Good Things Come in Threes -- New Openings, Including Delish

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. 

Goodbye Urban Joe ... Hello Winchester Club

Old Urban Joe

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!

What do you think about the new digs?

Anjenu Boutique Closing Sunday

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.

Armand's Pizzeria Getting Ready to Open?

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.

What will you order on your pizza?

What They Said: How's Your Cell-Phone Coverage?

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?