Ah yes, the old record stores. I did buy an album (the first one I bought by myself, that is) at Sears. It was the Beatles 2nd album and it cost $2.99! Yes, still have it along with all my old records. There was a record store in Ford City Mall where we got to listen to the record before we bought it, but it had to be operated by the sales clerk, it wasn't in a private booth. I bought lots of 45s
Forum: General Discussion

It was called Top of the Rock and it WAS a Stouffer's restaurant.
Forum: General Discussion

Yesterday I was driving down Western Ave, which used to be one dealership after another. There are only a very few left between 71st and 63rd. I remember my parents buying a Buick station wagon (1968) from Van Male Buick which was on the NE corner of 71st and Western. The last dealership at that location has closed and it is boarded up now. Most recently (2000?), we bought a Taurus at Metro Ford,
Forum: General Discussion

Oh my goodness I would never have remembered that 'races' promotion if you hadn't mentioned it here. I definitely remember it, but unfortunately, not the details, except for watching the horse race. I don't think it was Dominick's though, as we rarely if ever shopped at Dominick's. Mostly we went to the A&P or the National as well as the Jewel. Oh wait, that was the later one you said was Domi
Forum: General Discussion

"A hand on a steeple – a finger lifted heavenward, symbolic of the church’s ministry of pointing the way to God; pointing the lost to the Savior; pointing the Christian to God’s full measure of love; pointing the discouraged to the source of peace; and pointing the indifferent to the One he has forgotten. A hand on a steeple – reminding its members of a responsibility and a glorious p
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Back in the late 40s, there was one called the "Angel on Broadway" I believe. My mother bought a car there - a '40 something convertible. I want to say it was a 1947? Supposedly one of the first models to be built after the war. Not sure, but my mother's family had gotten a TV in or around 1949 - one of the earlier ones.
Forum: General Discussion

Here's some info I found on a church in Cincinnati with the same type steeple, perhaps the one you saw would be this denomination - might narrow it down a bit: http://www.worldlingo.com/ma/enwiki/en/Philippus_United_Church_of_Christ It was originally a German church. Thanks to a Flickr photo that someone recently posted, I saw the steeple and remembered your question.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

So far, I've only posted them to Facebook and Kodak Gallery. I have a Flickr account, but it's not a Pro account, so am limited to how many I can post. If I can ever manage to pay the fee there will be a deluge of pictures as I have quite a backlog! I'm way too strapped for money right now to justify the added expense.
Forum: General Discussion

Wow - interesting. I will have to keep that in mind. I have actually been doing my own tours of the churches in the Chicago Archdiocese over the last few months, attending Mass and then photographing the interior and exteriors. To say I was surprised at the sheer number and beauty of the churches would be an understatement. Though I've lived here all my life and have certainly been aware of and vi
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This is a great blog on shopping centers, stores, groceries, etc. Here's a bit on Bargain Town and its history: http://pleasantfamilyshopping.blogspot.com/2008/06/bargain-town-is-now-toys-r-us.html
Forum: General Discussion

Here's information on the Armour Institute: http://archives.iit.edu/armour/ Click on 'Buildings' on the left hand side for a description of the IIT buildings - when they were built, where, if they are still standing, etc.
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According to an article in the Tribune, it was Nov, 1966 and it was still called the Civic Center, btw.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

The one at Scottsdale shopping center was my "local" Goldblatt's. The first time I ever put anything on layaway was there. I remember it had a small little basement where the toy department was located. To reach it, you had to go down a real narrow stairway which had stuff displayed along one side of it. The store itself was only a one story building. It actually burned down just a few y
Forum: General Discussion

I just read that article about the Medical District and the Guys. Anyone know if they are still there or if their land has since been taken over and their house knocked down? Although I really do understand what the people from the medical district mean regarding developers, that doesn't make it right that they take over so much land and push so many people out of their homes.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I remember there used to be one on Archer Ave, somewhere between Kedzie and Halsted I think, that was on the second floor. The one closest to me was Scottsdale Bowling Alley, that was located at 83rd and Cicero (site of an Aldi's now) in a former airplane hangar. Ashburn Flying Field was originally located there and when the neighborhood was bought and plotted out as single-family homes, the air
Forum: General Discussion

They've been talking about extending the Orange Line to Ford City for years. It came up again not too long ago, but I haven't anymore about it. That was actually the original plan, but they only went as far as Midway. Unless you mean a circular route that is supposed to connect all the lines, similar to the way the transit system is set up in London. I did hear comments about that, but again not
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Although I wasn't here yet, my grandmother's wake was held in their house here in Englewood and she died in Nov 1951.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I remember the Bookmobiles! We had one that would come by our school. The closest branch was in the next neighborhood over (or rather the next parish over- I"M south side!) and we didn't have a library in our Catholic grammar school until about 1968 I think. The public school a few blocks away did have a school library, but of course we couldn't use it since we didn't attend that school. Our
Forum: General Discussion

I remember having to grab a copy of the "New World" to check the ratings before we went to the show. Yep, you were going straight to hell if you went to those - God forbid you went to one rated "O"!
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I thought the no meat after 6pm was every day - not just Saturday. I seem to remember my parents rushing in to the store after work to get meat before it was covered up. As far as Sunday - many stores were not even open on a Sunday. I thought it was just a union rule, which meant that 99.99% of stores were going to follow it or else. Luckily the no meat on Friday rule got knocked out before I h
Forum: General Discussion

Kenny Brothers, opened in 1898, were originally located on Halsted. It's where the majority of my family were waked through or from. They moved to 95th St in Evergreen Park and are still there under the same name, though no longer family owned. Wolniak is now located on S. Pulaski Rd.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Oh what a waste of space! Of course, the people that have those offices probably don't feel that way. I remember going up there on the elevator, but if I recall, there was an escalator that went up to the observation deck. Still hard for me to grasp what changes have been made in the skyline just in my lifetime. Yet, it seems to have always been the skyline that we see now - strange, I know.
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I don't think they are as old as the above-mentioned buildings, but the Pittsfield and Santa Fe buildings would maybe qualify?
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There should be pictures of it in a book that the CPL has, as do many of the suburban libraries. It's the History of the Archdiocese of Chicago, a 2 volume treasure trove of pictures and information about every parish in the Archdiocese of Chicago. It was printed a good few years ago, so most of the closed ones are in there and of course the more recently opened ones are not included. Result pa
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I do have a picture of a postcard that had been on ebay. It actually shows more of the rectory and either the convent or school than the church itself, due to the angle from which the picture was taken. I'm afraid I do not know how to post it on here though unless it was in Flickr.
Forum: Questions and Answers (Q&A)

I was surprised as well to see a W. Madison st address. Yes it is 212 (3 digits) - saw more than one ad with the same address. When I pull up the address on newschicago.org the property is listed as being built in 1890 and 45 stories tall. Then on the County Assessor's site it shows what looks to be 2 modernlooking office type buildings. There was another ad in 1977 for Starks and it is advertisin
Forum: General Discussion

Captain, Wish I knew how to post stuff on here, or maybe we can't unless it's a picture on Flickr. Anyway, I found Herbert Hinchliffe's obituary in the Tribune on Feb 12 1954. It says he was 83, pioneer Chicago teaming and trucking operator. Lived at the Lake Shore Club 850 LSD, owned Hinchliffe Teaming Company until 1935 and later was associated with several trucking lines. He retired 7 years ag
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Dave, I decided to do a little digging and found an ad for Starks in the Tribune from Dec 3 1960. It lists 4 locations: 1601 S Canal, 5901 S Harlem, 4901 N Harlem and 212 W Madison. I wish I knew how to post this stuff here, but if you want to look at the ad, there is a sketch of the Canal st location and it shows the walkway.
Forum: General Discussion

daveg, Wasn't the Starks on Harlem accessed by some sort of rickety looking walkway. I seem to remember it being set back from the road and I remember all the tacky looking painted ads or whatever all over the building - wasn't it predominantly yellow? Or maybe I'm thinking of someplace else. OOPS! - I just read the comment above - on Canal? Huh! I never realized it was that far away (from my
Forum: General Discussion

222, For one thing, the district is now known as the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, since 1988. Their territory is widespread throughout the Chicagoland area, as they patrol the various waterways, sewer systems, etc. Sorry to jump in here Bruce, as I'm sure you can be more specific. I actually did work for the MWRD during the summer of 1990 as a security guard at the gate at the Stic
Forum: General Discussion