be a commercial-use building on the site in the future, but that the details have not been finalized and that a timeline for construction has yet to be determined.
According to Hadley, the current owner, who purchased the building in 2007, has had issue after issue -- water coming in from the roof, rotted beams, a cracking facade, etc -- thus requiring a complete tear-down and rebuild. He would not confirm the details of what will eventually go in the new building, although he did mention that their original, pre-demolition plans (which you can see on his website) were for a restaurant so he "wouldn't be surprised if they were going to do something similar." His firm will be working on the new project and he said the building could potentially be three stories high instead of two.
This building has gotten a lot of negative attention in the neighborhood and has become a definite eyesore on an otherwise nice stretch of Division Street. Although it will be a bit odd to have a temporary gaping hole in the street's landscape, it'll most certainly be better than a blighted building.
A new, full-service organic grocery store, Real Naked Food, has quietly opened at 1909 W. Division St. next to the Greenheart shop. Though their official grand opening isn't until April 22, they did have quite a bit of inventory displayed thus far despite the few unfinished, empty sections. One of our contributors stopped in to check it out.
The twist is that it's "BYOC," meaning you can bring your own containers to eliminate packaging waste and save a few pennies. (25 cents, to be exact.) The wall display has dispensers full of beans, oats and other dry goods, making it easy to fill up your reusable containers. (There are mason jars for sale and paper bags free of charge if you forget.)
The fruits and vegetables -- all of which are organic -- are displayed up front in bins and baskets, and more temperature-sensitive items like kale, broccoli and fresh herbs are in back with other refrigerated goods like eggs, dairy, waffles, berries and frozen lunch entrees. There's also canned and boxed items on the back shelves, along with baby food, dog food, cleaning supplies and a handful of other items.
We're particularly excited about what's near the middle of the store -- a counter with self-serve coffee and fresh-made wheatgrass juices, along with fresh-sliced deli meats and cheeses. This portion of the store is currently closed, but is expected to become operational within the next few days.
Real Naked Food's website talks about serving the country's "food deserts"(any industrialized area where healthy, affordable food is difficult to obtain) and improving accessibility to fresh, organic produce. While we'd hardly consider our stretch of Division Street a food desert, this is a competitively priced alternative to Whole Foods if you're buying organic goods anyway. For mid-week grocery runs when you need just a thing or two or full-blown shopping trips, this is a convenient, health-focused spot for Division Street neighbors.
We also hear there's an organic garden in the back coming this summer. Have you stopped by Real Naked Foods yet? What is your first impression?
Yes, this story is a bit off our beat being several blocks east of Ashland. But Division Street once ran through the heart of the Cabrini Green high-rise buildings, most of which have been turned into abandoned lots after what most agree was a particularly ugly era in public housing.
There's just one high-rise left standing at 1230 N. Burling (at Burling and Division), and demolition is slated to begin tomorrow on the 15-story building. During the next four weeks, the demo process will be broadcast live via webcam here.
As the lights go out on this particular stretch of Division Street, the Museum of Contemporary Art's Project Cabrini Green will commemorate the demolition with flashing LEDs as part of a public art installation. From the project's website:
"On March 28th, two days before the beginning of the demolition, 134 self-contained, battery-powered LED modules were placed inside 134 of the building's vacated apartments. The lights will blink every day from 7pm to 1am CST, for the four week duration of the demolition, and will be gradually erased with the building.
Each blinking light has a unique pattern. These patterns are a visual translation of poems written and recorded by the youth who attended workshops developed and instructed by Tichy, Appel, and students from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
The project aims to highlight the significant moment of the demolition, while giving voice to young people, enabling them to reflect on social issues related to their communities."
So what will become of the spot? Crain's Chicago reported that Target is in talks with the Chicago Housing Authority to acquire parts of the Cabrini Green land and build a store there. Though Target has not confirmed officially, a Chicago Housing Authority spokesman said that they are "in discussions [with Target] and hope to help bring additional investment to the neighborhood."
What do you think? Can you imagine a big-box chain on the site of what was once one of the most infamous public housing projects in the country? Would having Target in this location be an economic boon for the neighborhood or are there unintended consequences that are yet to be considered?
The long-awaited CVS (1624 W. Division St.) has opened for business as of yesterday. Word on the street is that it's a very spacious and clean location, and they have preserved some of the building's original architecture (the old MB Bank building) with vaulted ceilings, antique hanging lighting and partial marble flooring.
There's also a 33-unit residential project in this building. Last December, Crain's reported that the project's developer was having a hard time selling those units, and converted the project into rentals that go for between $2,500-$4,000 per month. Perhaps this location will breath some new life into this colorful corner, but will it be to the tune of $4,000 per month?
When you venture down west of Hoyne, the scene on Division Street starts to taper off a bit. That’s why we were really excited to hear that Armand’s Pizzeria Express will be coming to 2121 W. Division, in the storefront space that was formerly Funkshion, a fashion boutique. (And neighbors to Eye Candy Optics, Wicker Basket Cafe and North Coast Video.)
The spot will be an express version of the original Armand’s Pizzeria, which got its start in Elmwood Park and has since expanded to North Center, Arlington Heights and Naperville. It’s main specialty is pizza, but there’s also a full menu of soups, salads, pastas, sandwiches and desserts, for dine in, carry out or delivery.
Co-owner Nick Dizonno says they haven’t started construction yet aside from clearing out the old space, but they’re gearing up to bring in a 9,000-pound stone pizza oven to make the old-world pies.In the traditional Italian style, the “Pizza Novas” will have extra thin crust and extra virgin olive oil in place of tomato sauce, but there will also be thin crust and pan pizzas as well.
Though Dizonno says he expects the counter-service spot to have a large delivery and carry-out focus, there will be a handful of tables inside and a sidewalk patio for those who want to grab pizza by the slice. Since it won’t be open late-night or serve alcohol, it should be a nice family-friendly addition to the street and will add to the lively sidewalk presence, too.
Armand’s Pizzeria Express will start its hiring process in about a month, so if you know anyone in the neighborhood who is looking, tell them to stop by and say hi.
It's always sad when one of the retail spaces along Division Street goes dark. Yesterday we noticed a sign out front of Event Studio (2027 W Division St.) announcing a going-out-of-business sale. It was not all that surprising, as they've been having a 25% off everything sale for what seems like months, leading some neighbors to believe the store was in distress. This assumption was correct, unfortunately -- the last day of business will be near end of this month.
The boutique, which specializes in invitations, home gifts, shower gifts, wedding planning and other event and design consulting services, is headed up by partners Myca Smith and Stephanie Hlina. When reached at the store, which has been open for two years, Smith gave us some background behind the closing.
They'll be closing for good, unfortunately. There are no plans to move at this time or re-open at a later date.
The last five months have been significantly more quiet than ever before. "I'm not sure if it's the weather, the snow or what, but the streets have been really quiet," said Smith. She noted that foot traffic was extremely inconsistent and felt a big slump in sales during the second full year of operations.
Hlina and Smith found it very difficult to pinpoint their audience's needs, a refrain that is echoed by many other merchants on Division Street. "It would be snowing, and we'd be packed, then it would be 70 degrees, and we'd be dead," said Smith. "And then the next week, the opposite. You just can never know in this neighborhood."
The pair still intends to do special events in the future. More details can be found by following their Facebook page.
I think its interesting to note that the store opened in 2008 -- at the height of the slumping economy -- yet its first-year sales was significantly better than the second. This is a pair that was focused on serving the neighborhood -- as opposed to being a destination spot -- and the neighborhood support seemed to taper off as the store became less of a novelty. There are, of course, time-tested mainstays in the neighborhood when it comes to dining, but for boutiques, does Division Street skew toward the new? How does one stay relevant in this fickle neighborhood? We'd love to hear your thoughts.
Merchandise is currently priced at 20-30% off, with deeper discounts coming toward the end of the month.
