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Bring it back
It never hurts to dream or bask in the warm waters of nostalgia, does it? Here are a few of the culturally important venues, institutions and curiosities that Time Out Editors would love to see make a comeback, at least for a day.
Old Chicago—I'd kill to go here, especially after seeing Adventureland.
In the same vein, I'd kill a second time to go to Riverview Park.
The original Maxwell Street market—where one could buy a suit and hear some raw blues.
Uptown Theatre as a movie palace.
How about Medusa's?
Oh, and I'd like to save Filter, even though I got food poisoning there a couple of times. I think that Bank of America was the last nail in Wicker Park's coffin.
Rainbo Roller Rink
Lounge Axe, obv
Fireside Bowl-as-rock-venue
Capra's Coffee and Sushi Express. Man, I loved that place. A good latte, a made-to-order roll, a chance to impulse-purchase some wasabi peas at the counter...what was not to love?
There was a space in Lakeview called Mo-Ming Dance and Arts Center which is legendary, from the 1980's. Also the performance art bar Lower Links, which many people seem to think is still around.
Double Drive-in
A river that flows the right way-and isn't a polluted, inaccessible sewer.
For The World's Columbian Exposition, they had two things that are now gone that were awesome;
1) A large "white city" of temporary buildings that were torn down post-fair; the Field Museum is all that's left of that.
2) The Midway over by the U of C, which is now a long low grassy field, basically, It became a grand mix of fakes, hokum, and the genuinely educational and introduced the "hootchy-cootchy" version of the belly dance in the "Street in Cairo" amusement; it was the most popular, with 2.25 million admissions. George Ferris' first Ferris wheel had 1.5 million riders. The Midway's money-making concessions and sideshows made over $4 million in 1893 dollars, and it was the more memorable portion of the Exposition for many visitors. So: Bring back the Ferris Wheel and the girlie shows on the Midway. Those U of C kids could use the diversion.
I recall people saying there was a whole strip along 55th St. (or 57th?) that was removed by the U. of C. in the 40s or 50s, which is part of the reason why there's nothing to do in Hyde Park any more.
Louis Sullivan's breathtaking Garret Theater. Its famous demolition made way for a parking lot, and inspired what we now call "historic preservation."
The first skyscraper to utilize steel, Jenney's Home Insurance Building.
Heyday of the dailies? I want another Royko.
Hmmm. I wish someone could bring back punk-rock Belmont and Clark...or at least the romantic idea I had of it—mohawks and studded leather.
Also, lots of movie theaters—3 Penny, Biograph (the movie theater iteration), the Esquire. Good site for that: http://www.mekong.net/random/theatres.htm
The Daily News
The swinging Playboy Mansion on State Street
At the Movies, of course.
How about when Chicago was Hollywood before Hollywood: Selig and Essany
The north side used to be teeming with German bars, restaurants and shops. Only maybe three restaurants remain. The same could be said for Lincoln's Square's German heritage in general. Hard to believe but even when I was really young, the Davis Theater on Lincoln Ave was still showing German language films. The DANK Museum's doing a whole exhibition on lost German Chicago.
Also, my mom recently reminded me that all the museums used to be free.
