I recall that some of the corner stores kept their heavy exterior glass door propped open in the summer months and used a rickety, noisy wooden screen door to let some air circulate (before air conditioning was more common). Does anyone remember the metal enameled push plate across the screen door--it usually advertised "Salada Tea."
Forum: General Discussion

I do remember Little Corporal; went there after shopping or the movies. I thought of Riccardo's on Wabash near Wacker. Stouffer's on Randolph near Wabash - a two story dining room with a large, carpeted stairway leading to the second level. For less than $5 you could get a hot meal with coffee and dessert. It rivaled any Marshall Field's dining room. I think there was a place called Jimmy
Forum: General Discussion

I do remember Binyons. I went there for office lunches. The big draw was their turtle soup and bay scallops. I think it was at the the bottom of LaSalle St. near the Board of Trade. Jackson St. maybe. Also, they had a booth at the Taste of Chicago for many years--turtle soup was on the menu. I think it closed in recent years.
Forum: General Discussion

I got to thinking about the big snow of '67. The city did not plow side streets and our corner grocery store (about about 2 blocks north of Belmont) was running low on stock. We tried to shovel as much of the street as possible but without plows it was tough going. Just then we saw two meat delivery men wearing their long blood-spotted smocks with a giant leg of beef on their shoulders. Th
Forum: General Discussion

Suddenly, I thought about all the Wimpy's places on various corners in the Loop. Never ate at one and don't remember when they closed or how many there were or the exact locations. Any thoughts? I don't think they were unique to Chicago.
Forum: General Discussion

I lived near "The Villa" neighborhood when I was in grade school. It is located on Addison St. just west of the Kennedy. The homes are elegant and varied in architecture, situated on parkways running north and south from Addison to Avondale on the north. The western boundary of this triangle is Pulaski. Over the years the area has remained stable and many homes show substantial
Forum: General Discussion

We had one of those intercoms in the two-flat I lived in as a kid. We lived on the second floor so when a visitor would ring the doorbell we would ask for their name through the tube. If it was someone we knew we pressed a buzzer that released the lock on the entrance hallway door. Eliminated the need to run up and down all the time. In later years the wood panel containing the speaking tubes
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

I forgot about Peacock's (I think on Monroe and State). A very posh jewelry store that also sold art objects and fine china and silver. When it closed, State St. was in decline. I believe there was an entrance into the Palmer House. I think there were 2 Woolworths; one on north State and one near the South end. Also at the south end was the Lyon and Healy music emporium.
Forum: General Discussion

I think Charles A. Stevens fell in between those stores. And on the other side of the street was Maurice Rothschild and Lyttons (mostly men's clothing). And don't forget all the shoe emporiums: Chandlers, O-Gees, Malings, Bakers--all one-story stores facing State St. In warm weather the cute, young salesmen would walk up to you on the sidewalk and try to get you into the store to try on a pair of
Forum: General Discussion

Comments on the Blackhawk, Henrici's, and more. From Chicago Trib. http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/chi-0407260178jul26,0,2495845.story Photo of interior of Henrici's.http://www.cardcow.com/216658/henricis-restaurant-chicago-illinois-chicago/
Forum: General Discussion

This article gives a very good history of Henrici's Restaurant which was located on the Daley Center site before demolition. Located on Randolph between Clark and Dearborn. http://chicagocrimescenes.blogspot.com/2009/04/striking-waitresses-at-henricis.html Photo of interior of Henrici's. http://www.cardcow.com/216658/henricis-restaurant-chicago-illinois-chicago/
Forum: General Discussion

The river may hold some secrets. There was a ride at the back of the park near the river. It was a revolving tower to which airplanes were hung by chains. As I recall the planes were pretty big and held several passengers. The planes loaded at ground level and the ride would slowly spin until the planes hung almost straight out--there are variations of this ride everywhere. I remember hea
Forum: General Discussion

I found this article on former Chicago theaters. The Opera House Building once stood on the Daley Center (f/n/a Civic Center) block; then George M. Cohan opened the RKO Theater. http://cinematreasures.org/theater/984/
Forum: General Discussion

Lutz is still there last I checked. The bakery is scaled down from the old days. New owners. I think they still have homemade chocolates. But this establishment is a far cry from the lovely European-style cafe and bakery of years back. The present cafe is more of a glorified Starbucks. Formerly, the tables were adorned with fresh linens and flowers and silver appointments. The coffee was
Forum: General Discussion

Could the observation deck be located on the Museum of Science and Industry? The attached site indicates that a deck existed to give people a view of the installation of the submarine exhibit. It would also be a great place to view the lake and city. There appears to be a telescope on the left of the photo. http://www.msichicago.org/whats-here/exhibits/u-505/the-exhibit/restoration-relocat
Forum: General Discussion

I guess the clubs were all pretty mob controlled. I went to high school with a girl who was a professional pianist and played now and then at the Happy Medium. She told us of an incident where another piano player had his fingers smashed with the piano cover by some mob thug. I guess he didn't dance to their music, so to speak.
Forum: General Discussion

Wow, great memories from a great time in Chicago.
Forum: General Discussion

Did anyone go to any of these night spots? Now long gone. Also the College Inn at the Sherman House - a popular night spot and prom location. The State of Illinois Center now stands on that spot. Ramsey Louis was a regular at the London House on Michigan and Wacker. Mr. Kelly's was at the juncture of Rush and State, I think. Sinatra and other notables played there. The Happy Medium was
Forum: General Discussion

Does anyone remember raking and burning leaves in Chicago neighborhoods before the practice was banned for environmental reasons? I remember using open wire baskets which held the leaves while they burned. Everyone on on the block had one. The smoke filled the air and sometimes only the street lights were visible. But the smell was wonderful-it was Fall. We shoveled the ash into the flo
Forum: General Discussion

Does anyone remember what buildings occupied the block on which the Daley Center now sits? I
Forum: General Discussion

I remember the shoe store located between the main Klaus and the Klaus Home Center. I thought the shoe store was privately owned and named Martin Bootery. I may be wrong about that. The lunch counter as I remember it, was in the Woolworth along the front window. You have a good memory for the food served there--I don't remember eating there. I remember the Logan Theater and the Logan Sq
Forum: General Discussion

Not sure. In the recent past he appeared on the "Steve and Johnnie" show on WGN on or around Halloween time. He said he did investigations in Ireland and other places in the U.S. I went on the original tour way back when. Crowe was urged by a Geography professor at DePaul to run a bus tour of haunted sites in the Chicago Area. Larry Lujak was on that tour. A friend who was edi
Forum: General Discussion

Here is an interesting article on the history of Golf Mill. http://www.labelscar.com/illinois/golf-mill-shopping-center
Forum: General Discussion

Here is a site that details the origin of Bachelor's Grove, a picture, and reports of paranormal activity. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachelor's_Grove_Cemetery
Forum: General Discussion

No, I didn't see the house. We were there on a rainy night and were told about a blue ball of light that people have seen which floats around the gravestones. Also sounds of babies crying or other voices. I remember our tour guide telling us about a house that seems to be there at times.
Forum: General Discussion

I was there on one of Richard Crowe's ghost tours--that's all I know of it. Do you know why they call it Bachelors Grove? or what the history of the place is?
Forum: General Discussion

Mom mom told me about going to Sieben's beer garden on Larabee with her sister and brother-in-law on summer evenings. She said it was a great place to people watch while have a pitcher of beer along with pretzels and mustard.
Forum: General Discussion

We had one one of these garbage bins at our house in the Avondale neighborhood. We tossed the garbage in at the top and the sanitation workers would literally shovel the garbage out at the bottom on the alley side. There were no hefty bags at the time, nor recycling. Paper sacks filled with stuff spilled out and the bottom of the bin was always wet and smelly, sometimes filled with maggots,
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

There was a large orphanage on the norht side called Angel Guardian. I think it is now Misericordia home. My sociology class visted Angel Guardian in high school. Very sad; very institutional. There was and still is Maryville orphanage in DesPlaines on River Road. Large campus. Park Ridge has a small residential school on Prospect Ave. simply called the Youth Campus. There was an orphan
Forum: Forgotten Chicago Sightings

Did anyone remember the Hub? I went there to a couple of high school skating parties but that's it. I know it was there on Harlem for quite a while. I fould the below site which has some history of the place. http://www.orbitskate.net/Hub/hubhistory.html
Forum: General Discussion