Wednesday, March 8, 2017

A More Welcoming Storefront At Sheridan & Argyle

The NW corner storefront at Sheridan & Argyle today
The former "Quick Stop" convenience store we all remember on the NW corner
The corner storefront in the vintage apartment building at Sheridan and Argyle is getting a much needed makeover.
Gone are the filled in exterior walls lined with red tile and mixed in with several small, uninviting windows. Temporary plywood is up in anticipation of more inviting storefront windows. Should be easier to lease this corner space when pedestrians can actually see in.
1930s view of the same building at Sheridan & Argyle (IDOT collection)
Maybe Walgreens will move back into the space it leased back in the 1930s as seen in this IDOT photo above. Stranger things have happened.

8 comments:

  1. Where's the Big Chicks bar in 1930? Not built yet?

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  2. I seriously doubt that storefront has the square footage a modern Walgreens would need. But as one who lives directly across the street from that red and white monstrosity, am I ever glad it's gone! Nothing labeled the neighborhood a slum more than that did.

    I wonder if a Starbucks could be persuaded to move in. The Mercy Housing facility across the street wouldn't help convince them, I'm sure, but they do have a location at Lawrence and Broadway, so maybe there's hope.

    Now, next on my wish list, is that the owner replace the long-gone cornice (pipe dream, I'm sure).

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    1. A friend that is an assistant manager of a starbucks told me that corporate likes to station starbucks as close to thebred line stops as possible. I said Argyle red line is close by, but he said thwt most likely due to it being set up for Asian businesses, thats another reason they wouldnt set up there or across the street at somerset. I say perhaps market the space to an indie coffee shop

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    2. That's a very strange comment from your Starbucks manager friend considering Starbucks has many stores in Asian countries, even in areas where adjacent stores are local Asian businesses.

      That said, I'd rather not have just a coffee shop although, because of the small space, there really isn't anything else that would be financially viable.

      I would have liked something more useful like a Walgreens/CVS, hardware store, Staples/Office Depot...hopefully not another hair/nail salon, coffee shop or restaurant. An English/European bakery would be nice with some tables inside - that would pair nicely with served coffee too.

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    3. La Patisserie P just up the street is exactly what your last line describes. If you haven't checked it out, you should. It's run by a former Four Seasons pastry chef whose parents had a more traditional Asian bakery on Argyle for many years.

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    4. This particular area doesnt have a coffee shop really...starbucks or any other local coffee shop. A cute Italian restaurant would be nice.

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  3. I believe the store fronts were added in the 20s or 30s. Same with the building at Irving Park & Sheridan.

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  4. Please someone fix the traffic jam created on Broadway when the bike lanes were installed in front of the Chinese market place's parking lot ... what were they thinking?

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