Used to go to the Dakin and Cicero alot with my cousin in mid 70's. There was also one at Kimball and Irving Park. Jack's did not pull out of Chicago from food poisoning, that occured in LA in the 90's. The closest one to Chicagoland is in Litchfield IL on I-55
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Ted Knusman AMVETS at 5600 Irving closed about 8 years ago. Now the group rents spaces are various banquet halls or restaurants for meetings, parties, etc. No permanent building.
Forum: General Discussion

"no permits, nothing" So that explains how they got away with it, since old Mayor Daley refused to have movies done here. Was afraid of the 'image', he thought they'd do mostly flicks about Al Capone era.
Forum: General Discussion

Before the all green signs, Chicago's designated Boulavards had dark color signs. I always remember them as purple with off-white letters, but then I haven't seen one in decades. The blvds didn't allow trucks, still don't. This is why Irving Park switched to Road from Blvd. In Los Angeles, a boulevard means a wide, major, through street. So, non-natives wonder why ours are so different.
Forum: General Discussion

There used to be an Oldsmobile dealer on west Madison st, near about Laramie or Cicero [4800-5200]. Relatives lived in storefront apt across the street and as a kid I'd marvel at the neon signs and new Oldses. Anyone remember address? Supposedly closed after the '68 riots?
Forum: General Discussion

My theory is the old neighborhods with mostly multi-family 2-3 flats went under with slumlording and bad renters. My parents and grandparents generation wanted houses and not little apartments to raise kids. But the real estate industry also profited from 'blockbusting', scaring people to move, then selling for higher prices or being slumlords. If Chicago was smart enough to annex land in the 4
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

The FH on the west side Broadway, just north of Foster, has been closed nearly 7 some years, and still for sale.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Some inner suburb subdivisions were built up in the 50s and 60s when Indian names were prevalant. Now, new areas ahve old English or 'nature' named streets. BTW, it's hard to believe that Mt Prospect is now an inner burb.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Well, don't expect artsy or foreign films as the Music Box shows. Patio is in middle/working class area, so 2nd run will be shown. Maybe "Bridesmaids" will be next?
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

The Kennedy curve above also avoided old factories that used to be around Kimball and Addison. The site of the K Mart was once a large industrial building.
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Flip Side was a local chain of record stores, as far out as Kane/McHenry counties. Also, Rolling Stones is still around at 7300 Irving Park, but wonder how much longer in the digital download age?
Forum: General Discussion

He was stuffed, taxiderm'ed, btw.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Before the McCormick Blvd store was Home Depot, it was a K Mart. Also, I used to work at the gas station in the Harwood Hts Community FC parking lot, facing Harlem in summer 1977. By 1979, Community was torn down. The K Mart is actually a bigger strip mall, and the old Community was in bad shpe. Me and friends used to joke about how junky the store was, before making fun of K Mart became cool.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Rolling Stone records, still there, is 7300 Irving Park in Norridge.
Forum: General Discussion

I lived by LaFollete Park near Division and Laramie in the late 60's and used to see tons of Brigance stickered Chevys. Also, nearby, there used to be tons of new car dealers on Cicero from Armitage to Belmont, with huge neon signs as Z Frank's. Regarding the Western av. used car shops. In 8th grade, 1975, we'd look in the teacher's Suntimes to see 'who has the cheapest used car today?' Usua
Forum: General Discussion

how could it? The tollway took the land that Bryn Mawr was on past River Rd. I assume the Forest Preserves took the stub? Or, maybe the bridge over the DesPlaines rier was so old they didnt bother replacing it? Maybe historians may know for sure. Lawrence Ave used to connect to Thorndale Ave on other side of O'Hare's footprint, btw. I always thought the city grid should have been extended
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Before the X ways, there were commuter train lines and surface roads that workers took to the suburbs. Which, by the way, were not "invented in the 50's" as some urban social engineers assume. Modern US burbs started in Boston area late 1800's, when Brookline rejected annexation and took it to the US Supreme Court. Since then, cities can't just force a town to join. So, we have inner
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I meant the Tri-State Tollway, it cut across BM Ave, and the big interchange with 90 and 190 is huge. So, that and the airport covered over the extension of BM.
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Brigance's User Car lot was on Division, near the Rockne theater at about 5700W in city; closed around 1974?
Forum: General Discussion

1938 Map, North side, Here is link to a 1938 map within FC, shows Bryn Mawr going through the Forest Preserve past East River to Mannhiem, etc. Maybe was removed when I-294 was built? There was a grid of streets the Tollway displaced between Lawrence and Bryn, also. Historic Aerials would show what was really there.
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On the Historic Aerials site, and older maps, Bryn Mawr goes out to Orchard Place airport, past old Manhiem Rd. Ended near where the new control tower and north runway are set.
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Many sections of city were once separite towns, with their own stret names, like Jefferson, Lakeview, Rogers Park. Had to make them line up correctly. Phoenix AZ is similar, names continuous. But, LA and NYC outer boroughs are spaghetti bowls of street names.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

It just may have been painted with high quality paint to stay up a long time, when originally done. Boston Store had no idea they'd close someday.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Well, the O'Hare area boundries are not in bold, showing old and new city limits. It is dated 1976 in lower right, so it's a historical map, not one created in 1950.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

'68 I think, since I was in 2nd grade then. Glad it's still there, my school is long gone, just the church stands, St. Peter Canisius. There were a lot of franchised burger places in the 60's and most went under competing with the big ones.
Forum: General Discussion

Garfield Ridge/Clearing is a mirror image of Dunning on the NW side. An extension of city with mostly newer homes built after WW2, but still rich in history.
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I can't stand driving on the section of Foster that jogs near Lovejoy Av, and has stop signs, just east of Milwaukee. I avoid it if I can.
Forum: General Discussion

That Northwestern Bank building was there in early 70's. Have to check the Classic Aerials site to see what was there before. The oldest structures at 6 Corners are still there on the SW corner of Irving and Cicero, was an old drug store built before others. I have a recent Portage Park history book and has pictures, but none of the NS bank site, however. Getting back to Record Stores, there wa
Forum: General Discussion

1910 was the big renaming and Brennan address system we have today. Now, people would sue to not get street changed, since it's "their identity".
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

They were more common before the 70's, but burning trash was made illegal.
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings