Author: lbchicago1@hotmail.com

Water Street Mall is located at 11 – 13 South Water Street in downtown Aurora Illinois near Aurora City Hall. The North end is at Galena and there’s also an entryway at Downer Place. There’s an adjoining park called Mundy Park. It is a city park (and pedestrian mall) that hosts various downtown events and markets. The mall is newly renovated. Renovation was just completed in June, just in time for the Downtown Magic Festival. It will also be hosting the Alley Art Festival August 31, 2019, which is a grassroots art festival showcasing the talent of more than 60 artists!

Along with Aurora City Hall, businesses at Water Street Mall include the Riverfront Playhouse and The Venue.

It is a beautiful park that symbolizes the increasing beauty that is the City of Aurora!

The Chicago French Market is located at 131 North Clinton Street (between Washington and Randolph) right next to Ogilvie Transportation Center. This West Loop Market has over 30 local vendors that offer a variety of foods from different cultures. There’s Chinese, Korean, Belgian, French, Ethiopian, Kosher, Vietnamese and much more!

It was opened in 2009 by the Bensidoun Family. It has the look of a European Market but offers all locally made Chicago products. It has a nice eating area/cafe in the back with beautiful murals of Paris, such as the Eiffel Tower. I went last week and had delicious and spicy authentic Korean soup with pork dumplings and bought a Walnut Strudel to take home. It is conveniently located in the downtown area right next to Ogilvie Station and within walking distance of Union Station and most of downtown. It’s definitely worth the trip. I already know it’ll be one of my regular lunch spots!

Gately’s People’s Department Store was located at 112th Street and Michigan Avenue in the Roseland neighborhood. The store was open from 1917 until 1981. The store claimed it sold “Everything for the Home” as stated on the side of the building. In its early days, it was considered to be the largest store on Michigan Avenue.

During the holidays children could visit with Santa and the windows were decorated for Christmas. The shoe department had an X-Ray or flouroscope machine where you could see the bones in your feet. You could also get a haircut there. They also had a restaurant that served the Shoppers Special – a full meatloaf meal for $1 with a slice of blueberry cobbler or crunch cake. They even had a second fast food restaurant in the basement – the Green River Hot Dog Stand and kids could eat from the Donut Machine and ride on the Donut Train while their parents shopped!

The owner, Mr. Gately could be seen walking through the stores making his rounds to the different departments making sure customers were getting the products and assistance needed.

The building that formerly housed Gately’s People’s Department Store was destroyed by fire last Friday………………………….but these nice memories plus many others will forever remain in our thoughts!

*Note – Photos are from Wikipedia and Chicago Tribune

Naper Settlement is located in Naperville Illinois at 523 S. Webster Street. It’s an outdoor history village museum that has 30 historical buildings and structures documenting the history of the settlement of Naperville Illinois from the founding of the town in 1831 through the 20th century. Many of the buildings were moved there from their original locations and refurbished in a style fitting the period or replicated. It was established in 1969 on 12 acres of land given to the City of Naperville in 1936 by Caroline Martin Mitchell.

It is operated by the Naperville Heritage Society in partnership with the City of Naperville. With a commitment to the community and a focus on the future, the Naperville Heritage Society collects, documents, preserves and supports the history of Naperville Illinois to present day.

I hope you enjoy these photos of Downtown Naperville and the Historic District.

Last week my friend Suzette and I visited Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood. We had a wonderful time walking around and taking in the culture of the neighborhood. We explored beautiful artwork, stores and buildings and had a delicious lunch of Teriyaki Chicken at the Richland Center Food Court. Chinatown is easily accessible from Downtown Chicago. You take the CTA Red Line train to the Cermak/Chinatown stop.

The Chopin Theatre is located at 1543 West Division Street in Chicago’s Polish Triangle in the Wicker Park neighborhood. It was built in 1918. It hosts hundreds of shows/presentations per year ranging from theatre to jazz and classical music, literature, film and social events. The main stage area seats over 200 and the black-box studio area seats approximately 175. It is currently showing Pinocchio through May 19th.

The terra cotta building was designed by architects Worthmann and Steinbach. It underwent some name changes over the years. It was first operated by Victor Bardonski and in 1923 it was renamed Harding Theatre. In 1931 it went back to Chopin, then to Pix Theatre and back to Chopin (which it remains today).

It has been owned by the Dyrkacz family since 1990. They bought it when it was largely vacant and have restored it to its present charm and it just celebrated its 100 year anniversary!

Some famous people that have presented there are: Gwendolyn Brooks, Studs Terkel, Kevin Koval, John Cusack, and Ed Pachke.

Find out more about the Chopin Theatre at http://www.chopintheatre.com

The St. Joseph Mercy Hospital building was erected and dedicated in 1931. It was originally called Mercy Manor. It is located at 421 N. Lake Street in Aurora Illinois. It was designed by architect Wybe Jelles Van der Meer of Rockford in the Collegiate Gothic style. It is six stories high and has a seven and a half story tower. It is the current home of the Presence Fox Knoll Retirement Center. It overlooks Wilder Park and the Fox River.

The Flat Iron Arts Center is located in the Flat Iron Building at the corner of Milwaukee, North Avenue and Damen in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. It has been an artists colony since the 1980s and houses studios for visual arts of any type, musicians, hair design, etc. The building is open 24 hours a day/ seven days a week for viewing the art in the hallways. And artists studios open houses are held on the first Friday of each month.

The heart of the Wicker Park neighborhood in Chicago is at the intersection of Damen, Milwaukee and North Avenue. The locations shown below are all at this intersection, which is just steps from the CTA Blue Line Damen stop. The Damen stop (and this vibrant community) is just minutes from Downtown Chicago. Hip Wicker Park has been a residential community since Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837.