(c) Allan Zirlin (original photo has been cropped)
When Lincoln Village opened in 1951 in the Peterson Park neighborhood on Chicago’s northern border, the mall’s motto was: “You’ll find it at the Village.”
Earlier this month, the agenda for the Hollywood-North Park Community Association meeting included this item: “What’s the future of Lincoln Village?”
In the years that span these two remarks, a Chicago neighborhood and way of life changed. Back in the sixties, Lincoln Village was a beloved mall: Bagel and Tray, Harmony Hall, the Village Nut Shop, the deli. In 1968, the fabulous Lincoln Village Theater opened, screening films as well as presenting live stage shows (comedy and singers) direct from the Borscht Belt. Fiddler on the Roof opened and sold out on an advanced-ticket-sales-only basis. Lincoln Village was a shopping center completely in sync with the surrounding mostly Jewish city neighborhoods and suburbs.
No more schlepping
It cost South Side banker E. G. Shinner two million dollars to build the 15-acre shopping center that was designed with the automobile in mind. Shinner told a Chicago Tribune reporter:
“The oft-repeated expression of shoppers, ‘My feet are killing me,’ should seldom be heard at Lincoln Village.”
The parking lot, with space for 1,300 cars, originally had eight entrances: five on Lincoln, two on McCormick and one on Devon. So you shouldn’t have to drive around too much to find an entrance.
Shinner’s car-centric vision for this mall of the future was memorialized on a bronze plaque:
“This center is conceived to meet the modern way of motorized American life, and dedicated to the idea that shopping can made a pleasant and enjoyable experience to merchant and patron alike.”
Shinner built Lincoln Village 5 years before Old Orchard Shopping Center opened. I don’t know if Lincoln Village influenced the developers of Old Orchard, but to my eye, Old Orchard in its early days was Lincoln Village on a vastly larger scale.
A sense of place
If you only know from what Lincoln Village Shopping Center looks like today, then E. G. Shinner’s 1950 vision of a pleasant shopping environment makes no sense at all. Putting aside the empty storefronts that used to house Borders, What’s Cooking and Payless Shoes, the refurbished mall is not easy on the eyes. I’m not suggesting the original design deserved landmark status, but the Lincoln Village I remember was attractive, and it belonged in the neighborhood. (An aside to former locals: the Lincoln Village developer, E. G. Shinner, also developed Nippersink Resort.)
When it first opened, Lincoln Village had four buildings. Building A was the larger strip that ran more or less parallel to Lincoln, the small B ran perpendicular to Lincoln, backing up to the North Shore channel. Buildings C and D were small triangles, also facing Lincoln. One housed the restaurant and I don’t recall what was in the other one. In fact, I don’t recall the fourth building at all. At the west of end A, there was a two-story medical office center with a pharmacy on the first floor. Frank Lee, the druggist, was elected first president of the Lincoln Village Business Men’s Association. I guess there were no women business owners at the time.
A combination of limestone, Red Roman brick and redwood was used to give each storefront a different look. A wide canopy extended from the top of the buildings over the walkways. The canopy was held up with decorative wrought iron pillars. The walkways were made of pumice, ground glass and cement for a mosaic effect. There were several built-in flower gardens. Most storefronts had large display windows just like downtown. Shinner had loudspeakers attached to the canopies and placed inside the stores for piped-in music.
A new idea about shopping
The arrival of Lincoln Village Shopping Center in this area marked a major shift in the neighborhood. What a contrast to the old, cramped and dark storefronts lining Bryn Mawr between Kimball and Kedzie. And parking was a problem on Bryn Mawr, where there were no public lots.
Neighborhood commercial districts like Bryn Mawr between Kimball and Kedzie came about in the days before most families in the neighborhood owned a car or a refrigerator. Until women started working away from home and every family bought a car, the mom-and-pop merchants had enjoyed a captive audience.
The post-war generation wanted things fast and easy to fit their changing lifestyles. Shinner understood this new attitude. He understood that shopping was no longer going to be considered a chore, it was becoming a middle-class recreational activity–for both adults and youth alike.
Eric Salm Store for Men was located at Lincoln Village. Photo courtesy of Les Neudorf.
While Lincoln Village may have been tied to the future, it wasn’t a radical break with the past. Except for the Mandel Brothers department store (a 21,000 square-foot space later taken over by Wieboldt’s), the shops were all local mom-and-pop businesses. The developer, Shinner, took great pride having attracted small business owners to the shopping center.
This is not the future they envisioned
Lincoln Village Shopping Center opened for business at a time when the middle class in Chicago faced an unambiguous future. In the 1950s, everything about the Hollywood and Peterson Park neighborhoods was getting better: a new school opened (Solomon); an enormous synagogue opened its doors on Kimball (Shaare Tikvah, 1949); Hollywood Park was redesigned to accommodate more playing fields for kids (1955); single-family homes, some of them quite large and grand, were going up in all the empty Hollywood and Peterson Park lots that had been called prairies by the local kids.
Today, Lincoln Village may well be representative of another major shift in attitudes about shopping. Do we want local businesses in our neighborhoods? Do we want to be on a first-name basis with shop owners? Do we want that third place in our communities where we can casually meet neighbors as we go about our daily lives? Or, in the future, will we do all our shopping online?
References: VERONICO, NICHOLAS. “Lincoln Village Park and Shop to Open Sept. 15.” Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963): N1. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Tribune (1849-1987). Aug 16 1951. Web. 17 Jan. 2012. Chase, Al. “Sells Lincoln Village, New Shop Center.” Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963): B5. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Tribune (1849-1987). Jan 05 1952. Web. 17 Jan. 2012 .
Credits: Photo of Wieboldt’s sign at Lincoln Village Shopping Center at night, courtesy of Allan Zirlin. Photo of Lincoln Village Shopping Mall, VERONICO, NICHOLAS. “Lincoln Village Park and Shop to Open Sept. 15.” Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963): N1. ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Tribune (1849-1987). Aug 16 1951. Web. 17 Jan. 2012.
I used to shop in Lincoln Village in the 60s & 70s especially at at Eric Salm. There was a salesman there by the name of David Elman. Does anyone remember him & if so where he is today (I think he moved to CA).
Hi, Mike. Glad you made it to the Hibbard reunion. I wanted to attend, even though I went to Peterson, to connect with some of the new friends I’ve made through this blog. Unfortunately, I had to work that day. Interesting to have that connection with Bain. I looked up Bain Hardware in Trib ads that went back to the ’50s, so they may have been an original tenant, or moved in close to the opening.
It’s interesting how the economy has changed and we can’t support these neighborhood-based small businesses. There were a number of hardware stores on Bryn Mawr, just a few blocks from Lincoln Village, yet that didn’t affect Bain from being in business for many years. That a neighborhood could support 3-4 hardware stores within a mile!
Carol, re: Harmony Hall, t’s great to hear the memories of a younger generation! Re: Wiebodlt’s: I recall the make up counter as my favorite spot, as well as a period when we girls shopped the boys section for straight leg jeans.
Thanks for sharing the pictures and stories! I have great memories of Lincoln Village, though mine are more from the late ’60s-early ’80s. My first real job in high school was at Harmony Hall. (I still love Hallmark stores!) I joke that one of my “almost” brushes with fame was when I got to sell pens to Def Leppard’s manager as he got them ready for a nearby record album signing event. (No one under the age of 50 will probably even know what that means!) As a little girl, the jewelry counter at Wieboldts was one of my favorite places to look and dream on shopping trips with my Mom. I also remember buying my first pair of blue Minnetonka moccasins at the shoe store there in Lincoln Village. So many little memories that make up part of the bigger picture of childhood!
Hi, Frances!
The Lincoln Village and Skokie pictures are great! Good memories. I had forgotten about Bain Hardware in Lincoln Village – it was owned by the uncle of a girl that grew up next door to me on St. Louis ave. Used to go there with her once in a while to see her family.
Belated thanks for the heads-up about the Hibbard gathering. It was very nice. Saw a handful of folks I knew back in the 50s and 60s. It got me all misty to walk into room 101, Mrs. Glatt’s kindergarten room. It’s so small now! 😉
Mike
Thanks, Chris. I’ll check these photos out now.
Here are some pictures that might be of some interest:
http://70sskokie.blogspot.com/
Although most of the pictures are of Skokie, there are some pictures of Lincoln Village here, probably from the early 1970s.
http://img02.deviantart.net/5990/i/2010/096/9/1/lincoln_village_7_9_by_dreamofyou.jpg
This one is more focused on the theater. Judging from the movies listed here, this picture is from 1992.
Thanks for sharing your recollections. I will definintely check out the windows next time I’m near Lincoln Village. From time to time I’ve noticed very small spots where you can see signs of the original place — for example, where the original brick was painted white on the rear of the buildings. I wish we could find a set of photographs of Lincoln Village in the ’60s. It really was an attractive structure. Hard to believe now, right?
There definitely was a barber shop in Lincoln Village. I remember getting my haircut there in the early 80s. As someone mentioned earlier, it was called Squire and the barber was a Greek fellow named Jim. He lives in the neighborhood by Lincoln Ave & Washtenaw.
Also, I was in the batch of the last employees at Eric Salm. Lots of great memories working part time there during my high school years in the mid 80s. If you peer through one of the windows, you’ll see the “Studio II” sign that greeted the customers as they went into the basement to see the latest fashion designs from Giorgio Armani, New Man, Jhane Barnes and Axis.
Hi, Renee! Very interesting bit of history. There were several Glick’s in the area — I’ve met Barbara Glick and she told he father owned a produce shop on Bryn Mawr and her mother owned Rochelle’s across from Von. But I didn’t ask her if she was related to the Glick Pharmacy family.
I just spent a few hours re-reading the comments here….in reference to barbara karp kluger’s comment about Glick Pharmacy on Lawrence Av, I worked there on weekends and holidays typing labels for the 36 nursing homes they serviced. The owners were Aaron and Birdie Finn. They had an office in the back and in the basement they stocked the meds that were filled for the nursing homes. They eventually became computerized in the mid 70’s after Norm Jacobson took over and I became interested in computers during my years there.
If I recall correctly, Irv’s last name is Olsen.
Richard, thank you for providing the missing links in the neighborhood barber story. I had forgotten about the one next to Hollywood Bowl. Does anyone know Irv’s last name?
Re barbershops in the area: Irv’s was there in 1948 when we first moved to the area. In the mid 1950’s a barbershop with four chairs opened next door to the Hollywood Bowl– you can see a glimpse of it in the Hollywood Bowl picture Frances posted– Irv worked alone until the late ’50’s when he added a second chair and barber. There was a longtime barbershop on the south side of Bryn Mawr between Spaulding and Sawyer– one of the barbers there was named “Red.” The barbershop on Kimball, south of Bryn Mawr on the west side of the street, was built in the late 1950s-early ’60s.
Hope that helps fill-in the neighborhood barbershops picture.
Rich
Irv’s was the barber shop on Kimball east side, just north of Bryn Mawr. Irv had pictures of body builders with the heads of the boys who’s hair he cut pasted over them. Irv was my barber from ’68 until he closed (year escaping me at the moment). There was another on the west side of Kimball just south of Bryn Mawr, I can still picture the guy, stocky, maybe Greek?, but forgot the name.
In Lincoln Village there was an “up scale” salon for men, “The Squire”, or just “Squire”.
Shorter stocky Greek fellow, (Gus maybe??) very friendly, knew me and one of my grandmothers by name, she would take me there for a “styling” on special occasions.
They were on the western end, a lot of purple drapery (and carpet if I recall correctly). Maybe too their smocks or maybe those were blue.
Not sure when they opened or closed, but I was a customer there from the early to the late ’70s possibly even early ’80s.
Ironic, earlier this week I was visiting my uncle in Des Plaines, I stopped at the Des Plaines Oasis just north of O’Hare over looking a field from about the same spot I was looking at it almost exactly 37 years ago, (this month, May 25th).
I first learned of Flight 191 as I was walking back to my car after meeting my grandmother (same one that took me to the Squire) for lunch at Whats Cooking in Lincoln Village. I can still see spotting my car in the second row then noticing a tall narrow plume of black smoke in the sky.
Thanks for stopping by and it’s nice to hear of your interest in the neighborhood. I don’t recall a barber shop at Lincoln Village. There’s mention of the two barbers at the corner of Kimball and Bryn Mawr, one was next door to the Bryn Mawr Breakfast Club and the other was on Kimball northeast of the corner (that’s the one I have a photo in the Bryn Mawr Hall of Fame listing). But I guess those two split most of the business in the area!
What a fantastic collection of memories. I really enjoyed reading through this and I am impressed at how long the posts continue here. Wonderful! My family and I have only been in the area since 2008 but I have an interest in the subject.
Thanks to “JK” for mentioning a bit about some barbers …can anyone recall more barbershop history / memories from the area? I’m also wondering if there were any actually in The Village shopping center?
I used to shop at Eric Salm and there was a wonderful salesman there by the name of David Elman. I heard he moved to CA. Does anybody know his whereabouts today?
I remember going to a jewelry store at Lincoln Village with my dad in the 70’s, but I can’t think of the name! Does anyone remember?
Hi, David. Thanks for stopping by. Of course I remember Gabyy Hartnett’s bowling alley.
I know about the Milk Pail, in fact, I used to work there.
Didn’t do that well giving change, given my learning
disability in math! The place I’m talking about was further
west. By the way, remember Gabby Hartnet’s. A real
old fashioned bowling alley that smelled like beer
and old bowling shoes!
The Milk Pail
the dairy was the Milk Pail
Does anybody remember a business that was on the south side of the the street–Lincoln Ave.–
in Lincolnwood? I think it was around Lawndale or a little further East. Possibly called
Wisconsin Dairy? I remembering them being a butcher and having fresh dairy products.
Also imported foods.
That was Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria that opened on March 17, 1971 in Lincolnwood.
Thanks JK. My mistake. I knew it opened in 1971. It actually opened on March 17,1971.
The place with the trampolines near Kiddie Land, was Bounce Land.
Near the barring cages.
Great comments board here!
I’m glad I was a kid when you could still be a kid.
Budlong 1958-1967 (K-8)
Lou Malnati’s on Lincoln in Lincolnwood and Super Dawg on Milwaukee and Devon!
Another spot close to Skokie with great Italian food, Via Veneto in Lincoln just south of Devon before Drake. Oh OK I’ll look up the address…..6340 North Lincoln, Chicago.
Harriet,
The Bagel is on the Skokie Blvd. side of the mall and near the center. It is just north of the small indoor parking lot on the east side of the mall.
Glad I could help!
Lynda
Harriet, the Bagel is on the eastern side (the Skokie Blvd side) of Old Orchard, about midway north-south.
How about the best french fries in town?
The Ranch of course, on Devon.
In a bag with grease stains seeping
through the paper!
My vote goes to Kow Kow that used to be
on Devon. I remember the owner gave me
a pack of gum every time we went there.
I think he was in kahoots with my dentist!
Lynda, Bob and Ben….Thank you for the quick response….I thought I would be waiting awhile before getting answers about the restaurants. The places you named sound great. My kids will love eating their way through Skokie. I know exactly where all those places are and they are quite near where my family will be staying. One question Lynda….which end of the mall is the Bagel Restaurant located?
Ben, you were talking about Kedzie and Lawrence. Did you ever have take-out Chinese food from Wing Lee? They were on the west side of Kedzie and a block south of Lawrence. After I was married and moved to Skokie (mid-50s), we still drove down there to pick up the order……so-o-o good!
Hi Frances
Thank you for your kind note and yes I am feeling some better. Just a bit of addition to the recent posts. Lets not forget the original site of the Bagel on Kedzie just north of Lawrence and next door to the Alba on the west side of the street. It was a hang-out for many of us in Al Jolson AZA because one of our members (Mike) was the son of the owner. This is going way back to the late 50’s and I have no specific info on went it moved as the neighborhood changed.
I would give a strong second to Walker Brothers as a great place. Besides the other locations mentioned in addition to the original site in Wilmette there is one on Dundee Road in Arlington Heights. Personally I find the omelets they make the very best. Actually Walker Brothers is part of a franchise (The Original Pancake House) which has locations all over the country even down here in Florida. While I miss so much of Chicago (except the weather) I still have my great omelets close at hand.
Best Wishes To All!
Ben
I second Lynda’s recommendation of Kaufman’s Bakery and Deli in Skokie, but it’s a bit down the street from the Skokie Swift station. It’s in shopping center at 4905 Dempster.
The granddaddy of breakfast spots in the northern suburbs of Chicago is Walker Bros Pancake House which lives up to its reputation. The original Walker Bros has been in the same spot on Greenbay Road in Wilmette (maybe 15 minutes from Skokie) and there are now a handful of other newer locations including Glenview and Highland Park. If you remember the movie Ordinary People there was a great scene filmed at the original Wilmette restaurant in the movie. They still have a photo of Robert Redford directing a scene at the restaurant behind the cashier stand. Try the amazing Belgian waffles!
Hi Harriet,
I can recommend The Bagel restaurant in Old Orchard mall in Skokie. The original Bagel restaurant was located on Devon between California and Kedzie but moved many years ago. Kaufman’s bagel bakery at the Skokie Swift station on Dempster is also good as is Max’s on Skokie Valley Road. For takeout only, New York Bagels & Bialys on Dempster near McCormick or Touhy near the Edens Expressway are great.
Lynda
Hello bloggers…..I’m Harriet Vogel originally from Albany Park (Volta and Von). I have been living in Palm Beach County for 46 years. I’ve been reading this fantastic blog for several months, but didn’t realize how many different sub-topics there were. Last night after looking for something I had read before I discovered there were many topics I hadn’t seen before. It took me 2 hours to read about restaurants that so many of you went to and enjoyed with your families. Mainly, you kept talking about The Peking (sp?) House and their one of a kind egg rolls and also talked quite a bit about Mr. Rickeys on Gross Point and Skokie Blvd..
My son is taking his family, his wife and two sons, 12 and 15, to Chgo during spring break. My son was three years old when we moved away and he wants to take in all the things a tourist would do. He has been back to Chgo several times, but not with the boys. The family will be staying at the Fairfield Inn in Skokie….so here is my question…are there any really good restaurants you can suggest in that area for breakfast? Lox , eggs and onions, bagels, all those “good” breakfast foods. If Mr. Rickeys was still there, that would be the place to go. Of course Hackneys, Uno’s, Manny’s near Roosevelt Road…..they’ll make all those stops…..but for now, I only need to tell them where to go for breakfast.
Thanks for your help.
Didn’t know about the Lazar’s in Jerusalem. Next time I am there to visit our son,daughter-in-law and grandson, I will make it a point to find the place. Thanks.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, Barbara. Did you know there is a Lazar’s, same family, in Jerusalem. I’ve heard there are photos of the old store in Chicago on the wall. Someone take a photo and send it to me so we can share!
Ben, thanks for the background on the street — another example where our neighborhood provides a look into Chicago history. I think for those who live close to the city border where Pulaski becomes Crawford, we probably have more awareness of the street name change. I suspect if you lived further souther, where it’s Pulaski all the way in both directions, you might now know about the name change. Hope you are feeling better!
Wow! I was pretty young when we moved from the Lawrence avenue area (Giddings St.) I was around 9. One memory that stands out is Maury’s Red Hots. I can still smell those hotdogs. Glicks pharmacy is also familiar….I think that a cousin of ours was a pharmacist there. Moving a bit north, (lived on Kedzie and Berwyn), my mom and I often frequented Lazars. The best! Great memories…..Thanks!
Hi Frances
I have been away for quite some time; in and out of hospitals, the joys of getting older. The discussion about the Crawford/Pulaski issue caught my attention and I thought I would chime in. The name change is purely a Chicago issue, once one crosses Devon into Lincolnwood and then north into Skokie and finally Evanston where it ends, the street is Crawford all the way. The change of name in Chicago has a significant ethnic underpinning; the very large Polish population in Chicago at the time wanted to have their hero, Casimir Pulaski honored and what better way then to rename a major street that passed thought neighborhoods with significant numbers of Polish residents. With their significant strength with the then Mayor and in the Chicago City Council, and the political implications of pleasing a large voting group, the deed was done.
The original 40th Street got changed to Crawford (named for an original landowner in the area) in 1913 to end confusion between north/south and east/west number streets. In 1933 then Mayor Kelly wanted to strengthen his position with the large Polish community in Chicago and the City Council did his bidding and changed the name to Pulaski Road within the city limits. Well then began the battle to undo the change and restore the Crawford name. The fight which went on for years, finally ending in 1952 when the Illinois Supreme Court dismissed the final lawsuit, was largely lead by the business interests along the street, particularly around Crawford/Pulaski and Madison, a significant shopping area at the time. Chicago is a “fun town” and this is one of the many stories about its history.
Yep, this is true. I’ve seen the early blueprints for the TB Sanitarium, built 100 years ago in March, and they indicate Fortieth Street as the western boundary. But I think the name change to Crawford may have a few years earlier — I’ll have to check the documents I have about the Sanitarium.
Hey, JK, thanks for providing ME with a great trip down memory lane. With your family’s long ties to the area, you’ve been able to span the years as well the area from Foster up to Devon, which was pretty much as far as I went, at least on foot. I haven’t written about some of these places — Kow Kow, Crawford’s and Gabby Hartnett — all of which I remember well. And my mom still lives in the neighborhood too! As much as it has changed, I’m surprised at how many people I know who still have a parent in the neighborhood.
Almost forgot, some one I think on this thread(I’m tired, been reading for hours), said they weren’t sure about the changes or which way it changed from Crawford to Pulaski or visa versa.
As some one else mentioned it was originally 40th, the renaming to Crawford was around 100+ years ago and to Pulaski (for Casimir Pulaski a Revolutionary war hero) in the mid/late 1930’s. There was some protests even a lawsuit or two I believe, by some to change it back to Crawford up thru the early 1950s.
Lou Malnati’s actually opened in 1971, not ’74 as some one mentioned.
Much like Richards Drive in, we still take out cool (now old) cars to various drive ins (Dog & Suds Ingleside, Illinois for one) on Saturday nights and in the Home Depot parking lot (plenty placed to eat walking distance) in Gurnee right across from Gurnee Mills on Fridays all summer long.
Used to be a regular, old timer in a ’66 or ’67 Impala SS that used to hang out at the Pie Pan on Peterson back in the ’60’s. He had many stories of how they would set up races and hop on the Edens northbound in the wee wee hours of the morning. Back then he said, the expressway was virtually empty. They could do almost any type of race, stop and drag race or ’50 punch’ for a mile racing top speed.
In a post several years back some one mentioned they thought ”Whats Cookin” had another name originally. Suddenly the name “Zelda’s” popped in my head. Not sure how far back that names goes though.
Been reading and made a few posts on Frances’ blogs here on and off 3+ years now. Nice trip down memory lane each time, really love the pictures.
Moved on Hollywood between Jersey and Spaulding in ’68 just before I started kindergarten, graduated Peterson in ’77 and Von in ’81. My mom still lives there.
She partially grew up in Hollywood Park for 3 years, ’49-’51 on Bernard less then half a block south of Bryn Mawr, forgot the number. Went to Peterson 1st thru part of 3rd grade when they moved to California for a year. Back to Albany Park, 4529 Lawndale in ’54, where my grandparents lived until they passed and uncle lived until he moved out in the ’90s. Gaduated Roosevelt in ’61.
My father, IIRC lived on Talman and graduated Von in ’57.
His parents moved into a new apartment building at 5445 California in ’63 then to Hollywood Park in the late ’80s….so yep, LOTS of memories from Montrose (Drake Bowl and Ernie’s barbershop) and Lawrence Ave, Maurys red hots, Glicks, Tots-n-Teens, the archery shop, Cooper & Cooper, Ravenswood El, Burts, Bon-Ton, Walgreens and their tube tester, little league at River Park, Zfany’s, Lori’s, to the Bryn Mawr businesses from Learners and Lazars on Kedzie to Irv’s Barbershop on Kimball and Esposito’s Texico (Bryn Mawr&Bernard, NE corner) day camp at Hollywood Park (anyone remember Mr. Freeman (or Fredman I forgot) the supervisor at the park?, to Kiddyland, Flukies, the Milk Pail Bunny Hutch and Gabby Hartnett, Kow Kow (one grandmother LOVED that place), Crawfords, ….etc etc
I used to go to Amy Joy Donuts on Milwaukee Ave. in Niles, just north of Touhy Ave. Herman and his wife owned this shop in the mid 1970’s.
David, we use to go to the Milk Pail fairly regularly. Amy Joy Donuts was at Lincoln and Kimball — it’s a car repair garage now, but I think that the sign posts are the same ones that were used for the Amy Joy sign – it was very high up. Thanks for stopping by.
How about these places from our past…Amy Joy donuts , The Milk Pail (I worked behind the counter, hustling milk in glass bottles and other dairy products. That’s when we had to make change without an automatic cash register. I think I still owe people some change!) Shoppers World and EJKorvette, and last but not least…The Ranch for the best hot dogs and fries around!
Debbie, thanks for writing. Sounds like your family moved away from the neighborhood the year we moved in. It was a great neighborhood for walking — you could walk everywhere to get everything you needed!
We lived on St. Louis and I often crossed the big street to go to Kiddie Land and remember all the excitement of Shopper’s Village being built in opening. One distinct memory is my brother and I getting up very early on a Sunday morning where SV was having the Easter Egg Hunt there. We took grocery bags and ran all over getting the eggs filled with candy & prizes also. I remember my brother climbing up places to get some eggs. Looking back, I hope we didn’t take so many that we ruined the egg hunt. Miniature golf was a regular activity I appreciate all the memories. It was a very special place for me as my mom didn’t drive and we then had a place to go to where we could walk. My family from Monticello, Drake all moved to Florida in ’63
Correction.
After making my last post I realized I was seeing the Peterson address and thinking Lincoln Ave, so Allegretti’s can’t be the restaurant I am remembering across from Richard’s.
My bad.
Ralph,
From your link showing many restaurants around Chicago through the years, I found one for Allegretti’s at 4124 W. Peterson. If my memory serves me, that was the restaurant directly across the street from Richard’s Drive In (to the east). I remembered there was a fancy restaurant there but I couldn’t remember its name. The address of Allegretti’s gives us the eastern street/corner bordering Richard’s.
Thanks again for your research.
Sorry Richard, No can do on the radio commercial. I meet some people online that remember it, but none of the websites of old commercials I visited had a copy of it. If I ever find anything I will let you know.
Ralph, that would be cool. I remember seeing a newspaper article about the opening, but I don’t think it listed all the stors.
Thank you. If I find out any other info on either Richard’s or the Pie-Pan I will pass it on.
Also I found on-line at one time was the history of the Lincoln Village Shopping Center. It had a list of the stores there when it first opened. I will try to find that again also.
Ralph
Ralph,
Thank you for all the time and effort you put into your research. To the best of my memory, the full radio ad went: “Richard’s Drive In carfeteria, Richard’s Drive In carfeteria, drive out to Richard’s tonight! Ohhhhh Richard,” sung by a woman with a very sexy voice.
In my earlier description of Richard’s, I forgot to mention that there was a small area inside (the darkened area on the side of the building shown in your first picture) with a wrap around counter and a few tables where you could be seated. But 99% of the business was for curb service.
Richard
Thanks Ralph, looking forward to reading through all these links!
As for the Pie-Pan, All I found was some blogs which talked about the Pie-Pan:
http://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=474441
And a picture of someone who worked at the Pie-Pan
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/560627853586054924/
Some advertisement photo of the Pie-Pan on CraigsLostChicago, (you will have to scroll down a little to see it)
http://www.craigslostchicago.com/lost-eateries.php
I also couldn’t find any pictures either on-line, except for one person in the the blog above who posted a picture of the menu. I saw it and it is only the cover of the Pie-Pan menu. He never posted any pictures of the inside of the menu.
Sorry Richard. I could not find that radio ad of Richard’s Drive-In. I did read some blogs where people remember the jingle. But I did find a picture of a Richard’s Drive-In, in Cambridge, MA, 1957 on Flicker. I guess there was some on the east coast.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/87362701@N00/391721511/
Here’s a food tray on a car.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/garysfamouscarphotos/9381494328/in/photolist-fi1Bqd-aDvyYd-dcp4CA-9uXXw1-dcp3gq-6JQcvt-dcoYgw-dDFv7b-7RZeKf-cTxutG-oyf8Tg-ouq7UY-gMVgR-6zNPHm-5ieJtj-525si6
Hi Ralph,
All the Richard’s were built identically, so it’s hard to distinguish which one is shown in your picture. However, the one-storey building in the background and the Hickory Pit restaurant seen at the front of that building look very familiar to me– it is likely that this is a picture of the Lincoln Ave. Richards when it was fairly new. Perhaps another reader can shed light on the location of the Hickory Pit to verify whether I am right or not.
I hope you can find the Richard’s radio ad; I’d love to hear it again.
Thanks for all your research.
Richard
Richard,
The picture of Richard’s Drive-In, from the FaceBook page, is that how the drive-in looked on Lincoln Ave.?
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.677322305659692.1073741913.530718666986724&type=1
(Sorry I didn’t post the album pictures first.)
Also if I can find that website of old radio commercials, I will see if the Richard’s Drive-In commercial in on it.
Ralph and gang,
Thanks for bringing back more memories. Actually, the menu you provided menu appears to be an older one. When I worked at the Lincoln Ave. Richards in 1962 (I later worked as a manager trainee at the Harlem Ave. Richards) the menu was larger.
For those who’d like more details about Richard’s Drive Ins, this is for you:
Richard’s was designed with parking spots circling 360 degrees around a central building. Each parking spot had its own speaker and menu stand, from which to give your order. There was a main switchboard at the inside counter that displayed all the parking spaces with a letter and number. The order was put onto a slip and passed on to the cooks and finally to the cashier where the order was rung up, and given to the carhop along with the completed order. The carhop placed the food and drink onto a special aluminum tray with sliding legs that adapted to the window of the car– the tray thus attached to the (usually) driver side front window. In the early 1950’s the carhops roller skated to your car, later they walked.
As mentioned earlier, as in the movie American Graffiti, on Friday and Saturday nights, the coolest and fastest cars parked in front where they could be better seen, with socializing going on much as shown in the movie– guys and gals made dates, and car owners setup races at times, sometimes for pink slips. A ‘50’s radio ad for Richard’s ended: “Drive out to Richard’s tonight!! Ohhhhhh, Richard!!” I always liked that ad, mostly because that was my name 🙂 .
The manager while I was at the Lincoln Ave. Richard’s (Franz), was very beloved and popular with all the employees as a regular guy who always treated you fairly. As a former professional wrestler he was also known and liked by the police and others whom Franz allowed to hang out in the back on weekends; this included police detectives and a mechanic at a nearby Chevrolet dealership who was credited as having the fastest thing on wheels in the city— a motorcycle proven fastest by his never having been beaten in many races. The head cook was Curtis Boyd (Little Curt), who also cooked for the Playboy. Curt was a great guy with a short life, my friend whom I will never forget, along with Mr. B and his two sons, Roosevelt and Washington, whom I mention now in their memories.
Richard
Frances, sorry for the poor sentence. I was trying to say that Pie Pan closed about 40 years ago. Ralphs research shows it was somewhat longer. Haggertys was across the street where Tarpeys Pharmacy now stands. Prior to that it was Johnstones which was a bakery/restaurant combo. Sort of a forerunner to the Bakers Square concept. The interesting thing about the Johnstones/Haggertys building is that it was one story and it was never torn down but the current office building was built over it and incorporated the existing ground floor.
Hi Francis. Hope your well. We have communicated before but it has been a while. My cousins used to own Rauncho Luna on Kimball. I have done some of my own historical research on north park. There is a house on sawyer from 1885! Also found pictures of foster in 1896, and the corner of foster and Spaulding in 1910; among others! Let me know if you would like me to send you the photographs. Take care!
Ralph, this is so cool! Thanks for sharing. It’s amazing what you can find online.
I’ll have to see what we can dig up about the Pie Pan business.
Len, what’s 40 years?
Ralph, thanks for mentioning the location. It’s funny that I can’t remember it but I clearly remember Hagarty’s restaurant across the street.
I very well remember Pie Pan. We went there often – particularly on birthdays……the restaurant gave you a free (gigantic) sundae if you provided proof of b’day. The ice cream extravaganza was served, of course, in a pie pan.
The Pie Pan was at 5950 North Cicero. It had to close some time before 1974. The corner that it was on became the Skill Office Plaza then, Skill Power Equipment had there headquarters there. Now it is the Edens Office Plaza. I remember that the Pie Pan had a white fence around the property.
Richard’s Drive In was at 6667 N. Lincoln in Lincolnwood, 1935 Harlem Ave. in Chicago and 141 Greenbay Road in Wilmette. I saw these addresses on their menu.
Lou Malnati’s address in Lincolnwood is 6649 North Lincoln. The building that Lou’s is in was built in 1958 but Lou’s only have been there since 1974. I am not sure what that place was before 1974.
Here is pictures of a Richard’s Drive In I found online at FaceBook. You should be able to see them without logging in.
https://www.facebook.com/ChicagoExtinctBusinesses/photos/a.677322305659692.1073741913.530718666986724/677322342326355/?type=1&relevant_count=2
There is a Richard’s Drive In menu for sale here on-line that I found as well if anyone is interested.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/102779468/vintage-richards-drive-in-diner-roadside
Oops! I hope they did not go out of business because I moved away in1969. We ate there often.
The Pie Pan on Peterson and Cicero had to close before 1974 because that’s when the new office building was built. I believe that Skill Power Tools own it first then became the Edens Office Plaza as a now.
pie pan has not been on cicero for somewhere in the area of 40 years.
Pie Pan was one of our favorite places. Is it still there????
Sorry for the delay in replying — I get buried under email.
Thanks for the post about the Foster/Kimbal.block where the Albany Park Community Center (where my wife works) now stands. Fascinating stuff. When a friend of ours was in grade school, that was the building’s function and she attended.(60s’70’s?).
I first visited Chicago in the late 40’s early 50’s– really the Chicago area. My grandfather lived in McHenry, a long-retired Chicago policeman. That this area was not developed to the current extent until relatively recently gives a whole new perspective to the area.
Are the maps to which you refer on line? I know that the Newberry had excellent maps —
I saw one of the insurance maps showing our house in the — 20s?. But with my schedule it’s hard to get down to the Newberry.
Again, thanks.
and in regard s to Lou Malnatis—it was a restaurant called “Novaks Chicken in the Rough” before it was Malnatis–I know because my mom worked there in the 50’s/60’s as a waitress Funny thing was when I was in Public accounting I worked in the building right next door to Malnati’s-ate lunch many times there in the 80’s
Also Richard-Pie Pan was known for their pies! when I was pregnant I always had a craving for their banana cream pies-made from scratch with reaaaal bananas and whipped cream–best pies ever!
Frances, I looked on Google maps and I believe Richard’s abutted Harding Ave. to Richard’s east (Richard’s being one block east of Crawford as I remember it), with Gabby’s across the street showing as a dark area on Google maps. If Malnatti’s is shown correctly on the map, it is two blocks further east than Richard’s.
Your blog is a wonderful preservation of information about our neighborhoods and the immutable passage of time. Thanks for the memories.
Richard
There was a Pie Pan on the southwest corner of Peterson and Cicero. They had great pan fried chicken with wonderful cole slaw that I’ve been trying to duplicate for over sixty years, and biscuit, also included was a small container of honey. Best of all, you could play the jukebox using the control boxes at every booth which had their own speakers. In the ’80s, I found two of those old boxes and wired them into my stereo system, placing them in the booths of my 1950’s themed basement. My kids loved that room and used it for their parties.
Richard
i BELIEVE RICHARDS WAS A LITTLE NORTH OF LOU’S WHERE THERE IS NOW A 3 OR 4 STORY OFFICE BUILDING.
ALSO, PIE PAN WAS ON THE SW CORNER OF PETERSON AND CICERO.
EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT DRAG RACES ON EDENS HIGHWAY WERE ARRANGED IN THE PARKING LOT OF PIE PAN. SOME OF THE FASTEST CARS IN THE AREA CONGREGATED THERE RELIGIOUSLY. SIMILAR TO SKIPS ON NORTH AV. IN MELROSE PARK.
IF YOU REMEMBER BEFORE EDENS TIED INTO THE KENNEDY THERE WAS NOT MUCH TRAFFIC ON EDENS. THE CARS WOULD GO TO THE SOUTHBOUND LANES AT PRATT AND LINE UP 3 ACROSS….STOP THE TRAFFIC ON EDENS AND THEN WITH A STARTER WOULD RACE THE QUARTER MILE.
I have heard of Pie Pan. There was one in the area, right? Also, it sounds like Richard’s is where Lou Malnatti’s pizza is located now, across from where Gabby Hartnett’s was located before the building was demolished. Thanks.
And before it was Crawford, it was called 40th Street. Not sure when it changed to Crawford.
Pulaski Rd. is Crawford Ave. I sometimes forget which way the name change occurred around 1948 or 49 🙂
Richard
Hi Frances,
Richard’s was a chain with drive-ins around the Chicago area. The company that owned Richard’s also owned Pie Pan restaurants and another chain that I can’t recall. The Richard’s in question was located on Lincoln Ave. across the street from Gabby Hartnett’s bowling alley, on the north side of the street just east of Pulaski Rd. Hope that helps.
Where exactly on Lincoln was Richard’s Drive In?
Hi Harriet,
Your reference to Richard’s Drive In (“Drive out to Richard’s tonight! Ohhhh, Richard.”- radio ad) brought back many memories. My dad used to take me there on Sundays in the 1950s, during the days of roller skating car hops. In the Summer of 1962 I worked there taking orders on the switchboard and making all the soda fountain creations. The manager was Franz, assisted by bis wife Laurie, a great guy who was a former professional wrestler– big but fast, as many a smart aleck discovered to his chagrin. On weekends, as in the movie “American Graffitti” (as you may recall) cool cars came from all around to be put on display, as they parked in the 360 degree parking area surrounding the central building– the coolest cars liked to park in front, off Lincoln Ave. Those were the days.
Harriet, so nice to hear that you enjoyed my blog. There’s no longer a Fluky’s on Western, but it may be in a different locations. Wolfy’s, however, is still on Peterson. Thanks for visiting, and feel free to send me a note on the contact form if you’d like to share some of your Albany Park memories.
I just learned of this blog from a long lost cousin in Chgo. I was born in 1936 and raised in Albany Park. I moved to West Palm Beach, FL. in 1969. I am cross-eyed from reading all the comments on this blog for the last 2 1/2 hours and can’t wait to read everything else. I find this fascinating as I remember most of the places mentioned. My son is planning on taking his family to Chicago in March 2015 and will be going to several of the places mentioned here. Is Flukey’s on Western still open? I was the one in my group who drove and my friends and I blame Richards Drive-in for all the pounds we gained back in the early 1950s. What great times we had in those carefree days! I love Florida but there is no place like the north side of Chicago….at least how it was back in the day.
Thank you for your great blog. I will continue following you….you make today seem like yesteryear. You have brought much joy to this “old” girl.
I guess we can use the name we remember for the business on the NW corner of Lincoln/Kimball (McCormick) as an indication of our age. I think people my age and older would say Shopper’s World first, then Community. And then there were countless other names afterwards. Thanks for visiting!
Thank you for helping answer a gnawing question in my head the past two days as I have been reminiscing about days gone by– what was the name of that big store across from Lincoln Village when I was a kid in the neighborhood ca. 1963-1970. It was Community Discount! Frances, that was in your post from March 19, 2012 at 4:02 pm. Now I’m relieved and can go on to other obscure memories of the neighborhood. I lived in Albany Park 3616 W. Wilson 1963-1966, and then moved to Skokie. Lincoln Village was a central part of our shopping experience for years, and I have continued being a regular visitor even up until a few years ago when I last visited Chicago. I was very saddened that What’s Cooking had gone out of business. It was one of our regular eateries when visiting Chicago and “living” at nearby Heart of Chicago at Peterson near Ridge.
Hi, Kevin. I’ve been travelling so that’s why your comment hasn’t appeared for a couple weeks. I think I have the name somewhere, and as soon as I find it I will post here.
What was the name of the jewelry store in Lincoln Village?
Was it Roberts, or Robbies/Robbys?
Sorry, it took a while to moderate this comment. The first time you post, I have to moderate and then after that your posts will automatically appear on the screen. I was out of town and didn’t get a chance to moderate. Thanks for setting the record straight! Funny, Robert Saperstein was the only one who relocated south from Devon — everyone else was going north to Devon!
TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT ROBERT SAPERSTEIN OWNED THE DELIE ON DEVON AND WESTERN AND THEN IN ABOUT 1962 OPENED ROBERTS ON LINCOLN AND KIMBALL.
Hi, Lisa, nice to hear from you. I remember all those places.
Such an interesting post! Thank you, Frances! My recollections are mainly from the ’70s and although I did not grow up in this area, my family spent lots of time in Lincoln Village. My father worked for Weiner Optical, my grandmother shopped at Wieboldt’s, we ate at The Bagel and Tray and my doctor, Arthur Samuels, had his office in the medical building.
Richard, thanks for sharing these recollections. First I heard about ice skating behind Von. I also Had Ms. Minnick, may have already mentioned that to you. I had her for first grade. We must have had the same recordings for French — I can still picture the maroon cover of the binder with the lessons.
Hi Lynda, and Frances,
Your discussion about Ms. Genitis brought back my own memories. I had her for 7A at Von (Jr. High– 7th & 8B, for 8A we returned to Peterson where Mrs. Wright). Our Jr. High area rooms at Von were in the far Northeast corner of the building, second floor, behind the band/music room. Our recess was in the area behind Von, where in the Winter an area was filled with water and frozen for ice skating.
In 1955, when I was in 7th grade (Mrs. DeKoven for 7B, Mr. Miller for 8B), there was a fad with small black squirt guns that everyone bought, and got into huge water fights during recess– eventually the squirt guns were outlawed.
I may have had Ms. Genitis in 2nd grade (1950), but my memory is unsure for that period– Ms. Minnick and Mrs, Belonsky were also my early teachers, but I am unsure of what grades I had them as teachers. When I had Ms. Genitis for 7A, she taught French, or I should say, provided a French lesson on a recording. I remember that phonetically the recording began and ended with what sounded like “vis eh font, font, font, vis eh font en alouetta.” I didn’t get much from those lessons 🙂 .
Just a bit more down memory lane.
Hi, Lynda. I know exactly where you lived. Mrs. Vidor lived in the large yellow brick courtyard building, right? Mrs. Vidor was my homeroom teacher, though I don’t think we called it homeroom. I know she did some music but I was and am tone deaf so didn’t participate. It wasn’t a good year and I believe we were her last full year of teaching. I don’t recall how Miss Genitis ended her class — just remember those headsets and recordings we listened to. Thanks for stopping by.
Frances, your post about Miss Genitis prompted me to write in and ask if your French classes always ended with everyone calling out “C’EST L’HEURE” as soon as the clock struck the end of the hour and we could bolt. My family lived at 5747 Kimball and Mrs. Vidor was our next door neighbor. Although she was the history teacher, she also directed the wonderful contatas performed at Peterson during the sixties. I was fortunate to participate in Legend of Sleepy Hollow one year and Song of Hiawatha the next year. Was she still doing musical extravaganzas during your school years?
Hi, Barbara. Thanks for stopping by here. A lot of people knew Zaretsky, though I only knew of him by name. I’m wondering if we would recognize our childhood selves, even though we didn’t know each other at Peterson. I had Mrs. Leavitt also for art and Miss Genitis for French.
Hi all. It’s been so much fun reading all your posts. I spent several years in that area. We lived in apartments (which were new at the time) near Kedzie and Foster (Berwyn Ave). I was at Peterson Elementary from the 4th ’til 8th grade when we moved to Arizona. I remember some of those teachers…especially Ms. Genitis, who taught me French. I remember a Mrs. Leavitt also. I think that she was the teacher that let us spend lots of time working on a wall mural, during regular class time….which is probably why I remember her. I also went to an orthodontist (Dr. Feldstein) in Lincoln village. It seemed so far away from my house at the time because I always took a bus to get there. Thanks for the memories.
Richard, Fair enough. I don’t think we differ on what is important here. Len
Hi Len,
I’m sorry for the mixup. I’d been replying to Bob and thought I was replying to him again.
I share your feelings about not glorifying the past. Your points are well taken. Those views I expressed were my own, and were directed generally, in no way meant for you in particular. My apologies if you thought otherwise.
I was raised in the Jewish faith, and so have direct experience with religious prejudice; and my wife has Cerebral Palsy, so I have also seen how those with disabilities have been misunderstood and mistreated. Hopefully, over time, greater understanding of those forces that promote prejudice and ignorance can help overcome them, including through improved education, replacing hatred with understanding, love, and forgiveness. I seek to be an example in that regard, but am human and sometimes fail.
Respectfully,
Richard
Richard, First I am Len, not Bob. Next, I am by no means sensitive but will admit to some compassion but I don’t feel personally hurt by anything here. Third, I agree with learning from the past and thought I expressed that. Fourth, I don’t feel like I have any inordinate amount of emotional baggage but am only expressing a little mixed feelings with glorifying old things like Riverview and not telling the whole story. Lastly, the fact that the “freaks” couldn’t get any other work may well be true, but does nothing for me. I suppose we could pull out anecdotes about the benevolence of some slave owners but that wouldn’t change how wrong slavery was, even though it was substantially “accepted” at the time. I too can be nostalgic about Riverview and many other things but I think it is important to keep in mind the whole story when reminiscing.
Hello Bob,
I recognize you are a sensitive, compassionate person who feels hurt by the insensitivity and ignorance of the past (and present). May I suggest that the world has been progressing, so that society has the opportunity to learn, and thus to improve in its view of morality and the indignity of others, in that process. Many of those who presented themselves in the “Freak Shows” had little to no other opportunities to earn a living back then, and were, more or less, happy to have these jobs available to them. I have spoken to some of those in such shows, who shared their views with me.
Once, when my father took me to the “Freak Show” at Riverview, we remained after the show had ended, speaking with a man in the show who had no arms. He could do most everything with his feet, e.g. while speaking to me and my father, he nonchalantly picked up a pack of cigarettes with his feet, shook out a cigarette putting it in his mouth, then picked up a pack of matches, lighting one, then lighting his cigarette. He was perfectly secure with his lot, and was thankfully able to earn a living in the show. Of course, our understanding and respect for people with disabilities has largely changed since then, which continues to improve.
My own view is that it is best to learn from, then let go of the past, working to help make things better now however we can. When we can let go of our emotional baggage, prejudices, and judgement of others, I believe we are on a positive course.
My best to you and your family.
Rich
Riverview closed when I was 18. I was there between 10 and 15 times, mostly in the 2 or 3 years before closure. To this day I drive by the site almost every day and shop in the stores on the property multiple times per week. I often think back to those days and it was a scene that I am glad I had the chance to observe. I had fun with some of the attractions as I believe many people did. I realize that was a completely different era, but some of what took place there was just as wrong then as it would be now. Things like the racism of the dunk tanks and the exploitation in the “freak shows” were very distasteful. I don’t feel different era cleans it up much since Riverview actually glorified, exploited, and profited from those very wrong things in a very public way. I suppose it could be said that by putting it out there it gave us the opportunity to see it and judge, but I have always been uncomfortable with this underside of what was in many ways good entertainment.
Hi Bob & Frances,
I don’t remember ever using the Woolworth’s lunch counter, although I was later a soda jerk at Richard’s Drive In on Lincoln, where I made every ice cream concoction imaginable.
One of my friends and classmate, Marshall Klein, who “left us” a few years back, worked at Riverview on one of the roller-coasters (I think it was the Silver Flash), and regaled us with amusing stories about the roller-coaster operator antics when he worked there. When I was small, I loved to ride the Water Bug, and Bumper Cars, and later the Flying Turns, but most of all, the Bobs. What were your favorite rides?
Richard, this was hugely helpful for me, too! thanks.
Thanks for the info, Richard, that’s very helpful! Did you ever have a chocolate sundae at the Lincoln Village Woolworth’s lunch counter? I think I’m quite a bit younger than you. I was born in ’61 and have just the faintest memories of Riverview. I caught it once or twice at the very end of its life and barely remember it at all.
Any idea when the Lincoln Village Woolworth’s closed?
Hi Bob,
I lived on the 5600 block of N. Christiana when Lincoln Village first opened. Woolworth’s was one of the stores there when it opened. My friend and I used to go there and view the goods that were spread out on tables.
BTW, there was also a Woolworth’s on Bryn Mawr, two doors east of Spalding on the north side of the street, next door to Tanya’s restaurant.
Hope that helps.
P.S.– I was a Riverview fanatic all of my childhood, and was very sad when it closed.
I think I read somewhere which were the original stores, but I’ll have to go back and check my notes. There had been a Woolworth’s on Bryn Mawr and I’m wondering if they closed that shop to open the one at Lincoln Village.
Yes, I think Len is helping jog and clarify my memory. The chocolate sundaes of my childhood were probably from the Woolworth dime store lunch counter and not a drugstore soda fountain as I had earlier guessed.
Does anyone have more info on the Lincoln Village Woolworth 5 & 10 store? Was it one of the original 1951 anchor stores? When did it (and its lunch counter) close up? I’m guessing 1967-70, in that range. Does anyone know for sure?
Thanks Len and Jan and most of all Frances for strolling down this great lane of our memories.
Lees was in the medical building at some point. Early to mid 60’s is probably some of the period it was there. Woolworths was not a drugstore/pharmacy but a nationwide chain known as a dime store or 5 & 10.
Thanks, Jan. Lee’s Rexall sounds very familiar. Where would the Woolworth’s that two previous commenters mentioned have been? Woolworth’s sounds more like the kind of general old-fashioned drugstore that had soda fountains, and Lee’s Rexall sounds more like a true pharmacy. Was Lee’s Rexall there in the early- to mid-60’s? I believe some commenters have mentioned a pharmacy on the ground floor of the medical building. Could that have been Lee’s Rexall and the Woolworth’s a separate store? Sorry for my confusion, I was a very little kid then!
Jan, I can remember hearing about Mal’s the first time. It was about the time I started meeting kids from Solomon at the park. It seemed so funny that everyone from Peterson Park went to Mal’s. Coming from Hollywood Park, we didn’t all go to one drugstore because there were a few choices. But whenever I was hanging with kids from Solomon, someone always mentioned Mal’s.
Bob, I think the drugstore was Lee’s Rexall. As a Mal’s regular
, I don’t think I ever entered it….but after reading your description, I probably should have!
Hi, Ken. Sorry it took me a few days to visit the blog and moderate your posts. I am wondering if there are any photos of their office sign. It sounds familiar to me, but I can’t quite picture it. Thanks for stopping by. Once you’re posts have been moderated the first time they will automatically post in the future.
My father’s and uncle’s business office was on Lincoln Ave, across form Lincoln Village. They had a sign with changing goofy sayings, that was often commented upon on am radio. What about Riverview?
Wow, do I remember Lincoln Village. Grew up in Chicago. My uncle’s and father’s business was on Lincoln Ave, directly across from Lincoln Village. He had a sign that had constantly changing goofy sayings. Would also go to Kiddie Land with my cousins, and I did love the train that circumvented the park. Thanks for the memories. And what about Riverview!
Hi, Bob. Thanks for visiting! Looking back, Lincoln Village was just such a pleasant place to wander around. I’m not sure about the drug store — I don’t think anyone has mentioned it.
OMG, I can’t believe people are still posting comments more than a year and a half after this article was first posted. Congrats, Frances Archer, you clearly struck a nerve.
I grew up in Lincolnwood in the 60’s and have many, many memories of Lincoln Village and Kiddieland. I remember as a kid believing that Harmony Hall was the most “hippie” groovy store in the area.
I haven’t had time to read through all of the hundreds of comments, but I have one question: When I was very young, in the mid-60’s, there was a drugstore on the western end of the shopping center that had an old-fashioned soda fountain that served chocolate sundaes in big, chunky, clear glass tulip-style glasses and water in conical paper cups that rested in stainless steel holders. This drugstore also had an old tube-tester where my family would bring the vacuum tubes from inside our Zenith TV whenever it started acting up.
Was this the Woolworth 5 & 10 store? I seem to remember this very old-fashioned drugstore closed relatively early in my childhood, probably mid- to late-60’s. Do others remember this store, and does anyone know exactly when it closed?
Thanks for all the great old memories!
Hi, Marshall! Welcome to our shared Hollywood Park neighborhood past. I imagine you knew many people from the neighborhood who shopped at Eric Salm. I can still picture the shopping bag with the logo on the outside. I agree about Lincoln Village; it had a special small town feeling and it was fun for me as a kid to have somewhere to go with friends.
Wow, this is incredible, as When I returned from the military, I actually worked for Eric Salm as I was a salesman in the sussex shop on the lower level for several years until I became manager of the department. I met a lot of really nice customers and was treated very well by the owner and his family. The experience working with a really successful business man was of great value as I learned a lot and carried that into my life time career as a telecommunications specialist management employee of Ameritech, and then SBC. I often think about Eric and his wife who seemed too love everyone. I have never folded as many sweaters in my entire life as I did when we had the 2 for one sweater sale. I now hate folding laundry hahaha. But I will never forget Lincoln Village.
Hi, Penny,
I’m inheriting all my mother’s “treasures” as she downsizes so I can’t take you up on your offer, but thanks. Sounds like it must have been from a party. Thanks for stopping by.
Hi. I have been going through my Mother’s belonging and I found “Maraca Rumba Cup” from Novak’s Restaurant, 6649 Lincoln Ave., Lincolnwood Towers 3623. My Mother lived in the area in the 1940’s so I am not sure when it is from. If anyone would like it I would be happy to send it to someone. I hate to throw away someone else treasures.
Lance, you are right on all counts. We’ve seen just about every discount chain in that location except Target.
Hi, Nan. Thanks for visiting and contributing to our group recollections of the North Side. Happy Foods may still be around, or at least it was until recently.
From this post: “Sharon, it was Shopper’s World and you can see the sign on one of my photographs. Later it was Community, then Zayre, and I’m probably forgetting some other names. It’s Home Depot now.”
To add, it was a Venture after it was Zayre. Then it was a KMart before finally becoming Home Depot. (Correct me if I’m wrong but was it a Builder’s Square before Home Depot? I believe it was).
More memories – I think it was Pie Pan where my dad used to have an olive burger. Remember Papa Milano’s? Think it was on Western. Next to the Nortown was a little gangway-type store that had giant taffy apples. I lived around Granville and Clark. Patio Apartments were classy. Winsberg’s dept store, Happy Foods, Patio Burgers on Clark. Little restaurant on SW corner of Clark and Granville. Rexall on the NW corner, barber shop, little store on Clark side of Patio Apts. first floor storefronts. Gronli Greetings further down on Winsberg side of Clark. Johnny Held’s german restaurant. Fun to travel down memory lane.
Frances
On Goggle Earth street-level your home still appears to be there; a light brown brick front two-flat in very nice condition. I can picture your walks to Budlong School right up Washtenaw and your going to River Park west on Argyle to probably to Francisco and then north to the Fieldhouse. I still love that neighborhood and its many great memories even after all these years
Ben we lived on the north side of Argyle, east of Washtenaw, second two flat in from the corner. I remember that the basement was a polling place and we have a photo of the building with the flag and the polling place sign. Seems weird to have it in a basement doesn’t it? The voting machines were kept in the basement year round.
Hi, Mark. thanks for adding your recollections.
We moved to 3410 W Carmen in 1951 which was right off Kimball. I can tell you that there was an open lot across from us on the south side of Carmen from the alley to Bernard where the foot bridge crosses the river. Across Bernard to the west my recolection was more open prarie. I wanna say homes were built there in the mid 50s or so. I also want to say I can fill everybody in on Zfaney’s as it was hangout for fruitees, cokes and sundaes from 1960 to 1965 when I moved to Skokie. Mr Zfaney was a great guy to the kids. I also remember a small grocery store 2 stores north on Kimball from Zfaney’s where i would go pretty much every day after school for my favorite bologna on a bagel. The owner’s son whose name escapes me always sliced the bologna thin for me but the dad never did. A childhood memory that sticks in my mind .
Frances, well put on the neighborhood bars.
Hi Bernie
I attended Budlong from the second part of Kindergarten through graduation (1948 through 1956) I lived at California and Carmen, so never crossed Foster like you did. I do indeed remember the candy store; a favorite place to stop if I had any money, even a little since those were the days of actual penny candy. My full name is all over this site, so if it means anything to you, let me know.
Francis – please remove the duplicate post!
Hi Francis, in some of my previous posts I wrote that I had attended Budlong School. My family lived in the 2700 block of Berwyn and I went to Budlong (1949-1953) from kindergarten through fourth grade (when we moved to Morton Grove). I remember walking to school every day (and going home for lunch) – there was a kindly, white-haired policeman – named Frank – who was the crossing guard at Foster and Washtenaw. I also remember a “school” store just south of Budlong School – it would have been on Winona. They sold all those penny candies that were usually off limits to us – but we bought them just the same and made sure to eat them before going home. Does anyone remember this little store? Does anyone remember Officer Frank? Did anyone go to Budlong during the same years that I did?
Frances
I went to Budlong from the second part of Kindergarten right through graduation in 1956, then off to Lane Tech. I lived at California and Carmen until 1961. I know the neighborhood well and know exactly where you lived. In the early to mid-50s I had friends all over the neighborhood. I remember it fondly, it was a great place to live in those days.
Ben, I forgot you went to Budlong. I went there for first and second grade, when we lived at Washtenaw and Argyle.
Skip, that’s accurate, and I’ve written about that in this post. There were still empty lots on Peterson in the 60s and we called them prairies.
Skip, about the grocery stores — there were so many! Check out my Bryn Mawr hall of fame. Even as late the 1960s when I was growing up, there were two supermarkets on Bryn Mawr, plus many specialty stores — the fish store, the butcher, etc. As I’ve written before Bryn Mawr began with so many food stores because in the days when people didn’t have refrigerators, they walked to the grocery store, so each neighborhood had its own. The big chain supermarkets slowly drove the mom and pop stores out of business on price.
Skip, this was never an area that had a tavern on every corner. There was a tavern on the west side of Kedzie south of Bryn Mawr. Here is what I’ve written about it in the Bryn Mawr Hall of Fame: “Henri’s Bar (owned by Henri and Millie Hagberg, 1960-70). Located on Kedzie across from Lerner’s. Henri Hagberg came to America from Sweden at the age of 12, not speaking a word of English. He attended Peterson School and was in the first graduating class. At the time, the neighborhood was predominantly Swedish. His children, Alan “Guy” and Mary attended Peterson and Von.” FYI, Lerner’s refers to Lerner’s Hot Dogs, now the site of Northside Prep. Mary Hagberg was at Peterson a few years before me and we’ve since met and talked about the history. She mentioned that there was Big Henry (or Hank) and Little Henry. The other bar owned by a Henry was on Bryn Mawr, on the south side of the street, where the Hollywood bar was located and recently closed. The corner lot was Sandler’s Drugs, previously Braverman’s, and the second storefront in from the corner was Hank’s Bar. There was also a second story social club that may have served alcohol–seems likely. I don’t have evidence for why this area had so few bars but my guess is it may have had something to do with the ethnic/religious make up of the community. The original settlers of North Park were associated with North Park College and the church. the next wave was largely Jewish. Anyone agree or disagree?
Skip,
In the Historic Aerial photo of 1951, you can see the old Shell Gas on the corner of Kimball and Foster, (southeast corner). I do not know when it was built. I only found info on the current Shell Gas Station from the Cook County Assessor’s Office that it was built in 1986.
The property to the south was vacant lots to Carmen Avenue along Kimball Ave. in the 1951 and 1952 photo’s. By the 1962 photo, you can see all the property was now built on.
If you look up the 1938 photo you can see vacant property as well on Christina Ave. just south of Foster Ave. Only five lots were occupied on the street just north of Carmen Ave. and three lots just south of Foster Ave. Everything else was vacant. Even the Shell Gas Station was not on the corner yet.
I’m also curious about this: Chicago neighborhoods are known for having neighborhood taverns; In some areas, it seems like there was one on every block or two. Was there one in this area? (I guess there are taverns down on Bryn Mayr; maybe that was close enough).
And what about grocery stores? Where did people shop?
Here’s a new question for you folks — it comes to mind from the mention of a vacant lot at the southeast corner of Foster and Kimball. And this question may well go back before anyone’s memory. Members of my family now long gone would refer to “prairie” — doing things “out on the prairie.” I assume now that referred to wide stretches of undeveloped land. Any memories of anything like that, or does that go back to before WWII?
The soft serve walkup on the north side of Foster just east Kimball was indeed a TasteFreez. I worked there in the late 50s for my 8th grade teacher at Budlong School; he owned it at that time. I wrote about it in the Loree Blog and it was a really great job and very interesting for the several of us that Mr. Spielman hired from my 8th grade class.
Thank you Len and Frances. Your right, why did I say Dairy Queen ? I really don’t remember any DQ’s around in the 1970’s. I do remember the Tastee Freeze truck coming down the street selling ice cream along with the Good Humor truck as well.
Len, that’s sounds right about Tastee Freeze.
Charcoal Delights was the Hot Dog Pit before a name change and moved there from the south side. I think the “Dairy Queen” was a Tastee Freeze
And the Hebrew Day school was called Arie Crown. The building houses a community center now.
Ralph, thank you! This is an awesome account of Foster. And yes Charcoal Delights was definitely there before 1973. The first time I was there was probably fall of 1971. Also, the restaurant in the NW corner of California and Foster was Burt’s for many years.
Hi Skip,
I use to travel down Foster Ave. most days to school and work in the 1970’s, 1980’s and from what I can remember is that (going east along Foster Ave.) is:
At St. Louis and Foster where the Vilin’s Pantry is, that use to be a gas station in 1973. In 1974 they built that strip mall and I believe it use to be a White Pantry,
Across the street kiddie corner from Vilin’s Pantry, I thought there was a school for the blind in 1973. The building is the same but the name changed. Maybe Frances can remember.
Lewendo’s Auto use to be a Amoco Gas Station that was built in 1970. I don’t know when the change from Amoco to Lewendo’s took place.
The Shell Gas Station was there even before the 1970’s. You can see a gas station there in the 1962 Historiicaerial photo. The current Shell Station is 27 years old.
Where the Subway is now was the Dairy Queen in 1973. At that time is was only open in summer. The owner expanded it around 1976 and and started serving food as well. After that it was open year round. That was my afternoon spot on the way home from work to get a milkshake. Records don’t show when Subway was built or took over.
Going east to Christina and Spaulding streets, I remember when those streets ran south to the river before North Park College bought the property and expanded.
I remember going by a photography studio at 3240 West Foster. Every month they had new photo’s in the window. The building is still there, built in 1917. The word “photography” is at the top of the building on the facade. .
Where the McDonald’s is, built in 1987 was a couple of homes built on three lots.
Across the street on the southeast corner was a gas station I believe back in 1973.
The Charcoal Delights Restaurant has been there forever as well. That building was built in 1987 as well. I don’t when the original Charcoal Delights building was built. I do know that it was before 1973.
Where the Chicago Marine Reserve Center is, back in 1952 was temporary housing for the returning WW II vets. The houses ran along the river going north about five blocks. This was one of a few locations around Chicago for the returning vets.
Across the street was a gas station surrounded by the North Park Athletic Field back in 1973. I always thought that was funny to see a gas station there. The address would have been 3039 W. Foster. I think the station was there back in 1952 before the North Park Field was ever built.
At California and Foster (northwest corner) was a restaurant back in 1973 which we use to go to until they had a fire on the second floor. For some reason I think the name was The Whistler. They removed the burnt out second floor and remodeled the restaurant and reopened it as the Hilltop Restaurant.
Across the street on the southwest corner was Chapin Hall, a orphanage for children in 1973. I use to date a girl that lived there. I don’t recall when it actually opened, I know it was there in 1939 and around 1984 it closed it doors. It was originally called the Chicago Nursery and Half-Orphan Asylum until 1960 when the name was changed to Chapin Hall. Then Swedish Covenant Hospital bought the property and expanded the hospital.
I hope this fills in some of the blanks for you Skip. As for Red’s, was that a restaurant? I know that there was another fast food place next to the original Charcoal Delight’s.
Ralph
Skip, I can add a bit more to what Frances provided about the corner of Foster and Kimball.
In the early 1950’s, the Southeast corner, from Foster south to Von Steuben High School, was an empty lot. One of my classmates, now a noted attorney, used to collect garter snakes from that lot. There was an old style gas station, on the Northwest corner, which was there when we first moved into the neighborhood in 1948. This gas station was torn down in the mid ’50’s. later replaced by the Shell station on the Southeast corner.
Later in the ’50s, there was a Hebrew day school built on the part of the empty lot mentioned, nearest to Von Steuben (there was still a partial empty lot north of the Hebrew school to Foster).
Hope that helps.
Hi, Skip, and welcome. Very good suggestions about more precise locations. A lot of this has evolved spontaneously with no real plan, but I would like to go back to the beginning and make the locations more precise. I have been looking into using Google Maps to map the locations as well. Bernard and Foster was out of my range, because I didn’t know any kids on those blocks. I did have a couple friends on Kimball just north of Foster. The Shell station was there in 1970, when I started high school, not sure how much earlier. The northeast corner of Foster and Kimball was a drugstore with a soda fountain called Zfaney’s. There’s been quite a few comments recalling Zfaney’s. The soda fountain was still operating when I went to school, not sure when it closed. One door to the east was a photography studio called Varde. The daughter of the owner was in my class. Zwick window shades shop was also there in the 1970, as was the Dairy Queen. And of course the Sweden Shop was there. One of the favorite spots, and one I’ve written about, was Loree’s. It was where the Starbucks is now–and the daughter of the owner was also in my class. You begin to notice a theme–the owners of many of the small businesses on Bryn Mawr, Foster and Lawrence lived in the neighborhood and had children in local schools. It seems obvious that the neighborhood really benefitted from having locally owned businesses.
My thanks to all of you! My wife and I are relative newcomers (20 years) to North Park; its where we raised our kids. While the neighborhood history in this blog is not personal to us, it provides wonderful, vivid depth and color to the neighborhood which we love, and a deeper appreciation of the long surviving institutions like Novelty Golf and the Bunny Hutch. As we are a Jewish household, it is especially fascinating to hear of the many delis in the area. As hot dog and mini-golf appreciators, it is amazing as well to hear local history in those regards.
My one hope is that future entries make a point of identifying locations specifically.
References to current businesses (from those who remain local) are most helpful. (Example: identifying the Tower Cabana by locating it between the current McDonalds
on Peterson and the channel). As we live on Bernard just east of Kimball and south of Foster, I’d be especially interested in such information for the blocks along Foster between Drake and California. For example, what pre-dated the current Shell station, Lewanda’s auto repair, and the mini-mart on the corner of Foster and Kimball?
Where was Red’s?
The pleasure I’ve had already in reading Frances’ blog and the subsequent commentary already places me in your debt. Thanks so much!
Skip
Thanks Len
Pre Whistlers was Estelles.
Ralph, I don’t know what was there before Whistlers
Jeff
Frances,
I will endeavor to take a picture of the Jays Cleanrr sign andsend it to you. How do I do it on this site or would you prefer emailing it to you.
jph_62@yahoo.com
Jeff
Mark, I believe you’ve got it right! Thanks.
Jeffrey,
Crane’s Pharmacy! Do you remember they had a cooler right near the front door. I’d get popcicles there. We went to the Jay’s and the Chinese Hand Laundry right next door (north) every Saturday to pick up and drop off my father’s shirts. I didn’t really know the owner’s of Jays by name though we “knew” them so well. I’m going to ask my mother if she knew them by name, though she probably won’t remember it’s been so long.
Can you send me a photo of the sign; I’d love to include it on this blog, and we’ll do another Peterson Avenue post. Please use the contact form on the blog to send me a note and then I will send you my email address. Thank you!
I moved from Albany Park to Skokie in May of 1965. There were 2 delis that were walking distance from my apartment and 1 was Mr. Ricky’s that was next door to Polk Brothers on Skokie Blvd and Gross Point Rd. They had this little deli area in the front as you walked in and the New York water bagels were to this day the tastiest, crunchiest bagels I have ever eaten. I believe a young Rich Melman ran this place for his dad before they started Lettuce Entertain You. Coming from Albany Park where we had all sorts of restaurants on Lwrence like Purity, Bonfire, K and L and S and L to name a few, Mr. Rickys became a family favorite.About a year later Kaufman’s opened on Dempster and at some point Mr. Ricky’s became a high class burger joint and changed names and did away with the deli.
Jeff, thanks for the info on Mr Ricky’s. I ate there once, now that I know where it was at. Can you tell me what was the Whistler’s Restaurant was before it was or did it open new as the Whistler’s? I thought there was another restaurant or business there before them.
Thanks.
Been driving me nuts, but it was Cranes pharmacy. Thanks!!
Jay’s Cleaners right next to 31 Flavors on Peterson was owned by Marge and Dick Katz. It was started in around 1948 Dick’s fatger, and remained there until Dick closed it in the ’90’s. Both are gone now.
I have the neon sign that was in the window for those 50 years
It was Morries on Lincoln across from Lincoln Village that everyone is getting confused with Mr. Rickys
Mr. RICKEY’s was farthest south store in the shopping center on the nw corner of Skokie Blvd and Gross Point Rd.
Michael wrote in Yelp about a Mr Rickys.
SALAMI AND EGGS AT MR. RICKY’S on Skokie Blvd, in….Skokie, where I’d eaten breakfast with my grandfather every Sunday morning from age 5 -15.
I sent him a message to find out where it was exactly.
I went to the Adelphi all the time, lived just down the street at Wolcott and Estes. It was a great little show, cheap prices and the movies had made the rounds, but so what. On hot summer evenings it was always cool inside and the popcorn was actually fresh popped..
Friedmans was not on a corner but mid block just north of the Nortown Theater-kind of a dive but iconic in my mind.
Dennis, thanks for setting us straight. We’ve been discussing whether there was a Mr. Rickys on Lincoln and McCormick for ages, but I think we should accept that it was in Skokie. Oh, well, their loss.
The onemovie theatre w eseem to forget is on CLARK sTREET, the ADELPHI and there were two theaters on Howard THE NORTH SHORE and THE HOWARD.
At Devon and Western, SW corner was Freidman’s Deli whn I lived in the area and we all shoppedat Hillman’s on Devon.
The Town Pump Restaurant was across the street from the Nortown.
Hobby models on Devon.
Mr. Rickys was in Skokie.
I think the name of the supermarket in Lincoln Village was SURE SAVE.
Larry,
I stand corrected about the IQ tests. But she did have that little office next to the library, and was involved with student psychology. I assumed that the IQ tests were also in her domain. Thanks for the correction.
Yes, Cranes pharmacy. It’s funny how one’s memory can play tricks on you. I thought I remembered getting soda fountain treats there, but I bow to your recollection– that was your neighborhood.
Richard. You were wrong about Miss Eck and all those tests… They were administered and graded by Miss Moore, the assistant principal… That I would bet my life on..lol!!!! Does anyone remember the Weekly Reader? Alan Bloom, I remember you lived at 5940 N. Kimball next to the Russian family by the alley…your brother is Howard and your father is Sol.. I believed your grandmother lived with you .. I lived at 5940 n. Bernard across from Howie and Avis Small…Do you see Ken Kruse or Steve Cohen who lived on your block.. I last saw your dad volunteering At Skokie Valley Hospital about 10 years ago…the drug store on Peterson and Bernard ne corner absolutely never had a soda fountain…it was Crane’s Pharmacy owned by Arnold Crane who was very mean to the neighborhood kids…the Shell station was owned by Andy Policheck who was a ver nice man…Also house of Guccion beauty shop was next to B&B Deli…Frances, you are doing a wonderful job…G-d bless you and keep up the good work.. Hope to meet you very soon….
Hi Larry and Frances,
I do remember the B&B, although I didn’t go there very often– as a kid I explored the various stores, and remember going into it at least once to check it out. Also, as a kid, we knew every pharmacy that had a soda fountain, so I sometimes went into the pharmacy on the northeast corner of Bernard and Peterson (don’t remember the name) for a soda fountain goody.
I well remember Green Gables. Green Gables was there when we first moved into the Hollywood Park area in 1948. It was on the southeast corner of Peterson and Kimball. It was bought by the brother of one of my classmates and friends (Mel Korey, the brother of Steve Korey) around 1959. At our 42nd High School reunion, I had breakfast with Steve at the What’s Cooking restaurant in Lincoln Village, where he reminded me that his brother had owned Green Gables.
Frances– you filled in the missing teacher for me. I remember now that my second grade teacher was Mrs. Nyboe; Miss Luby had another second grade class across the hall (Catalpa side). I remember once when our class was taken over for a day by Miss Luby, because she punished me for talking, where I had to write ” I will not talk in class” fifty times on the blackboard– Mrs. Nyboe was nicer 🙂 .
BTW– Miss Eck was more than the librarian. She had a tiny office next to the library where she filed the various IQ tests she administered, and, I believe, whatever other psychological evaluations that were done during that time.
Do you all (from Peterson, anyways) know that Mrs. Genitis (or was it Miss?) taught French when I was at Peterson. French started in 5th through 8th, when all grades were at Peterson. I also have a list of teachers from a 1940s era PTA program book: Mrs. Person, 8A; Mrs. Miller, 8B; Miss Mizock, 7A; Miss Cabinis, 8B; Miss Tangney, 7B; Mrs. Mahrann, 7A; Mrs. Copeland, 6A; Mrs. Carlson, 6B; Mrs. Modglin, 5A; Mrs. Levin, 5B; Miss Mathews, 4A; Mrs. Schenk, 4B; Mrs. Hartrum, 4B; Miss Sullivan, 3A; Mrs. Charlton, 2A/3B; Miss McCabe, 2A; Mrs. Anderson, 2B; Mrs. Nyboe, 2B; Mrs. Johnson, 1A; Mrs. Cross, 1B; Mrs. Baker, 1B, Miss Reid, Kindergarten. The only teacher who were there in the 60s that I know of was Mrs. Reid. I understand she started teaching at Peterson in the late 20s. Nyboe sounds familiar, but not sure whether from when I was in school or from readers of the blog. Mr. Marsh was principal.
Richard Do you remember B&B Delicatessen owned by the mob…..where they used to beat up people who didn’t pay there loans on time….It was located on the SW corner of Bernard & Peterson (now Martino’s)? Green Gables?
Larry,
Thanks for filling in my early teachers at Peterson School. I couldn’t remember the teachers I had below fourth grade (missing the class photos). Your post filled some of them in: Miss Minnick, Mrs. Belonsky, and Miss Luby rang the bell for me. I think Miss Reid was my Kindergarten teacher, but my memory is uncertain.
To name the teachers I remember from fourth grade on: Rose K. Bellon (4th), Mr. Connors & Marian O’Connor (5th), Herbert Herman (6th), Mrs. Genitis (7th at Von [Jr. High], also 2nd at Peterson– can’t remember the lady who taught low 7th at Von). Mr. Smith at Von & Mrs. Wright at Peterson (8th). Before Mr. Moore,, Mr. Marsh was Principal– change occurred about 1950.
Frances, I’ll second your nomination of Kow Kow to the Chicago area Chinese restaurant Hall of fame. We would visit weekly while living 2 blocks away for over 20 years. The egg rolls and beef dishes were delightful.
@ Sharon kvistad: I remember Four Corners restaurant at the NE corner of Devon and California during the mid ’60s. It was a vibrant restaurant, especially on Saturdays afternoons as crowds of shoppers descended upon that once great retail strip.
I was born on Montrose and Lawndale in 1946 and moved to Peterson and Bernard in 1953…. Went to Peterson School where the teachers were Miss Reid, kindergarten; Miss Atkinson,Miss Minnick, Miss Gottchalk,Miss Luby, Mrs. Shapiro, Mrs. Belonsky, Miss Geib, Mr. Kaczmarek who also had a summer camp…. Miss Eck the librarian,Mr. Moore, principal, and Miss Moore assistant principal (not related) then to Von UGC for 7th & 8th…then to Von HS…Dr. Fink, principal… After Von then to Loop Jr. College then opened up Mr. L’s Hot Dog Stand for 17 years on Peterson & Cicero in 1967 then opened up Wiener’s Circle in Lincoln Park on Clark & Wrightwood in 1983…..It’s been a long hall from 1946 to now… Lol!!!! Does anybody know or remember me please let me know?
I am really sad for all the loyal fans of Pekin House where ever they are around Chicago at the loss of this truly great institution of great tastes. So much for my somewhat wishful thinking of a trip from Florida to Chicago just for the joy of a Pekin House egg roll. Not all change is for the better!
I’m surprised it was open until 2012. I had no idea.
I agree on Pekin House, but does anyone else love the egg rolls at Kow Kow? Now on Cicero and Pratt, formerly on Devon.
Please keep me in touch!!!!!
David, thanks for your comment and sorry it has taken a while for me to post it. Had foot surgery last week and was not minding my blog. Thanks for bringing up Pekin House. My family went to several Chinese restaurants in the area, but when the cousins were in town visiting, we took them to Pekin House.
Since you are still in Chicago how about trying it out and you can let us gone from Chicago folks how the food is and if they still have that waiting couch that I clearly remember.
I don’t think there was a Mr. Rickys on Devon. Pekin was certainly highly popular in the 60’s and beyond but I think current tastes for various Asian cuisine have substantially changed. Although I remain in the area I have not been to Pekin in over 35 years but wonder if that waiting couch in the front window is still full on Sundays starting about 4:30.
I believe Pekin House has closed. See this article.
Bob Sirott’s one more thing about The Pekin House
Updated: Apr 16, 2012 21:52 PM CDT By Bob Sirott, FOX 32 News at Nine Co-Anchor
CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) – One more thing, about the closing of a restaurant: one that was a Rogers Park institution going back more than 60 years.
The Pekin House on Devon near Western was a classic old-school Chinese favorite, whose famous egg rolls kept bringing loyal old customers back, and new ones in – from across the city.
It was never much to look at, from the outside or the inside. But they never moved, and they never changed that great old sign.
For the last five or six years, I’ve been afraid this day would come. I’d make myself stop in every so often for the egg rolls with the unique peanut-y taste.
In fact, The Pekin House started shipping them all over the country to transplanted Chicagoans.
But lately it became the victim of a neighborhood’s changing tastes, and lack of parking.
The once primarily Jewish area is now populated by people from India and Pakistan. The space has been leased to a new Pakistani restaurant.
The Pekin House owners said they have hopes of someday opening a smaller location in the neighborhood – maybe just for takeout.
Judging from all the warm comments about the old place on various restaurant review websites, I’m not alone in saying this is a sad time for egg roll lovers
Although I’m getting some good alternative recommendations on my Facebook page, I’d love to get yours.
Maybe another Chinese restaurant could duplicate the recipe? Someone would be smart to.
I believe everyone always remembers with great affection their first love – and their first Chinese restaurant.
For a lot of us on the north side of Chicago, it was The Pekin House.
Read more: http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/17514239/bob-sirotts-one-more-thing-about-the-pekin-house-20120416?clienttype=printable#ixzz2OUzERamZ
My family lived in Budlong Woods until 1953. We used to eat at Pekin House at least 2-3 times a month. I do remember their fantastic egg rolls (made with peanut butter), but another of my favorite dishes was the ground beef with string beans – made with lots of garlic. I last ate there in the 1980’s and didn’t think the food was as good as it had been. Undoubtedly, while the menu may have remained the same, the management and cooks had changed. On a different subject, I was reminiscing with friends last night about the apartment building on Kimball (near Hollywood) that my grandmother lived in for decades. It was the Tudor “castle” with a Koi pond and Japanese style bridge in the center courtyard. What a magical place to a young child! The building is still there, but I believe the pond is long gone. My grandmother moved to Winston Towers (one of the first owners) in the 60’s. Not quite as magical a place to visit.
Sharon
It sounds like your whole family has great taste in Chinese food. I lived in Chicago for 40 years and cannot begin to count the number of times I ate at Pekin House. I agree, their egg rolls are beyond great. I lived in Ravenswood and East Rogers Park and finally in Mount Prospect and no where was too far for a regular trip to Pekin House. As I said in my original post I am thinking that a thousand mile trip from Frorida may even be worth it.
nobody does egg rolls like the Pekin House–was and is my favorite Chinese food EVER-I go back when I can-I lived on Hoyne & Granville for 10 years and ate there as often as possible-was also my son Deans favorite place-for his birthday he always wanted to go there to eat more than any other restaurant-so glad it is still in business after all these years!
Since it got several mentions earlier in this blog, I feel the need to chime in and give the Pekin House on Devon East of Western top billing as my favorite place for really great Chinese food. And, according to Goggle Maps street-level it is still right where it always was, that’s great. Since Florida Chinese food is really quite terrible, I may just need to make a thousand mile trip one of these days to get my favorite!
Rich, that is really interesting. West of McCormick, though? And I wonder if it was at all related to the Mr. Ricky’s on Broadway. Thanks for your comment and for stopping by. We all have a lot of fun with these old memories of the neighborhood.
In response to your June 11, 2012 comment about Mr Ricky’s: I remember Mr Ricky’s on Devon Avenue, just a block or two west of McCormick Rd, around 1965. Seems like we only went there for very special occasions—I was 9 or 10 at the time. Thanks so much for this blog—I appreciate your work, Frances, and all the many contributions.
Thank you so much for the memories! My friends and I used to walk to Lincoln Village all the time in the 70’s and 80’s…it was our big shopping destination. I remember having to wait, and wait, and wait for my mom to let me get my ears pierced – and when she finally allowed it I had to go to Dr. Buchmann (no mall piercers in those days!) and then go to Harmony Hall and make a wish list for earrings I would buy for after the studs came out. It seemed like such a long wait for a young girl! Between Harmony Hall, and Hit or Miss, and Wiebolts and the theater I think Lincoln Village got the majority of my paychecks for years!
Jeff, here you go, Cabana Towers, the Jewish country club. http://francesarcher.com/2010/10/oscar-brotman-in-hollywood-park/. By the way I drove by the Center today. I don’t remember the oval sign but I am sure it was there. Always an odd strip mall, known in my day mostly for the Foremost Liquors, where it was easy for the underaged to score a bottle of cheap wine. Not my personal experience, of course.
There is quite a bit of T. Cabana stuff under some of Frances’s other title(s). I remember Martys as not being very good and I don’t remember a bar b q specialty, but I could be wrong. I mostly remember that one of the waitresses was the wife of a Lawrence Ave. deli proprietor who had closed down.She had worked at the deli. But that is more of an Albany Park story.
Anybody remember Marty’s BBQ, it was on the ne corner of Peterson and California. It had white brick and blue trim, and an old pagoda gas station on the nw corner of Peterson and California? It was gone and replaced by the current office building around 1960-61? Don’t know the name brand of it either.
Len is correct about the location, and it is still there, sans the name.the name”Center”was shaped in a more horizontal oval, simular in shape to the Ford logo, on a column right next to the ne corner stop light.
Lighting for the parking lot was provided by Chicago street lamps that along with facing Lincoln and Peterson Ave, would alternately face the Center as well, which I thought was strange, considering it was a private shopping center. Not sure if the grocery store was a National or something else.
Interesting that nobody commented on the Tower Cabanas. The swimming pool is still there, buried under the park that replaced it
Center is still there sans the name on the northeast corner. The liquor store is probably the longest survivor. There was a supermarket at the south end, possibly National or Kroger at various times.
Jeff, thanks for the updates. Give me more details on the Center Shopping Strip — I’m not familiar with it. Which corner was it on? Which years?
Don’t forget the Tower Cabana between the McDonalds and the channel on Peterson
Updates. The last Henry’s Hamburger was in Wheeling, IL and closed in the early 80’s and then became an Arby’s which has also closed, just north of Dundee on Rte 83. There also was one on the nw corner of Western and Foster.
Sally’s BBQ was originaly at Western and Arthur on the se corner, which later was the location for the new Devon Bank
Randls also was from the west side on the south side of Madison and a few doors west of Central in Austin.
Between Dairy Queen and the Milk Pail’ there was Thompsons, which was a grocery store that served great ice cream and milk shakes.
There was the Center Shopping Strip at Lincoln and Peterson
Bobby, thanks for sharing your memories. I didn’t know the name of the gas station, and will add that to the Bryn Mawr Hall of Fame.
I went to Peterson. & then Von for 7&8 gradae and my freshman yr….then we moved to Lincolnwood and I graduated from Niles West in ’67. I remember the Hollywood Bowl on Bryn Mawr for green rivers and candy…Lerners hot dogs and the Red Hot Ranch beat them all.
I lived at 5711 Drake and I remember when they buit the Chicago Teachers College. I worked at Lees Pharmacy in LV and Steelmans Gas station at Bernard and Bryn Mawr.
Tongs was good for Chinese and my mom shopped at the Jewel on Bryn Mawr and there was a baky on Christiana and Bryn Mawr.
I love this website!!!
Thanks Len. The name does sound familiar.
Your milk place was jays in the 60’s-not sure about your era.
Hi Renee,
Your post brought back memories. I was born ten years earlier than yourself, so can fill-in an earlier picture. In the 50’s, the grocery on the corner of Bryn Mawr and Spaulding (north side of street) was the National supermarket, the second supermarket to open on Bryn Mawr, east of the Jewel on the same side of Bryn Mawr (originally there was an empty lot on the northeast corner of BM & Christiana, next to the Jewel).
My father used to take us to the Milk Pail to shop sometimes, but for milk we most often went to the little place on the west side of Kedzie, just north of Bryn Mawr & the service station there, which was open late (the name eludes me).
I remember going into Factor’s every year near to Summer, to buy a pair of crepe soled Ked loafers, which I loved. Factor’s had an x-ray machine you could place your feet into to see how your shoes fit. These machines were later outlawed due to excessive radiation emission.
Before Shopper’s World and other stores along the Lincoln-McCormack-Devon triangle, there was a golf driving range and three miniature golfs at each corner of the triangle. The driving range was entered near the Lincoln-Devon corner (later including a trampoline center and batting cages- I worked there one Summer). On the driving range, you teed off in the direction of Devon and McCormack, with distance signs placed along the range to show how far your drives went. There was also a miniature golf between Kiddieland and Lincoln village (5 in all in the immediate area, including Novelty Golf which was then called Pee Wee Golf).
Does anyone remember the pool and running water in the large decorative pond, with flagstone walks, on the hill in Hollywood Park (near to Christiana, just north of the tennis court)? The pond was later removed and the hill levelled off.
oops, I stand corrected, the Novelty Golf sign was at the corner of Lincoln and Devon.
well, my memory doesn’t span quite as early as some of these posts as I was born in 1953…but I remember always going to Factor’s Shoes for our footwear, Silverman’s Grocery on the corner of Bryn Mawr and Spaulding, Irene’s Dress Shop next door to Factors….I remember the long road alongside the river behind Kiddieland that ran adjacent to Lincoln Village where we would drive down to cut across to Lincoln Av to go home, avoiding traffic on McCormick…Shoppers World and its numerous transitions to Community/Zayre as we drove past there all the time on the way to our cousin’s house in Lincolnwood…always seeing the large “Novelty Golf” sign on Lincoln and Peterson…The Milk Pail across of Community on Devon near McCormick…as an aside to the post about Polk Bros, my sister graduated with Ellen Polk of the famous family in 1969 from Von Steuben, I graduated from there a year later in 1970.
Ernie, thanks for stopping in from all the way north of Devon! It’s funny because I think of it all as part of our neighborhood, our history, and it’s part of other neighborhoods as well. McCormick seemed like an expressway.
Do you remember Ludwig’s Dairy? It sat in front of Thillens on the corner of Devon and Kedzie next to the bus turnaround. We used to go there for milk because the Milk Pail (across McCormick) was too far. I lived on the north side of Devon and there was no light at Devon and Kedzie in the 50’s. To get to Lincoln Village (and Kiddieland) we used to go under the Devon Avenue Bridge. We did not cross at the light at Devon and McCormick because the cars went so fast (40 mph). It was more fun to go under anyway. And Johnny’s Red Hots was on the southeast corner of Devon and Kedzie. It could never compete with the Red Hot Ranch.
Yes, Sam–Sally’s Stage is correct–and Barry Stern lived right below me in an apartment on Hoyne avenue for the 1st years of his life (he was older than my son Dean-but he and his sister Karen were at our house ALL the time)–I bought him his 1st drum set–his mom wasn’t too happy about that-he did make a lot of noise-he was very young at the time–maybe 10-11-and I always felt that I started his interest in playing the drums-look how far he went—now he is with my son– as Dean died in Feb of 2008-murdered by a “friend”-so sad that their lives ended way too soon—and as a matter of fact, I worked at Sally’s when I was 19/20 years old-really learned a lot from my time there–mainly to go back to school and finish my education!! did you know my son Dean Goldufsky?
wasnt sallys full name sallys stage?live acts in the 80s
my band spectre played there… opened for zoetrope( r.i.p. barry stern)
had a blast, and repatriated 2 half barrels( keggers) during the load out-
what fun was had by all!!!
remember the wonderful cotton candy at Brick’s???????????????
Hi, Jan. thanks for stopping by. It seems that kids were all over that shopping center. I read a thread about the kids who climbed to the top of the building under the W sign. Not mentioning any names.
Anyone remember the elevator in the Medical Building? It could be stopped between floors and the doors would open to a treasure trove of graffiti. Not that I’m admitting anything…..
Ahhh! Polk Brothers. I went to Shaare Tikvak Hebrew School with one of the Polk daughters– Sandra. Years later, while home on leave from the Navy to visit my mother, I got into an automobile accident. While sitting in the police car with the other driver, I discovered she was Sandra Polk’s sister! A small world.
sure did!! and I can close my eyes and see exactly how is was laid out–not sure what year Lou Malnati occupied the space–but strangely I started working in the 4 story building just to the west of them when I worked at Bernstein & Bank, CPA’s!! –I also worked at a place on Peterson Ave called “Central Service”-long since gone-that serviced televisions and air conditioners -mainly purchased at Polk Bros on Central ave–that is when t/s’s still used tubes and air conditioners were always going bad–also serviced the high rise antennas on Lake Shore Drive–the company employed servicemen for the whole of Chicagoland area from Waukegan to Naperville to Indiana! since I did payroll, I would guess the number of employees to be about 90-100 -I left b/4 they went out of business–anyway, so many memories pop up from the neighborhood-although that spot was Lincolnwood
Sharon your right I remember now about the Chicken . Also I think it came with honey on
the side.
that was Novaks “Chicken in the Rough”–my mom worked there in the 50’s & early 60’s!!
Dennis, great stuff, a lot of places I haven’t heard about. Thanks for stopping by.
I lived in Albany Park ,but my mother worked in Lincoln Village at Mandel Brothers in the shoe department which later became Wiebolts Deptment Store. I remember Mandel Bros had a TV store across the way and I recall watching President Kennedy speak about the Cuban Missel Crisis.
About resturants near the Northtown theater was a Deli down the block called Freedmans
Plus Richards Drive in was torn down and a Oklahoma gas station was build on that spot.
Before Lou Malnati’s opened that site had another resturant called Novacks
Frances,
I can remember all of my grade school teachers (helped by school pictures I retain of the time) at Peterson from fourth grade on, but not before (except for Mrs. Gennitus, who I also had for half of 7th grade), but your mention of Ms. Minnich restored one of those early teachers to my memory. Can you recall any other 1st, 2nd, or third grade teachers from your early years there? I’d love to fill-in my remaining blanks 🙂 .
I don’t know if they use the doors for kindergarten or not. The school is locked up like, well, times have changed. Since I started at Peterson in first grade, I recall using the entrance only once, on my first day. I’m sure I came in through that door other times, but that first day was unforgettable. We moved into the neighborhood in February, so I started in the middle of the year. My mother was working, and my father must have had the more flexible schedule, so he brought me to school. I was carried a lunch box — since we lived at 5915 N. Central Park, I wasn’t able to walk home for lunch for a few years. There are two doors on Christiana, and we went to the north one first, which didn’t open. As we were walking down the steps, I fell, scraped a hole in my red tights and heard the crash of my thermos bottle. I had to pick myself up and head into my first day at a new school. Of course, the teacher, Ms. Minnich, made me stand at the front of the class to introduce me to the others. My maiden name was O’Cherony, which of course stopped her in her tracks. I stood there with the bloody knee and the leaking lunch box for what seemed like all of my first grade year.
We were one of those moves. We moved from West Garfield Park (just north of Lawndale) to Hollywood Pk. in 1948, letting me complete the second half of my Kindergarten year at Peterson School– I can still remember my mother walking me to the Kindergarten entrance on my first day of school. Do they still use that entrance (next to the Principal’s entrance down a short walkway)?
Thank you for this contribution. As we’ve seen, so much of the community had ties to the West Side and reestablished these connections in the Hollywood Park neighborhood.
To Pamela Kawer Norinsky:
Sam Libbin was our family dentist from the time we lived in Lawndale in the late 1940s until we moved from Chicago in 1963. When I had to get braces and the orthodontist said would I had to have some teeth pulled, Dr. Libbin pulled four of my teeth in one day. Ouch!
Hi, Linda. Of course I remember Amy Joy, I can even picture the sign with the big block letters. It was a gateway into the community. if you were coming from the north. South Seas sounds familiar, but we never ate there. Jimmy Wong’s or the one on Devon, Kow Kow or something like that.
It’s funny how many of us have memories of the green stamp redemption center. There really was a lot to do nearby!
On the restaurant front, has anyone mentioned Amy Joy Donuts, right across the street from Lincoln Village? A fabulous little Chinese restaurant called South Seas, was also nearby – we had many Sunday night dinners there.
Lincoln Village memories from the 60s…
Howard Juvenile definitely had both boys and girls clothes. If I remember correctly, they might have had “pre-teens” as well. They also had great gifts for birthday parties, such as autograph pillows and stuffed animals.
My dentist was Dr. Libbin, and from the chair, you had a view of Kiddieland. Imagine my shock the first time I went to a new dentist and found that they had hygenists clean your teeth — Dr. Libbin always did that himself.
A few specific Lincoln Village memories — the smell of caramel corn being coated on the metal slab at the Nut Shop, looking through the stacks of 45s at Harmony Hall, the excitement of choosing what to buy with green stamp books. Most of all, growing up in Peterson Park, I remember the right of passage of crossing a busy street and going to Lincoln Village with friends for the first time.
as I said before–I worked at Sally’s in 1965 when it was open for lunch and for dinner–they had the best ribs and hamburgers!! only worked there for a year or so and then worked at “Four Corners” restaurant on the corner of California & Devon–while I went back to school–(I didn’t get my high school diploma until I was 27–I didn’t want a GED–I wanted the real thing–took me 3 years at night school (Lakeview) to do this–then I went to college at night for 10 years! I went to Wright Jr college then De Paul–had a great career as a controller for 3 companies-but I worked as I went to school at “Central Service” which was a t/v & a/c repair company located on Peterson & Damen–within walking distance of my house–sure made working full time & going to school part time a cinch!! still love going back to that neighborhood also—soooo much has changed
I found this comment in a blog after Googling the Town Pump name…my memory didn’t fail me!.
“Sally’s was located on Western just south of Devon. They opened in a spot that was originally the Town Pump a 40’s, 50’s nightclub.”
I am now wondering if the name of the restaurant across the street from the Nortown theater was the Town Pump rather than the the Town House. Does this jog anyones memory?
Francis,
Think of Mel’s Diner in Happy Days and American Graffitti and you’ll have Richard’s Drive In. The building was circular with spaces to park going all the way around the building. Car hops came out to deliver your orders, which were taken over speakers adjoining each parking place. On weekends especially, the coolest cars parked in front to show off. The radio add for Richard’s went (sung by a sexy female voice): “Richard’s Drive In carfeteria, drive out to Richard’s tonight. Ohhhh, Richard.” In the early fifties, the car hops came out on roller skates, walked later. I have fond memories of our manager, who was a former professional wrestler. His name was Franz and he married Laurie. Chicago detectives and local mechanics (one from Z-Frank who had the fastest motorcycle in Chicago) hung out inside, in the back.
Richard’s was torn down in the mid to late sixties. I don’t know what’s there now. There was a fancy restaurant directly east of Richard’s, across a side street. Richard’s was on the north side of Lincoln, directly across the street from Gabby Hartnett’s bowling alley, a popular destination in the fifties.
These are some interesting places you’re recalling. I haven’t heard of Richard’s Drive In before. It must have been where Lou Malnati’s is now, right?
Bernie, I don’t remember if I remember or not! I can picture a restaurant across from the Nortown, but not the name. It seems to me I may have had dinner there once with my family, so that why the sketchy memory. “Z” Frank!
Bernie,
My dad would often take us to the Pie Pan on Peterson and Cicero. My favorite dish was the spring-fed fried chicken with fries, cole slaw, honey and a roll. I loved playing the jukebox from our booth control box with its own speakers.
Pie Pan was owned by the same company that owned Richard’s Drive In and another chain that slips my mind. I worked at Richard’s Drive in on Lincoln, across from Gabby Hartnett’s Bowling Alley from August 1962 to Dec. ’62, after which I went to the Harlem Ave. Richard’s as a Mgr. Trainee.
Another fast food outlet on Lincoln, preceding McDonalds, was Henry’s. where you could get burgers, dogs, fries, fish, shrimp and other goodies from their walk-in counter. It was located just west of Novelty Golf (then Pee Wee Golf) on the south side of Lincoln Ave. It closed in the late ’50s.
The Pie Pan would give you a free sundae on your birthday. It was called the Pie Pan, I believe, because that’s what they used to serve their giant sundaes and banana splits.
The restaurant across from the Nortown (before it was Sally’s) was the Town House. It was to my 9 year old mind, an upscale supper club. My family ate there not infrequently……..and I remember that they periodically broadcast a radio show from the restaurant. One time when we were at the Town House for dinner, I remember that Zollie Frank was also there (possibly for the radio show) and my brothers and I went home with a miniature model Corvette. Does anybody else remember this terrific restaurant?
I remember Johnstones on the SE of Peterson and Cicero. It is possible Hagertys was after Johnstones. Southwest corner was a fun place called the Pie Pan-apple and cherry etc, not pizza.
Frances–I WILL tell them that you think they are the best–that’s the least I can do for you for all the work and all the memories you have allowed so many of us in this past year!! I look forward to a Hot pastrami on an onion roll!!!!! Matzo ball soup if they have it also!!!
The only restaurant I remember myself across from the Nortown was Sallys Bar B Q-it possibly was something else before AND after as I don’t believe it was there for too many years–are you thinking b/4 Sally’s??
Yes, please help us track down more information about the restaurant on Lincoln. There was another place my family went to just once or twice — we considered it “special.” I think it was on the southeast corner of Peterson and Cicero, and I think it was called Hagerty’s. Anyone remember?
Kow Kow was delightful. Really old school Chinese. So, Angus was on Touhy? I was thinking of a steak house across from the Nortown. Anyone know what I mean?
Sharon, next time you’re at Goldman’s, tell them I still think Kaufman’s is the gold standard of bagels.
Hi Sharon,
I stayed fairly close to home (Hollywood Park), going to the Granada, Nortown and Howard theaters only when I was older. The Metro closed around ’52, after which I went mostly to the Terminal, Riviera/Uptown or Gateway. I never went to the theaters you mentioned. I do know there were other theaters on Lawrence Ave. that closed in the ’40s, before I moved to the North Side and began attending movies there.
myrons is very much still there. google “check please myron and phils” for some video of a few years ago.
since we have been going on about restaurants-did anyone eat at Myron & Phil’s on Devon & Crawford? is it still there today??
Richard–you named them all!! nothing was grander than the Granada and Uptown-we so took it for granted when we were younger! even though it had to be a special pix for you to be allowed up in the balcony! do you happen to remember the “Cola” theater on Devon just east of Clark street?–I went there as a VERY small child-maybe 4/5 years old-in the late 40’s early 50’s with my sister–we also went to the Adelphi up north on Clark street -2 blocks North of Morse ave
Thanks for the info Nathan! we will try it for sure–really not very many delis to be found ANYWHERE!
Sharon – off the beaten path here but for a good Chicago connection in Scottsdale – Goldman’s Deli (Hayden & Indian Bend) – a brother & sister ownership from the Kaufman’s Bakery & Deli family in Skokie….tasty, tasty everything.
Hello everyone,
The mention of the Nortown brought back memories. I was a real movie hound, going to all the theaters within bus riding distance when I was a kid: Terminal, Metro, Gateway, Riviera, Uptown (I’m a member of the preservation group), Nortown, and Granada. The Granada– east of the Nortown on at Devon and Broadway– was a real cinema palace unlike the Nortown that was a smaller, less artistically designed theater, similar to the Riviera. I also went to the Howard theater, off Western and Howard, on rare occasions.
Changing subjects, there was a small restaurant that opened in the early sixties on Lincoln, just east of Kimball/McCormack, across from Lincoln Village. I ate there when I came home on Navy leave in circa 1964. Our waitress was one of my High School classmates. This must be the Ricky’s you have been discussing. I can write my classmate and see if she remembers the name and ownership of the restaurant, if anyone is interested.
Just thought I’d get into the flow of good restaurant memories. Frances, the Angus was a wonderful steak place at the corner of Touhy and Western. Randl’s at Devon /Cal had excellent corned beef sandwiches throughout the 50s to the early 60s and was not a Melman family enterprise. As Sharon mentioned, across the street from Randls was Kofields, a great hamburger place that morphed into Four Corners Restaurant during the 1960s.Also, the candy store that sold popcorn next to the Nortown was called Georges.
Loved Pekin, Kow Kow, and Sally’s Ribs from back in the day and still get to Carsons Ribs occasionally. Dining at Don and Charlies in Scottsdale remains on my “bucket list.”
Of course, the Nortown……went there for the Saturday matinee in the late 40’s, early 50’s. Saw the Flash Gordon serials – among others…… The little store adjacent to the Nortown was, I believe, owned by an older Greek man – the best popcorn around – topped by butter poured from an old metal pitcher. Pekin House was a weekly treat for my family….I remember fantastic egg rolls and the chopped green beans with ground beef and lots of garlic. Probably a made-up Chinese dish but it was wonderful – have never seen it anywhere since then. Today’s Pekin House, well it is in name only!
Lincoln & Crawford had “Chicken in the Rough”–which eventually became Lou Malnattis!! I don’t remember the steak house?
and thank you Frances for the “Nortown”–now I remember–and wasn’t there a little store right next door where you could buy popcorn, etc BEFORE you went into the theater ?? and how about “Pekin House” Chinese restaurant on Devon—to me the best (after Kow Kow)
was that Millers Steak House?? I also remember Town & Country on Ridge just b/4 Clark–then it became Carson’s Ribs–this same family (Don Carson I believe) owns a restaurant in Scottsdale that we go to named “Don & Charlies”–his menu starts out with a story how he grew up in Rogers Park and mentions all the restaurants he went to in the area–the whole place has Cubs memorabilia (also the giants) it’s like being in a museum! he serves with every meal if you want and chopped liver is on the table as soon as you sit down with the old fashioned relish tray-
For Chinese on Devon, Kow Kow carryout was tasty – not certain if all their recipes remained in original form when they moved to the Pratt Avenue corner…..& of course, Jimmy Wong’s. There was also a steakhouse of sorts on Lincoln Ave near the Crawford corner called Bergmann’s (or similar) that we went to often as a good neighborhood place.
Recall shopping at Linwood Market on the corner of Touhy & Crawford. Not sure how good it was but Norman’s Deli (next to Weiner’s Pharmacy, before it was Galen’s) was a busy place too.
This has been fascinating to follow. Thanks for your research. Even if it wasn’t a Melman’s there may have been some connection that makes people remember it wrong.
The Nortown theater. A bunch of restaurants around there we liked. Angus steak house. The Chinese north of Devon.
and what of “Sallys Bar B Q” on Western just south of Devon-across from the theatre-what was hat name anyway?–I know this is going away from Lincoln Village but it came to mind after hearing of Randls on Cal/Devon–I worked at Sallys in 1965 and remember that well!!
speaking of California/Devon restaurants-does anyone remember the “Four Corners” restaurant on the northeast corner–turned into an AT&T store if I remember correctly??
I have confirmed through an old Melman bio piece in the Tribune that the family had the Division and California location as well as Roosevelt and Crawford/Pulaski. No mention of Lincoln Avenue or Devon and Cal.
Well Frances, we have the essence of true historical research being practiced. As far as I know your original comments on Mr. Rickys being on Broadway and in Skokie are correct and I do not believe Rickys was anywhere else, including Devon and California, which had Randls which was part deli and part family restaurant type thing. I am told that the Melman family was involved with a deli on Division at or near California before the Rickys era. Maybe some old timers to a greater degree than I could confirm that. Although I disagree with the Friedman descendant on the forum who put Rickys on Lincoln, his family’s place on Western was absolutely a classic and he captures a little of that in his comments. By his chronology I was 26 when it closed but I was in there hundreds of times-many in the after midnight hours he describes. I know of nothing in the last 40 years to compare it to and cannot verify my lasting impressions but it was a REALLY interesting place. I had previously read portions of the deli forum and find the comparisons to the old days fun but somewhat shallow because the places are so far different (whether one considers them better or worse) that you may as well compare i tunes or whatever has already made that obsolete to sampling 45 rpm records at Kenmac on Devon. Anyway, maybe others can jump in and confirm or correct some of my recall and expand the old deli discussion.
Len, thanks for checking this out. You inspired me and I’ve been searching myself. This is what I found on a forum. Not to say you can believe everything you read, but: “As an aside, Rich Melman like me grew up in the deli business. His father owned Rickys, which was on California and Devon and later by Lincoln Village.” You might enjoy the whole thread of kvetching about the lack of a good deli in Chicago. And that was back in 2005. Anyways, if it’s true about Mr. Rickys being near Lincoln Village, I would love to know the year. Come on, help us out!
I was pretty sure there was no ownership connection but didn’t know he was an employee. Not sure if this is correct but a friend told me today that he thinks Robbys was owned by a Schachter family???
Len – here’s the (richie) Melman connection to Robby’s……
“I don`t think I had any ambition until I was 21 or 22,“ Melman says. When he finally got it, he worked harder than anyone at Mr. Ricky`s. After four years he asked to buy into the restaurant. His father`s partner balked.
“They could have sold me five percent,“ Melman says. “I had $7,000 or so. And I`ll never forget the answer they gave me: `We don`t think you`re ready.` The day they turned me down was truly the day I lost interest in staying with them.“
Melman took another job, at Robby`s, a neighborhood restaurant on North Lincoln Avenue. He became manager, but it wasn`t enough. The owner offered to finance him in a restaurant venture. It was 1969, “and I conceived of something called Today`s Peasant. My version of a peasant was the hippies, my generation. We were going to do health food and lot of other stuff.“ But the project never got off the ground.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1985-02-24/features/8501110184_1_father-chicago-restaurants-rich-people
I am pretty certain that Robbys on Lincoln, where the Radio Shack now stands, had no Melman connection. I think it opened around 1963, give or take, and was extremely busy for a few years.
Nathan, thanks so much for that information. Can you give me an idea of the years when the Melman restaurant was open? Anyone know if the family ever lived in the area?
Well folks, perhaps I’m wrong about Ricky’s as Melman’s first place on Lincoln Ave – perhaps the memory is of “Robby’s” where a young Richie Melman first went after splitting from his Dad. That’s perhaps accurate from a “google” search. Anyway, it was a busy place with good food always. But, sorry for any confusion.
Sharon – going a bit farther north (into the burbs) “Bays” had the best fast food hamburgers – just before the old Niles East High School – def a unique taste at the time (something to do with their diced & grilled onions).
& Pamela – Dr. Libbin was our childhood dentist – the best !!! a kind, caring, thoughtful man & I think some of his dental work still lives on in my mouth after many (many) years.
Frances – Ricky’s was indeed the name of the deli / restaurant right on Lincoln by McCormick Blvd – first restaurant location for the Melman family.
yes, the Ranch had great hot dogs if you lived that far north or were shopping on Devon or LV–as good as they were (and I had many!) they still could,’t match the dogs at Lerners on Kedzie and Bryn Mawr —a weekend was not the same without a Lerners “everything on it” hot dog—unless you wanted one of those .15 cent hamburgers at McDonalds on Kedze & Peterson–on Sat mornings (after spending 3 hours-from 9-12 at the Albany Park Lutheran church bible study) I would go get a hamburger, fries & a coke for 36 cents—1 cent tax!!
Hi, Nathan. Sorry for the delay in posting your comment. Thanks for writing in, and adding something for us to look into. Which street was the deli on — Lincoln? towards McCormick or Kedzie? I had heard about Ricky’s being the Melman family’s restaurant, one in Skokie and one on Broadway if I remember correctly. I’m a little vague on this: anyone know? This would be interesting because there are several prominent Chicago businesses that have their connection to our old neighborhood. I’m thinking of the De Mars restaurant on Peterson and Kimball; the Abt and Polk Bros. families both had homes in Hollywood Park.
I remember the trampoline place along Lincoln Avenue, just north of the shopping center. Also, the deli restaurant across the street from LV – I think the original place for the Melman family, if I’m not mistaken. In Lincolnwood, the golf driving range at the corner of Lincoln & Touhy before development of that land. The Dairy Queen along Devon Ave. The Ranch hot dog place on Devon was our choice over the Bunny Hutch. Thillens Stadium for flavored sno-cones.
It was a Treasure Island eventually, but not when the shopping center opened.
Wasn’t it a Treasure Island?
Thank you Frances for your beautiful words and memories of Lincoln Village.You captured the essence of this time in our lives so well. I can taste the green stamps as soon as I read the word “Wieboldt’s”! Many fond memories of collecting, saving, licking and then redeeming the stamps for different items.
I lived within walking distance of Lincoln Village and remember walking there with friends at a very young age.I couldn’t wait to be old enough to walk there without parental supervision.
One particular memory was of crossing McCormick with my neighbor Ruth and as soon as we crossed the street and reached the sidewalk, a car swerved around the corner where we had just been and hit another car. We were both shook up and realized how lucky we were that we were safe.
I also remember the Woolworth’s with the open tables of books, toys, etc. Also further down that strip at the other end was a hardware store. There was also a grocery store at the end closest to Lincoln avenue-it would have been near the theater. Does anyone remember the name of the grocery store?
Pamela, thanks for stopping by. Of course I remember Lee’s Pharmacy.
I lived a few blocks away from Lincoln Village. I worked for Dr. Sam Libbin in the medical center. Anyone remember Lee’s Pharmacy? All the places mentioned bring back happy memories. I remember going to the batting cages w/ Ron and watching him for many hours.
I don’t remember much except that cockpit picture and getting yelled at. 🙂
Ryan, it’s been so long since I was in that Treasure Island that I can barely remember it. but I do seem to recall a play area for kids near the door? Is that right?
Can anyone tell me why Treasure Island had a picture of a fighter jet cockpit by the bakery or deli area? I would always get left behind by my mom because I’d be so distracted pretending to be a pilot.
Barbara, I can see it in my head too. 🙂 I think I’ll be seeing you soon…you’ll be at alumni day right? Me too.
Frances, the shoe repair was between the theatre and Bagel and Tray. I can see it is my head like it was yesterday…….
Also, I was born down the street from Thillens and lived there until I was 7 when we moved to Peterson Park. My favorite memories of Thillen’s was on Halloween they would have a contest for the best dressed dog and all of us would dress up our dogs and walk them around the field to be judged – those were the days………….
Thanks, Richard. I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed that post. Sorry it took me so long to moderate your comment. I’ve been out of town.
Francis you are a gem! Your articles always hit a nerve with me. I enjoyed your article of how baseball has been bery bery good to me. My sister to this day still pronounces very as bery. Hilarious…………………..ah to be Cubano!
Hi Frances,
That was a great story of your Cub and MLB connections. I know that Cubans love baseball as much as any American, if not more. When I was with my Cuban mentor to visit his relatives in the Miami area in 1973, I was taken around the Cuban community, visiting grocery stores where there were tropical fruits native to Cuba which I had never seen, or heard of, before. I was treated very graciously, almost as a member of their own families, partly because of the high esteem they had for my mentor, but also because of the natural manor they had for making everyone feel at-home. From your story, and your father’s pictures, I see that same warmth and hospitable manner that I experienced with my Cuban friends and aquaintances, and also in you.
Richard, check out my story about my Dad, the baseball fan. It has a Latin twist, but same difference.
We went to Buffalo too — special treat! Also, Lockwood Castle.
Sharon,
I met Ernie Banks at Thillens Stadium in the Summer of 1955 or ’56. I was there for a game when I noticed a crowd of kids up the seats by the fence. Looking closer, I saw the reason for the crowd was Ernie, who was signing autographs. I went up and met him with the other kids. In 2005 we took a vacation in Chicago, taking our son (our daughter only remained for one day) to see all the sights of his parents childhood, and Chicago. We stopped at Thillens where a game was in progress, staying for a few innings. We ate a lot of our meals at What’s Cooking, in Lincoln Village during that vacation.
I’ve been a Cub’s fan for over 50 years, spending many childhood days at Wrigley. Back in the ’50’s bleacher seats were 75 cents, and you were allowed in early, during batting practice– Billy Williams used to play catch with us in the bleachers, and many other players talked with us. I caught a home run ball, hit by a Cub off hall-of-famer Warren Spahn, around 1960, and was in the left field bleachers with a friend for Don Cardwell’s no-hitter. The last out was a low line drive that looked like a sure hit. But Moose Morin, running in at full speed with his glove down to the grass, made an amazing catch to insure the no-hitter.
In 1957 I worked after school at Von at a small diner about 3-doors down from Kimball on the north side of Foster– I cleaned the floors, took out garbage, etc. for a meal of my choice. Could that have been the Choo-Choo you remember on Foster? It didn’t have any trains then, but they may have been added later. The restaurant with the trains that went around the counter with your food, that I remember, was on Lawrence, near to Pulaski. That restaurant, and the Buffalo, were frequent stops for our family.
Thanks for restoring the memories!
Sharon, thillens is still there.
does anyone remember “Thillens” Stadium at Devon @ McCormick?-my brother played “little league” there in the 50’s (of course no girls were allowed to play!) we had some wonderful games and parties and on family day everyone would come out and take a picture with their “player” (of course I liked going there to see the boys!!) This is when I got interested in baseball and to this day like nothing better than to sit in the stands at Wrigley Field–although I have been lucky enough to see the Cubs in Spring Training also as I live in Arizona for 7 months out of the year–
Frances-so very kind of you to have gone to the church! I can’t wait to see the photos-I can picture everything in my mind as I shut my eyes–wonder if it is still the same–also–I found out that my father-in-law also went to the same church about 20 years before I did! looking forward to the photos–and again, thank you so, so much for all your work and dedication to this link–it has been quite the “mental trip” for me have so enjoyed reading everything
I remember talking to those boys through the fence when we were kids. We used to play at the tennis courts (Handball??) over at Northeastern from time to time. They backed up to the “bad boys school”. Occasionally, some of those boys would sneak back there to smoke. They seemed just like any other kid in the neighborhood except that they lived behind a fence and couldn’t come out. They always looked worn out and poorly dressed. I recall feeling badly for them. They seemed nice enough boys though very sad.
Sharon, at John’s suggestion I visited the former Albany Park Lutheran Church and took photos. I will post them soon (I’ve got a lot on my plate just now), so you can see the interior.
I have wanted to do a post on the Parental School for some time, but haven’t had a chance to do the research. Someone wrote a doctoral dissertation about the place, and there is a copy at Sulzer Library on Lincoln, so one of these days. . . What I do know is from talking to people who graduated from Von years before me, is everyone called it “the bad boys school.” There was a large area devoted to farming and the boys worked the fields. I remember seeing them in the fields when my mother drove by on St. Louis. Apparently, when the place opened, they thought that living in a rural setting might take some of the urban problems out of their lives. I’ve heard from someone who did some exploring in the building after it was closed down but before they demolished the buildings.
By the way, in the early 1920s, before Peterson School opened, there was what was called a portable school for the kids in the neighborhood located on the grounds of the Parental School. All that land was Chicago Board of Education land. When Peterson opened, they had all the students, teachers and parents help move the supplies from the portable to the new school, a couple blocks away. They used their wagons. No cars!
I still believe the “Choo Choo” was on Foster ave–that was the one with the train–I never went to the Corner Hut but remember the name very well–also Lauries on the corner of Foster and Sawyer-across from North Park College–I believe there is still a restaurant at that location
The restaurant described @ Lawrence and Pulaski in late 50’s/early 60’s was the Corner Hut, although I don’t actually remember the train.
yes, Rich–we were very sheltered in our young lives from the darker side of our society—even with religion, I knew what it was like to be in a minority–just like being black in a white neighborhood–seriously–I was not allowed to enter most of my schoolmates homes a second time when their parents learned I was not Jewish–I can look back at it now and understand somewhat–that’s just the way it was in EVERY neighborhood–you stayed with your own–I probably had some insecurities growing up because of that–but hey-it was a long time ago and helped me be who I am today!! and I am very happy with my life–I always took the positive from the negative in my life and learned something from it–probably more tolerant of all people because of my childhood experiences–
of course I remember the “bunny hop”-still do it every now & then when we have a 50’s/60’s band we are enjoying! we live in AZ in the winter and we live in an over 55 community with a wonderful ballroom that is used for many, many activities (my husband is the resident Yoga Teacher, having taught for many years now –at first a hobby-then when he retired started teaching 5/6 classes a week)-he trains teachers in Illinois once a month) we both have been doing yoga for 16 years and can’t imagine our lives without it! Anyway- we have bands that come in once a month-all of course geared to us “oldies but goodies”-we still do the jitterbug, with flips, splits, leg pull throughs, etc!!! we still love dancing–even though I think the electric slide has overtaken the bunny hop!!—I loved dancing at the lighted schoolhouse nights even if a girl had to be a partner–and yes, the games were fun also–I remember having a card that got stamped and you were able to pick the kind of class that you wanted the 1st & 2nd hr–can’t remember the classes except one in crafts—of course the boys got the gym!! I was a big tomboy in school–loved gym!!
Sharon,
Just noticed your reference to “Lighted-Schoolhouse.” I was a regular there, while it lasted– great fun. Both floors and many rooms were setup for games and fun. The gym was used, and early in the evening there were B’ball and other gym games. Later– as you mentioned– the gym was cleared for dancing– remember the Bunny Hop and other dances of the era? 🙂
Hi Sharon,
My dad also took me to the Choo-Choo restaurant from time-to-time.To my memory it was on Lawrence, off the southeast corner near to Pulaski Rd. I remember that the model train tracks wrapped around the back of the counter. When ones order was ready, it was delivered by a train on one of the specially made flat cars. I always loved trains– it was the streamliner era where the engineers and caboose men would wave to you as the trains passed by.
The”bad boy” place you’re remembering was actually the Parental School for BD (behaviorally disordered) then called “troubled kids or juvenile delinquents.” It was located off Foster, just west of the N.E campus whose entrance was off Bryn Mawr.
I was a regular movie goer to the Terminal, and often saw the kids from the Parental School come there on Saturdays to see a movie. They were separated from the rest of the audience, being seated in the balcony area, which was then closed to everyone else; they walked up-and-back to the movies from the Parental School. I always felt sad for the kids when I saw them. Other than seeing movies and hearing songs about juvenile delinquents, that was a subject never talked about in my home, or very much among my friends– we were very sheltered. My later years and studies opened my eyes to our larger society.
I remember your church, it was right across the street from Hollywood Park. As I was Jewish, as was the predominant population of the area, as you mentioned, your church was a unique reminder in our neighborhood that our country was religiously pluralistic.
Best, Rich
yes, I did see that in your picture! didn’t see until after I wrote the message–thanks for the pictures-I have really gone down memory lane today after reading all of the posts! I am so hungry for a Lerners hot dog!!-it is so much fun to read everyones’ memories too! how could I have forgotten the Terminal Theater-I also remember the old EL station on Kimball & Lawrence where I would meet my dad–I worked at Bonfire Restaurant when I was 18 years old and the after school hangout I went to was called “Maries” on Foster Ave just east of Kimball–there was also a restaurant called the “Choo-Choo” (which I believe is now a Dairy Queen) that delivered your food on a train-my dad took us there in the 50’s for a treat–does anyone remember the name of the pool on Foster near California? spent a lot of days shivering on my towel after running thru the cold water “shower”—and also—wasn’t there a school on the site of the Northeastern campus before it was a college? some sort of “bad boys” school?? that’s what I remember it being called anyway–and I played on a softball team with Peterson school playground-we went to Belding, Budlong, and another school I can’t remember for alternate weeks in the summer–and Peterson had Friday night dances and activities- I believe they called it “Lighted Schoolhouse?” anyone remember??
Sharon, it was Shopper’s World and you can see the sign on one of my photographs. Later it was Community, then Zayre, and I’m probably forgetting some other names. It’s Home Depot now.
@John Erickson–I lived at 5630 N Kimball–also went to “Albany Park Lutheran” church at the corner of Spaulding and Thorndale–I guess we were in the minority of the neighborhood–I remember going to school on Jewish Holidays and only having to go to gym-lots of teachers absent too!
I also remember the “Kiddieland” behind Lincoln Village–I loved going to ride the ponies that they would bring from a farm down south (even went to the farm one day)-back then you could ride your bike and leave it anywhere without worrying about it being stolen-and the big styore across the street–I believe it was called “Shoppers World” at one time-but had other names also
There used to be a sign on Michigan Ave on top of a building across from the Art Institute… In case you are not aware… Elmer Coe became infamous, when one of their clients dropped his classes at scene of the crime of the century. Because they had a identifying serial number on the case,and they were traced back to either Loeb or Leapold.
I’m happy to contribute, Frances.
Looking back, the fifties was a time of transition from a simpler, slower world to what continues to escalate into the future. History goes far beyond our personal lifetimes, on a path only our creator fully knows. But for most of us, memories of our past, especially happier times and as we reach our senior years, become very compelling. Although I am very happy to contribute what I can to the history of our neighborhood, I would be remiss to not remind all of us that life goes on, and is best served by living in the present, especially in the volatile and important times in which we live now. I think we’d all agree– with the benefit of experiences gained over a lifetime– that life is an ongoing adventure in which the future brings unexpected surprises. So, let us toast to that wondrous adventure, proclaiming L’chaim– to life!!
Rich
Rich, this is amazing. Thank you so much for contributing to the historical record of our neighborhood. Please feel free to share any more memories. And how about photos?
Re the Kiddie Land and surrounding area, 1950s:
My dad used to take my sister and I to the Kiddie Land north of Lincoln Village. My favorite ride was the train that circumnavigated the amusement park. The triangular area formed by the intersection of Kimball, Lincoln and Devon (Lincoln and Devon crossing at one corner of the triangle) was full of outdoor entertainment businesses: there were miniature golf play areas at each corner of the triangle, with a “Stop-And-Sock” area just east of the Devon/Lincoln corner miniature golf. This center included fast pitch batting cages, and in the 60’s, a trampoline center (where I worked one Summer, operating one of the two snack shops there).
Across from the Devon/Lincoln intersection, there was another miniature golf, then called Dwarf Golf (now Pee Wee Golf, I believe), where my parents, sister and I often went together. Still there, It was extremely satisfying to take my son there in recent years, where we walked in our family’s earlier footsteps. This was the best of the min. golf locations for us, as it had/has moving obstacles controlled by foot-pedals. If you’ve never gone there, I highly recommend it. As a footnote, as a kid I shot out some of the lights strung,around the course with my BB gun. I always felt bad about that, so when, decades later, I took my son there for the first time, I explained what I had done years back to the new owner, and paid her a token amount to pay for the bulbs- she didn’t want to take anything, but I insisted, as my son took it all in 🙂
Rich
For the record.
We moved to the Peterson Park area in the Fall of 1948. Here are some memories and additions to the Bryn Mawr business district listing:
Hollywood Park included a flag-stoned pond with running water at the top of the hill on the Christiana side (just south of the playing field bordering Peterson Ave,, where a small hill still exists as a memory of those earlier times; Tong’s Tea Garden was originally a small business located on Bryn Mawr, one lot west of Christiana- the corner lot (not yet Plotkins) was an empty lot at the time; Green Briars restaurant was located on the southeast corner of Kimball and Peterson. later sold and reowned under different names, including Mel Korey, brother of Steve Korey, both of whom were instrumental in founding the “TV product sales industry”; Hamilton’s (not to be confused with Hamilton’s Card Shop) was located on the north side of Bryn Mawr just east of the Jewel Supermaket off the corner of Chirstiana (the first supermarket in the area that led to the mom-and-pop groceries going out of business (a sign of things to come everywhere, National Foods supermarket later opened down the block)– I believe the photo of the gated -up 2-story brown brick building, showing on the Bryn Mawr Business District blog, was the location of this Hamilton’s, that closed in the early fifties– I remember the elderly couple who owned the business and sold me the postage stamps I needed to mail the ads I responded to from my comic books (I sold greeting cards door-to-door from such an ad, my first job); I remember when Lincoln Village first opened and we rode our bicycles there to check it out. Greg Gergans and I walked the Woolworth’s 5 & 10 cent store there, whose wares were all on tables, a far cry from the Walmarts, Targets, etc. of today, but at the leading edge of the time; I remember sitting in the basement of Shaare Tikvah, singing Hatikvah as Israel became a country; and later waiting in the evening at Shaare Tikvah for the possible visit of Eleanor Roosevelt, who never made it, the Peterson School playground, a wonderful place to play, with kiddie swings, high flying swings, two merry-go-rounds, a large sandbox, monkey bars, teeter-totters, two very high slides (to us kids), later, parallel bars, basketball courts, and the ever-present toboggan slide, with Summer storage for sporting equipment loaned freely to the kids; who can forget the “pinner” moldings that surrounded the school building, providing endless hours of games: pinners, points, and “baseball” using the lively pink Spalding;balls purchased at the Bowl; and the games of fast ball pitching against the Peterson School utility building using the hard, white rubber balls also bought at the “Bowl” nearby (the small black handballs were often used for a game using two sidewalk squares- I could beat anyone at it, except Marshall Waldo.
Well, there are a few memories off the top-of-my-head. I hope they stirred up some memories of your own.
With respect,
Rich Cohen
Thank you! Without readers who share my interest it wouldn’t be nearly as fun.
Frances,
Thank you for getting back to me on Kiddie Land. I like reading your articles on Chicago, since I lived around Chicago. I like to see how things have changed over the years. Thanks again.
Ralph
Frances,
I’d love to meet you there for a chili cheese dog. However, I have no plans to travel to Chitown any time soon. I’ve got to get to Texas first! We leave Florida on Sunday for our new home, new life. I’m so excited! I guess you’ll have to come to Houston for some Tex Mex. Either that or come for the “Umpteenth Annual Crawfish Boil” that we’re hosting in March!
Wendi, that is hysterical. Well, next time your in Chicago I’ll meet you at the bunny hutch for a chili cheese dog.
Frances,
I had no clue that the owners of the Bunny Hutch and Kiddie Land were one and the same. The Bunny Hutch has the best chili cheese dogs the world ’round. I’ve eaten chili cheese dogs EVERYWHERE! None compares. My younger sister worked there for a long time. She used to call me from there while I was stationed in Germany back in the late 70’s. She would torment me over the phone… “Hey, Sis… I’m eating a chili cheese dog and you’re not.”
Richard, I don’t have photos of the neighborhood but when I tour area on vPike.com I am really impressed with the care the old properties have received. I wonder if anyone remembers the great milk shakes at the dairy on the north side of Devon west of Lincoln just outside Herman Bundesen’s reach of the Chicago Health Dept. – or “All the Roor Beer You Can Drink” for 5 cents on Lincoln’s west side further north?
Bernie, we got a photo of the ponies here. What’s interesting is that according to regular Me & My Shadow contributor Jerry Pritikin, there were horse stables on the site before Lincoln Village was built. But I would love another photo of the the pony rides if you find it.
Does anybody other than me remember pony rides at Kiddieland? Somewhere in my parent’s photo collection there are pictures of my brother and I atop real live ponies. I will try and find it and send a picture to Frances. A bit out of the area, but not too far, was a family owned donut shop (Pratt & Western), named I believe, Puff & Fluff. Way better than anything around today. Anybody know what I am talking about? It was a BIG family treat to go there and we each got to choose the flavor we wanted (and they had dozens). We would sit in the car and devour them!
Ralph, sorry it took me a while to get back to you. I did write about Hollywood Kiddieland. It closed in 1975. And Bernie is right, it opened in the late 1940s. The family that opened Hollywood Kiddieland also owned the Bunny Hutch on Devon and still does.
I remember kiddieland well. Every summer my parents sent us off to Green Briar Park Day Camp. We started going there the summer of 1968. My last year there was the summer of 1976 and I was working as a camp counselor. Each summer, the highlight of our field trips was the walk to kiddieland. I loved that place. I don’t know when it finally closed. I was long gone by then.
Definitely Kiddieland (sp?) … it was there when we first moved to the neighborhood in 1965 and throughout the 70s … when did it go under? (Frances, I’m sure you’ve done a blog post on the subject; I’m just too lazy to go looking for it now.)
Yes – there was a Kiddie Land adjacent to the Lincoln Village Shopping Center – but it dates back to the late 1940’s early 1950’s. I remember going there for the pony rides.
Wasn’t there a little Kiddie-Land behind Lincoln Village? This would be in the early 70’s.
Good afternoon John. I grew up at 5531 N. Spaulding. Do you have pictures of Spaulding or Bryn Mawr or any of the areas you grew up in during the 30’s-40’s.
I read of the changes that have occurred – but am very impressed when I take the vPike tour of the old neighborhood how well the properties have been maintained – my old church at Spaulding and Thorndale, my homes at 5855 Christiana, 5723 Drake, 5436 Spaulding, and 5631 Kimball. They all look as good as they did in the 1030s and40s . My compliments to the new owners and to the neighborhood of my youth.
Not exactly sure. I think one of the hardware guys (Eugene?) was a Roosevelt High School guy from maybe the 30s. There were one or more relatives who were physicians-possibly pediatricians. Also, I think at one time the LV Bakery was a Heinemans.
Yes, I think you’re right about the shoe repair. Great memory you’ve got.were the Gumbiner family local residents?
Was the LV shoe repair Joseph’s? Beu was previously @ 4400 N. Pulaski. Gumbiner family owned Bain hardware.
Harriet, thanks for visiting. I miss it too.
Carol, that is so cool to hear about the opening day. Any photos? Another question. There was a florist on Pulaski just north of Bryn Mawr with the same last name as you. Related? Thanks for visiting.
I remember when it opened! It was the summer that I was 8 years old. Everyone was so excited that we would have a department store right in our own neighborhood! You didn’t have to go downtown!!
The grand opening was a big deal. They had a parade down Lincoln Avenue. I attended a YMCA Day Camp (Camp Ahoma) and they drove the camp buses in the parade. I remember leaning out the windows, waving and screaming with excitement. I made my mother take me back to the shopping center that very night.
Ready through the other posts brought back the green stamps and Wieboldts. I have forgotten about so many of the little shops that were there. Thanks everyone for your posts and for jogging my memory.
I loved the Lincoln Village of my youth. The stores, the theatre. When I drive past now on a venture to the city it is so sad to see what it has become. But as the neighborhood around it changed so did the Village. My sister was so saddened that that closed What’s Cooking recently. It was a Friday out with her friends – she still lives in the city. Thanks for the article.
Renee, it’s not even a shadow of its old self. Wasn’t it Bresler’s ice cream? Or did I forget there was a 31 flavors? I do remember the photography studio.
Back in the 70’s and 80’s I worked in Lincoln Village for close to 12 years at Bronson Coles Photo Studio, placed between Fannie Mae and Baskin Robbins. Thank goodness I didn’t have any weight issues back then. Today I live nearby and it’s not like the old days…just a shadow of its old self.
Almer Coe! Another familiar name. I remember the bakery as well. Thanks for stopping by.
In 1967 I got my first pair of glasses from Almer Coe Optical in building C or D. In the early sixties, I think Harmony Hall still had a record listening booth. I remember a bakery near Eric Salm where my parents would get danish on Sunday mornings..
Well, Bernie, you’ve already contributed to the hall of fame. No one else recalled that the original owners were named Factor. Duh.
Bryn Mawr Avenue blogs–funny you should ask: here is the Bryn Mawr business district hall of fame.
the name Kanarish sounds so familiar. I’m not sure of the spelling either, but definitely a Hollywood Park name. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your memories. Please feel free to contribute again.
Just visited the Bryn Mawr business name site…….Factor Shoes was listed, of course, showing Birnbaum as the owner. I remember Irv Factor and his wife as the folks who owned the store. In my mind’s eye, I can still see the fluoroscope machine!
I particularly remember going to Howard Juvenile for our clothes. The children in our family were all boys at that time, but I am pretty sure that this store sold clothing for both girls and boys. I remember the toy store, but not the name. This article brought back some memories of Bryn Mawr. My family bought all of our footwear at Factor’s Shoes. And I recall a store where my mother shopped owned by a Mary Kanarish (not sure of the spelling) – the place to get a new dress for a wedding or a Bar Mitzvah! Oh, and a branch of the Chicago Public Library – a little storefront where we went weekly for books. Any Bryn Mawr blogs out there?
Thanks for visiting Richard. I remember the fireplace at the theatre. It was quite a scene on the weekends.
Thanks for visiting Ferne. I’m starting to remember a lot more now that everyone is helping out.
Arnie– the Village Bootery. I can still picture their bags. And I remember the hardware as well. Howard Juvenile sounds familiar, but can’t quite picture it. Was it boys only or both?
Wendi, that was the shoe repair we went to also, it was in the same row as the theater, but was the deli between the shoe repair and the theater? Can’t quite remember.
Mary–funny, we have exactly the same memories! Except the toy store. I think that may have been gone.
Oh my gosh! The memories have all come flooding back! Getting a birthday cake for my 8th birthday and going to the toy store with Bonnie Liss to pick out Barbie doll clothes! Enjoying chicken noodle soup at the Bagel (I still crave it!) with bialys! The last movie i saw at the theater was Rocky!
I, too, was in charge of the green stamp books! My tongue was green !!
Thank you Frances for sending me down memory lane!!
I remember the the little shoe repair shop. I think it was right by the movie theater. It was run by an older Jewish man. I loved going in there. I can remember the smell of that place like it was yesterday. There’s nothing like the smell of fresh leather being worked. I also remember walking to Harmony Hall and spending hours and hours in there. It was a wonderful place to hang out when the weather was cold and you were a kid with nothing to do.
My grandmother worked at Kresge’s and I still remember food shopping at Sure Save and Kroger with my parents. Spent much time at Howard Juvenile, Village Bootery, Bains hardware, Village Grill, and still shopped at Eric Salm well into the 80’s. Got our haircuts in the “Village” as well.
As usual brings backs lots of memorie,
Thanks,
Ferne
I remember to go Licoln VIllage theatre on a regular basis, I saw Saturday night fever there and grease. It was a a beautiful theatre. They even had a fireplace in the theatre. I miss is there so much. and a Harmony Hall and Fip Side. It was a great intimate mini outdoor mall with elegence. Treature Island grocery store was great. Advancement in time has not meant advancement in class.. Francis Archer is my hero for posting all these sites. I am so proud of her and grateful. I tell everyone about her. Thank you Francis and all who keep and contribute to a by gone era!
Hi, Mark. Eric Salm, of course! I completely forgot. Thanks for visiting.
Bought our clothes at Eric Salm
A Lincoln Village Icon
Im sure you will hear from Jack Schneiderman
Worked there when we were kids( Big sale was 2 for 1)
My Aunt Sylvia worked at Wiebolts
Alison, we were big collectors too. I loved sticking the stamps in the book and picking out stuff with my mother. Alarm clocks, transistor radios, stuff like that.
My grandmother was an avid S&H green stamp collector and loved to go to the redemption center in the basement of Wieboldt’s at Lincoln Village when she had saved enough books of stamps to cash in for the desired object she had been saving up for. I went to the dentist, Dr. Jack Block, upstairs in the medical center.