Happy New Year - 2022 recap sort of...

Found here

I spend most of this past year not posting here aside from one post by J.P. Paulus regarding the 2022 primary election for the 1st Congressional District seat which was won by Jonathan Jackson - who's brother Jesse Jackson Jr. served in Congress and his father was two-time Democrat candidate for President Jesse Jackson Sr. And then a few posts within the past two months which are more or less politically inclined and in reference to the 2023 municipal elections for Alderman and Mayor of Chicago.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot is running for re-election. Ald. Roderick Sawyer had recently survived a petition challenge that was dropped by his opponent Willie Wilson to remain on the ballot in the 2023 Mayoral Race. That means Ald. Sawyer will NOT be running for re-election for 6th Ward Alderman. So there is one open seat on the Chicago City Council.

We can include in the many open seats on the Chicago City Council the 21st Ward Alderman. Longtime 21st Ward Alderman Howard Brookins has opted not to run for re-election. In the June 2022 primary he failed in his bid to become a Cook County Judge.

Another thing we have covered over the years on this blog and I think is a notable event that I'm sorry to have not written about it here is the closure of Whole Foods Market Englewood. After a store closing clearout the store had closed on November 13, 2022 having been open since September 2016. We were glad to see Whole Foods expand onto the south side as they announced in 2013.

Heralded as an oasis in the food desert the closure had been announced earlier in the spring of 2022, another Chicago store had also closed this year the DePaul location located steps away from the Fullerton Red Line station. Originally it was advertised as being designed to keep the prices of product down for the people in the community. It was certainly a well meaning experiment.

However, as a customer I have found that most of the time I went there the store was often empty. This is something that was probably appealing say if I go to other stores in the area it would be very busy. However, that's not conducive to keeping any business open small business or a national chain.

I got a souvenir shopping bag from the 2016 Englewood grand opening. I also had bought from there over the years a water bottle I can't find for the moment and another Englewood shopping bag. So I do have some memorabilia from the now closed store which had opened with some excitement. I'll give credit to RAGE, this was their vision and it was realized.

Who knows perhaps the fortunes of Englewood will turn around and as opposed to the small outpost they had for over six years, the neighborhood could one day be home to a flagship similar to the one that opened this past spring at Chicago & State. Something to look forward to as a vision for Englewood.

All the same as I had been sharing on this blog I will be doing more posting at Ninth Ward Chicago. Hopefully do more with regards to the 2023 city elections and especially look at the race for Mayor and perhaps some City Council contests. The Mayor of Chicago is said to be vulnerable however the residents of the city will make that decision as far as who they want for mayor.

I hope that 2023 finds you in better spirits. Happy New Years! 

Chatham Theaters reopens

 

[VIDEO] I'm sorry to have shared this with you all much later as this is old news. How many of you are glad that our local movie house on 87th is back open. That facility has gone from being ICE Theaters, Chatham 14 Theaters, Studio Movie Grill and now Cinema Chatham powered by Emagine. It has gone through many ownership changes since 2012.

It re-opened this past weekend as Cinema Chatham and this story by Jim Williams shows their first day back in action having been closed over the past year due to the pandemic. We learned this past spring that Studio Movie Grill who owned this venue since 2014 will not be returning to this location.

With the excitement of the Chatham Theaters reopening, it's in the news that they're also looking to bring a restaurant to the theater in the future. This is according to Wendell Hutson at Chicago Business Journal which unfortunately is behind a paywall.

Also they're hiring up there if anyone is looking. There are about 70 employees there and they are looking hire people aged 16 & up.

Also shoutout to Harlan Falcon Bryan who we see is the General Manager for the Cinema Chatham.

CBS Chicago: A year after the unrest

 

[VIDEO] I hate to share this on Memorial Day weekend where many of us expect things to begin to turn to normal as we're starting to get out of this pandemic. A year ago downtown was hit by rioting and the neighborhoods was hit by looting. 

We see shots of what looks like 95th & Calumet where business owner Shontee Ross' salon was looted the last weekend of May last year. She has deepened her resolve and will reopen her business near 69th & King Drive where we see drone shots from CBS 2 of that particular area. Ross does make the below statement:

“There’s no way that you can look at neighborhoods like this and say looting could have been justified,” Ross said.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy memorial day. 

The Chatham 14 Theaters to eventually reopen under new management

Per comments on Worlee Glover's Concerned Citizens of Chatham and also info he's received from the regional manager at Studio Movie Grill the former Chatham 14 Theaters will soon be under new management. It won't be permanently closed, however, it will be available for a new buyer. 

Studio Movie Grill permanently closed?

 According to the Chicago Crusader:

Chatham’s Studio Movie Grill, the luxury entertainment complex that brought upscale dining, fancy menus and food delivery service to movie goers on the South Side, is closed for good.

Five months after the national chain filed for bankruptcy, a spokesman for the Studio Movie Grill last week confirmed plans not to reopen the Chatham location after it was temporarily closed because of the pandemic.

“All SMG theaters remain under review, but SMG Chatham isn’t currently part of our re-opening plan,” said Lynne McQuaker, senior director of public relations and outreach for Studio Movie Grill. “Whenever possible, it’s our intent to reopen these shuttered theaters. We will share updates publicly as we have them available.”

A former manager of SMG in Chatham told the Crusader that employees last November were given a letter, informing them of the facility’s permanent closure.

The multi-screen movie theater at 210 W. 87th St. temporarily closed in March 2020 days after Governor J.B. Pritzker issued a statewide stay-at-home order during the pandemic. The Chatham location was among many Studio Movie Grill facilities in U.S. cities that imposed similar COVID-19 restrictions to prevent the spread of the disease.

Would be very disappointed if this longtime stable and venue in our community is shuttered longer than this pandemic. Also in general the movie industry is struggling because of this pandemic as we saw recently Arclight which operated a movie theater near North/Clyborn has shuttered along with the rest of the company as noted in the above article.

Here's hoping SMG comes out of bankruptcy and will reopen our longtime movie house. 

The Vice President visits 75th Street on Tuesday

 Kamala Harris is a former U.S. Senator from California and recently made history as the first woman of color to become Vice President of the United States under the 46th President Joe Biden. It was in the news recently that she spent a little bit of time on 75th Street on Tuesday to visit Brown Sugar Bakery.

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton met up with the new vice president at Brown Sugar Bakery on East 75th Street after Harris visited a nearby vaccination site. https://t.co/qvjvpYshis

— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) April 7, 2021

Artistmac visits the now reopened Chatham Walmart

 

[VIDEO] The Walmart located on 83rd & Stewart located actually in the West Chatham neighborhood reopened on Friday. It was closed since late May as it reportedly suffered a fire and was heavily looted in the last weekend of May in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis. 

As artistmac notes:  

One welcome addition to the store: in addition to the existing vision department, a health clinic with its own entrance.

Glad to see this Walmart reopen because of the looting that happened in a number of neighborhoods around the city - and especially critical on the south side - businesses hit with the looting caused them to be in danger of closing permanently. As noted in this video it also means a loss of jobs for those who want to be productive in their communities.

CBS Chicago: New #COVID19 rules for certain businesses

 

[VIDEO] What restaurants or bars will you go to with eased restrictions? Also do you plan to workout?

This was announced by the mayor's office yesterday.

We’ve lowered our daily COVID-19 case rate, so updated reopening guidelines are going into effect on Thursday.
🏋🏾‍ 15 person fitness class max
🍹 Bars open at 25% capacity
🏬 Other indoor establishments at 40%
More info ▶️ https://t.co/njOQ14kE6Y. pic.twitter.com/FhRXlOJiTt

— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) September 28, 2020

The Aftermath: Who’s Staying and Who’s Going

Worlee Glover at Concerned Citizens of Chatham has been doing a great job keeping everyone updated on the aftermath of the George Floyd unrest from over a month ago at the end of May. Many of us are concerned about some of our retail establishments reopening after the vandalism and looting of that time.

Many of us were concerned about being able to shop in our communities for groceries. Also some of us are concerned about where to pick-up our prescriptions. Those are the main things of great concern to many as we take Jewel, Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, etc for granted until they got hit by looting & vandalism.

Some of these establishments are returning to operations for our convenience. I was honestly shocked to see the Rothschild's Liquor (717 E 87th St) appeared to be closed one day I went up to 87th Street. From Worlee Rothchild's other locations throughout the city and their downtown offices were looted so they may not reopen at all. He even addressed the idea that with the disappearance of our local liquor stores - including Kenwood Liquors per their website is permanently closed - alcoholism will suddenly disappear.

We see the Walmart 8331 S. Steward or on 83rd Street and the Walgreens 11 E. 75th Street or on 75th & State Streets will take at least 2 to 6 months to reopen as they took extensive damage due to the looting. If I recall the 83rd Street Walmart was said to be on fire that last weekend in May due to the civil unrest. Also the Walgreens on 75th & State still had issues with looters even after the unrest.

Those among other updates and information you will see in the Concerned Citizen's of Chatham posting below.

White Castle near 111th & State #tbt #Ward09

You may well have already seen this photo below on social media taken in the mid-1980s of the White Castle that formerly stood at 111th & State Streets or actually 2 E. 111th street. I'm most familiar with this location since often looking for a hamburger slider fix this was where my folks went. At some point during the 1990s this location was closed and demolished.

Then looking for photos I found an even older photo of the White Castle taken in 1937 according to the information on the photograph. Could be the same building and I don't recognize the neighborhood around it.

Via Pinterest

Of course back in the 1980s the White Castle was surrounded by a post office to the north and then to the east on 111th Street was the YMCA. The post office is still there however the YMCA is long gone though the building itself remains.

I hope you enjoy this look back and a break from the dire news regarding coronavirus.

Stossel: Coronavirus cans the bag ban (taxes)

[VIDEO] Grocery stores and pharmacies are considered essential business as people still want to pick up prescriptions and over the counter medication. People also still have to eat and while many restaurants are open for take out orders only, your best bet is still go to the grocery store and find your ingredients so that you can cook.

I noted this a while ago in a post about coronavirus numbers and the effect of the pandemic on "essential" retail. A few grocery stores aren't allowing for the usage of re-usable bags I know for sure the Jewel-Osco, Whole Foods Market, and Target if you go to a cashier they won't package your items in your reusable bags.

Personally reusable bags are very convenient, however, what's noted in this John Stossel video is that there are many of us who don't take the time out to clean them. Sometimes I throw them in the washers, however, sometimes it's just something that I don't take the time to do. If you don't clean them then you could be carrying microbes on your reusable bags that are often dangerous.

Stossel takes aim at the attempts by governments around the nation to ban plastic bags. Chicago has asserted a 7 cent bag tax to encourage use of reusable bags. It's understood that they want to discourage use of those plastic "Jewel" bags. Unfortunately whether or not you use a "Jewel" bag or a paper bag, you still get charged a 7 cent tax. And paper is not only better for the environment not only because they are reusable (even if fragile as you see in video above) they are also recyclable, yet if we use a paper bag from a store we STILL get charged a tax.

Another thing of note is that while Whole Foods, Target, and Jewel that I know of for sure seemed to have waived collecting the city' bag tax. If you go to Mariano's and use a bag with them they will still charge you the 7 cent tax.

In my opinion, who knows if this is going away. Since the pandemic has caused the shut down of many businesses, surely tax revenues are down. Since in many places there is already a bag tax enacted, my idea is this is one convenient tax that won't go away. Especially since people during this difficult time still got to go out to shop for "essential" items.

Any other retailer - especially grocery stores - still charging you the 7 cent bag tax? Let us know...

SMG Chatham 14 closed #COVID19

SMG Chatham Lobby/Concessions - 2018

This is probably no surprise to you if you paid a visit to the Studio Movie Grill theaters at 210 E. 87th Street as recently as Friday that the theaters are temporarily closed as a result of the coronavirus.

This is probably industry wide as I see that AMC Theatres and Kerasotes (Showplace Icon) have for the moment closed their locations in light of this coronavirus pandemic. At least AMC was speaking of limiting admissions to their screens at 50% capacity to encourage social distancing (which is to help to stem the spread of this virus). Of course authorities around the nation were issuing guidelines limiting how many people can gather in one place right now the government is limiting groups larger than 50 people.

So either way if you enjoy movies too bad about going to the show especially up to 87th Street, however, hopefully many of you are ready to take advantage of any streaming options. Which is especially key if you have to stay-at-home through April 7, 2020.

What is terrible is that many of the people who staff these venues wherever they're employed will be temporarily out of work until Studio Movie Grill, AMC Theatres, Kerasotes, etc will eventually re-open for business. I do hope that this will happen in the near future.

If you're wondering about the Harper Theater in Hyde Park at 5238 S. Harper Ave they're also closed for the time being. You will go to their website and a message regarding COVID-19 will come up explaining their closure.

Englewood Brews

[VIDEO] This new company is expected to open up shop in a space located across the street from the Whole Foods Market Englewood store at 63rd & Halsted Streets.

I've been wanting to share this video and an article from Block Club Chi which reports that the owners are hoping to raise money to further build out their space in Englewood.

As with the Whole Foods store in Englewood that opened in 2016 best wishes to Englewood Brews owners Lesley Roth and Steve Marchese.

What's going on with this bus shelter at 79th/Cottage Grove

79th/Cottage Grove bus shelter loitering

You might have seen this photograph circulating on Facebook and I've been trying to determine where at 79th/Cottage Grove this was located. I see in a recent article from Block Club Chi that this was probably in front of the currency exchange on the north east corner of 79th & Cottage.

A bench was removed from this shelter and people who want to just hang out here simply bring their own chairs. I've even seen reports online that although these loiterers may seem menacing at first glance have been courteous enough to offer their chairs to those waiting for a bus. Certainly a plus for any senior citizen who are taking public transit.

However, this is an issue that the police and the 8th Ward Ald. Michelle Harris are looking to take care of the loitering and have taken steps:

Administrators of the Concerned Citizens of Chatham, a popular neighborhood Facebook page, said there were requests to remove the bus shelter bench, as well as one on 71st Street and Indiana Ave., due to the robberies and other “dangerous activities” at both locations.

The shelter bench at 71st Street remained in place as of Sunday.

Harris and 6th District Police Cmdr. Rahman Muhammad said they believe the removals are a good way to combat loitering. But when asked about how the removal affects elderly riders and passengers with disabilities, Harris said the move removal was only temporary.

“Once we get things under control, it will return,” Harris said. “I and Cmdr. Muhammad will be monitoring the intersection for the next week or so, and going from there.”

Muhammad said he is taking a “three-pronged approach” to tackle the problem.

“Firstly, offering those individuals a warning to leave the area, while at the same time giving them job fliers for employment opportunities,” Muhammad said.

Harris and Muhammad are planning to meet with CTA leadership “in the near future” about the issue and possible solutions.

“There will be weekly updates,” said Harris, who added that she hopes to have a meeting with the owner of the nearby currency exchange to persuade them to hire security.

Here's an update with the above photo from Worlee Glover's Concerned Citizens of Chatham

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Tribune: Blue Cross to bring 550 jobs to South Side, with opening of new center in former Target location

It's great to see one of the two Target stores that closed earlier this year will soon find a new use:

Blue Cross has leased a nearly 130,000-square-foot space that formerly housed a Target at 119th Street and Marshfield Avenue in Morgan Park, the health insurance company announced Monday.

Part of the facility will be offices for Blue Cross workers, and part of it will be used to help people in the community — and not just those with Blue Cross health insurance — such as by offering free yoga or nutrition classes.

The new center is expected to open in the first half of next year.

“It makes us more accessible to our employees who live across Chicagoland and Cook County,” said Jill Wolowitz, vice president of government relations and community affairs at the health insurer. “It makes us more visible and accessible to our members who live throughout Chicago, and we’re looking forward to providing some economic stimulus in a significant South Side neighborhood.”

Most of the 550 jobs will be new ones, but the company is still working out what type of jobs will be included, Wolowitz said.

The company plans to recruit for many of those new jobs from the surrounding communities, through job fairs and other local opportunities, she said.

What do you think of Mariano's?

I'm posting this because over the years some people on the south side whether in Englewood (before the Whole Foods Market opened) and perhaps even residents in South Shore were looking for a Mariano's to come in. I wonder if there is a change of perception as far as Marino's now that they now owned by Kroger's as explored in this roughly 20 min podcast from Crain's Chicago Business:

And here's another article from Crain's:

Many of the changes reflect Kroger's efforts to boost profitability and meet a new challenge from Amazon, which in 2017 acquired Whole Foods, a rival to Mariano's in the premium grocery market. Mariano's changing profile also reflects the influence of former parent company Roundy's, a Milwaukee-based operator of low-end stores like Pick 'n Save.

For a while after Kroger took over, the Milwaukee and Chicago chains continued to operate autonomously, with former Mariano lieutenants Don Rosanova and Don Fitzgerald overseeing the Mariano's stores. That changed in September 2018 when Kroger consolidated leadership teams in the Wisconsin-based unit in a cost-cutting move. Fitzgerald and Rosanova were both gone by year-end.

"If there hadn't been the pressure from Milwaukee, the business could have been run better," Bishop says. "They are subject to the budgetary pressures of the folks in Cincinnati."

"Mariano's continues to innovate and lead in this space, and the larger Kroger organization is bringing elements of our programs into other banners to accelerate their Restock Kroger initiatives," a Mariano's spokeswoman says.

How many of you still want to attract a Mariano's store to other parts of the south side? Also note that Food 4 Less is also part of the Kroger family along with Mariano's.

#tbt 87th & Langely street renaming

[VIDEO] In June 2015 I was present for a ceremony that renamed Langley Avenue east of the main branch of Seaway National Bank for it's late & former longtime chairman Jacoby Dickens. I recorded the unveiling of the sign revealing "Honorary Jacoby Dickens Way" which was a bit of a blooper when his widow Veranda Dickens attempted to pull off the cover for the sign and the string snapped. Presumably a bank employee pulled the cover off to the excitement of those who witnessed these festivities.

The event you see above occurred during the year of Seaway Bank's 50th anniversary. It was under the new chairwoman Veranda Dickens who decided to take over the bank not long after Jacoby Dickens had passed away. And some notable thoughts from this events.

Since his names seems to be in the news a lot as of late the former chairman of the city council Ed Burke was at this events and gave some remarks. Unfortunately I have footage, but somehow I have no audio of his remarks. I do recall, however, that once this event was over with he got into an unmarked car that he wasn't driving to leave.

Ms. Dickens remarked with regards to Seaway's location. I do recall she says she doesn't mind the sounds of sirens as an vehicle (presumably an ambulance) did pass by during the program that occurred before unveiling the street sign. Her then President and CEO was also there and made his remarks regarding this occasion unfortunately by the fall he would leave his position.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel wasn't present for this and instead sent someone from his office a deputy mayor to give remarks. I'm searching through my archives to see if I have any footage of this surrogate from the mayor's office at that time.

As you see above Ald Sawyer was there, the bank is in his ward at the time. I don't recall if he himself gave any remarks and I'm looking for any footage if had given any remarks.

Finally, I have to conclude with Seaway failing in January 2017. Currently the bank is now under the ownership of Self Help FCU. It's sad when you consider this event that honored the long-time chairman and owner of Seaway National Bank.

Tribune: Aldermen introduce plan to hike Chicago's minimum wage to $15 in 2021

Introduced in today's session of the Chicago City Council:

Chicago’s minimum wage would increase to $15 in 2021, four years earlier than in the rest of the state, under a proposal aldermen introduced to the City Council on Wednesday.

South Side Ald. Sophia King, 4th, said the higher cost of living in the city than downstate makes the quicker bump necessary. “That is why we are here today,” King said at a news conference to announce the ordinance.

The “Raise Chicago” ordinance would increase the city’s minimum wage to $14 on July 1, 2020, and to $15 on July 1, 2021.

New Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been supportive of the idea of a $15 Chicago minimum wage.

While business groups have argued that the higher wages could lead to layoffs, King said studies have shown no impact on employment levels as minimum wages go up.

In the rest of the state, the minimum wage is expected to go up to $15/hr by 2025. In the city mimimum wage is expected to max out at $13/hr by next month.

Rib Hill Restaurant in Pill Hill

Something see on Pete Kastanes' Vanished Chicago Businesses on instagram. This business was located at 9129 S. Jeffery Blvd. What you see here is a menu from that long gone business.

Coming soon Chatham Meat & Produce??? #6WardChicago

This was posted to Nextdoor over the weekend as something of an update to the closure of Chatham Food Market

Chatham foods will be closing within a week. EVERYTHING is marked down to 50% off. Fresh meat is brought out daily & I took advantage of the sales. They will be closed for at least 2 months, slated to reopen in June as a MEAT & PRODUCE MARKET!!!! 

Because they're in the remodeling stages and moving many shelving units that haven't been moved in decades??? The store has a peculiar aroma of a stagnant mice farm. Also, if you choose to by can & glass non perishables CHECK THE EXPIRATION DATES....

So we're going to get a new iteration of this local grocery store. And I'm a little concerned about the reports of the aroma since we found out about the market's impending closure for renovations.

To be fair, I've only been in the store once and was disappointed when this business was sold to non-Black ownership. On the other hand since it seems the trend has favored larger grocery chains I'm glad that this local business will continue in some way.

It makes me wonder how an independent grocery store could compete with the Jewel, Mariano's, Walmart, Foor 4 Less or Whole Foods of the world.