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HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
fleurblue
(---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: July 21, 2009 12:58AM
I remember when HIP was all outdoors in one long shopping strip except for Wiebolts and Walgreens at each end. It was cold and blustery in the winter; the mall now has a lot of eateries and amusements, but without a view of the actual stores from the street and the ugly, cavernous parking garage in the front, I almost prefer the open air mall. I seldom shop there.
BC
BC
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
MIKETOUHY
(---.dsl.chcgil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: July 22, 2009 11:53AM
Of course it was cold in the winter.
What do you expect.
What do you expect.
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
shekaago
(---.tmodns.net)
Date: October 20, 2009 02:39AM
I remember the old HIP. It was all outdoors and there was parking on the roof! My doctor's office was located at the Walgreens end of the plaza. My girlfriend worked as a waitress at Walgreens when they had a coffee shop sort of restaurant inside. I remember Walgreen's also having a basement where goods were brought up to the main floor via a manual conveyor belt. Weird memory but... Oh well! I used to ride my bike to the HIP and on my way there would pass the outdoor theater across the street on the NW corner of Forest Preserve Drive and Harlem Ave. Now there is a brand new Walgreens located at the site where the outdoor theater screen once stood. I also remember the William A. Lewis store at the HIP. My mother in law worked at the old Madigan's store there and is now employed at Carson's which used to be the old Wieboldt's store.
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
dsadowski
(---.dsl.emhril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: January 22, 2010 03:51AM
HIP has changed so much over the years. Just to the north of there, where there is a bank now and parking lot, used to be another sort of miniature Kiddieland (at least until maybe 1972).
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
fleurblue
(---.proxy.aol.com)
Date: January 23, 2010 12:02AM
William A. Lewis -- "Where the models buy their clothes." Remember that slogan?
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
shekaago
(---.static.twtelecom.net)
Date: January 25, 2010 10:27PM
I remember all those things you guys have mentioned! Last time I was shopping there (back in December) there was a nice wall display on the history of the HIP. Don't know if it is still there but it was located on the wall at one of the main-floor entry hallways at about the middle of the mall.
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
Artista
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: February 16, 2010 10:34PM
The history murals are still there inside the mall shekaago
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
shekaago
(206.169.60.---)
Date: February 17, 2010 09:00PM
Thanks, Artista! It's kind of a nice display, though not a very detailed history of HIP.
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
ChicagoGeek
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: February 17, 2010 09:05PM
What about the HUB Roller Rink that was down the street at Harlem and Wilson? It's sad how much of that area has changed.
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
shekaago
(206.169.60.---)
Date: February 17, 2010 09:44PM
I remember it well! skated at the Hub when I was in high school.... a VERY loooooong time ago! I had recently heard they were going to tear down the Maurice Lenell Cookie Jar Outlet Store and put up a Costco. So many changes....
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
Artista
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: February 18, 2010 02:48AM
Hi all , i too went to the HUB many many times during my high school years. The structure still stands right? They are to tear down Maurice Lenell !!??!! Another Chicago area loss.
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
StrayKitten
(66.28.242.---)
Date: February 18, 2010 12:57PM
The Maurice Lenell plant/store has been closed for some time now. They haven't done anything with it. It just sits looking deserted and lonely. I heard the rumors about Costco, but haven't seen any sign of it yet.
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
shekaago
(---.cybermesa.com)
Date: February 18, 2010 11:08PM
Hi everyone! Thanks so much for the information. My mother-in-law works at the HIP Carson's and she hears a bunch of on again - off again rumors about Costco being built at the old Maurice Lenell site. Does anyone know if the Lerner Publishing Co. still puts out neighborhood newspapers? I really miss reading neighborhood news stories and feel a bit out of the loop at times.... Even in this "internet age."
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
sbaer311
(---.central.biz.rr.com)
Date: August 31, 2011 04:18PM
Sounds like some of these posts are from old neighbors. I graduated from St. Pascal's in 1973 and Alvernia in 1977!
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
HOLTANEK
(---.dsl.emhril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: September 01, 2011 11:38AM
We moved to Norridge in 1960 so I was able to enjoy the HIP as it was. Every year they would have the Norridge carnival in the parking lot,with the ten cent games,("3 for a dime,9 for a quarter!")and the rides. One time they had a battle of the bands in the open area where the food court is now, and me and my friends watched it from the second level parking lot. On Sundays the only store that was open was walgreens, everything else was closed tight. Woolworths and W.T.Grant were the 2 dime stores and they both had lunch counters, with Grant having the best hot dogs on toasted buns. I literally grew up at the HIP and was sad to see it convert into its' present day state. Oh, and of course there was the "mini" Kiddeeland on the north end whwere the bank building was built in the late 60's. We would buy tickets for 15 cents each, but if we brought a Bowmans milk cap we could get 2 for 15 cents! We would work for the owner picking up trash and were paid 2 ride tickets per hour. (Actually we would wander around, picking up a few pieces of trash, but otherwise would just wander around then 45 minutes later go to clainm our 2 tickets.) I bought my first drum set at Tempo Music, THE music store at the time. I bought all my records and drum sticks there. Alot of childhood memories.
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
HOLTANEK
(---.dsl.emhril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: September 01, 2011 11:43AM
Also, in my youth, I ended up working at about every restaurant around HIP. The Plaza Snack shop,the old Howard Johnsons,(later the Ground Round),Walgreens restaurant,the Intl Pancake House, arbys,etc. Then I would take my pay and buy more records and other such stuff. The day it came out, I cashed my meager check and ran over the Allied Electronics and bought the Beatles White Album. Ah, what memories!!
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
tomcat630
(---.hsd1.il.comcast.net)
Date: September 05, 2011 04:30AM
It's amazing that HIP outlasted Brickyard mall, but then HIP fought back and won.
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
HOLTANEK
(---.dsl.emhril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: September 05, 2011 02:11PM
The Brickyard was a great example of where not to build a mall. I think they opened in the early 80s and was torn down about 10 myears ago. At first, it was a decent place, but as years went on it became a hangout for the punks and various lower strata population, a clear death sign. Now they've "rebuilt" the area with a series of scattered, confusing strip type malls, a testament to planning done by an idiot, or Stevie Wonder.
Re: HIP (Harlem & Irving) Plaza
Posted by:
Chicago_Xpat
(---.washdc.fios.verizon.net)
Date: September 10, 2011 10:38AM
Came across this site as I did a search for "William A. Lewis". Brings back many fond memories.
Worked at William A. Lewis as a stock boy when I turned 16. Still remember the little machine that we used to mark "sale" items -- it had a cutter on it which cut off the old price, printed a new price (higher), crossed it out and then printed a "sale" price -- which just happened to be the same price as original. What a deal!! Never saw so many fur coats in my life.
I also remember the little sandwich place in the early HIP where I would go to eat when I had a break at W.A. Lewis. They loaded a huge chunk of French bread with about a pound of roast beef.
My little band actually played in the "Battle of the Bands" that Holtanek mentioned! What a fun (and much simpler) time that was back then.
Roller skated at the Hub. Took the "L" to college on the south side (IIT), and the bus dropped me off at Wilson and Harlem where the smell from Maurice Lennel would last with me the rest of the afternoon.
Worked at William A. Lewis as a stock boy when I turned 16. Still remember the little machine that we used to mark "sale" items -- it had a cutter on it which cut off the old price, printed a new price (higher), crossed it out and then printed a "sale" price -- which just happened to be the same price as original. What a deal!! Never saw so many fur coats in my life.
I also remember the little sandwich place in the early HIP where I would go to eat when I had a break at W.A. Lewis. They loaded a huge chunk of French bread with about a pound of roast beef.
My little band actually played in the "Battle of the Bands" that Holtanek mentioned! What a fun (and much simpler) time that was back then.
Roller skated at the Hub. Took the "L" to college on the south side (IIT), and the bus dropped me off at Wilson and Harlem where the smell from Maurice Lennel would last with me the rest of the afternoon.
