In the early 1960s I lived at the Art Circle on W. Deming St. off Clark. The place was a glorified rooming house catering to people "in the arts." Sort of. By the time I lived there, real artists were thin on the ground. Mostly the residents were young women existing by their wits supplemented by waitress jobs. The owner of the place, Jac Worth, conducted nightlife tours of Chicago, assisted by a blonde child named Gigi. I believe that Jac was an old Commie Bohemian from the Thirties who was in his sixties by the time I met him.

Nothing had changed in the house in years. I had two rooms in the basement with a vestigial kitchen (fridge, sink, and stove). The stove was a "QuickMeal" from the 1920s that was notable for it's novel pilot lights. Instead of gas flowing to a central pilot and igniting, the QuickMeal shot a tongue of flame from the pilot light to the burner when you pressed a button by the valve handle. Very impressive----but I used matches instead in order to keep my eyebrows intact.

The house, a beautiful old stone three story structure, is still there. Does anyone know any more about either the history of the Art Circle or about Jac Worth?