In my first Lincolnwood blog, I was determined to feature businesses for which I could find images, with a few exceptions. There were also some I didn’t mention – either because they bit the dust too recently or I forgot about them. I tried to focus primarily on Lincolnwood in the first article, although I included Hollywood Kiddieland, Lincoln Village, and a few business in West Rogers Park and Edgebrook. For this blog, I expanded my scope and included additional businesses in areas of Chicago and Skokie close to Lincolnwood. I will devote an entire blog to Skokie in the near future, due to the availability of a vast number of images and more abundant information. There will also be a third part dedicated to defunct discount and department stores due to the fact this article got a little too long! In any case, when you are writing about a topic both subjective and near and dear to so many people, there are bound to be a few oversights. Thank you to everyone who responded enthusiastically to the first article … your invaluable suggestions helped me identify oversights and inspired part 2, which I present here!
This blog is dedicated to all the former Lincolnwood residents who passed away, including two guys I grew up with – Mitch Tarczynski and Ian Goldman, who I only found out about recently as a result of writing the first Lincolnwood article. A special shout out to the late Leroy Kaplan, whose daughter Roberta commented on the first article. In 1974, Leroy and Elaine founded Lincolnwood Girls Softball with Fred Hosfield. Elaine Kaplan, who was very sweet, owned Gift Motique (on Touhy east of Crawford) with her sister. Leroy supervised the Lincolnwood Girls Softball Umpires – he was a character with a heart of gold.
Restaurants & Bars
The top photo shows the fire at Allaguer’s Fireside on May 13, 1958. A known arsonist named Morris Rappaport, who lived at 6600 Harding in Lincolnwood, was the prime suspect, but not prosecuted, from what I could ascertain. He was arrested in December 1958 and sentenced to 10 years in prison for burning down a church and adjacent home in Minneapolis. The second photo shows the aftermath of a grease fire that ravaged Topper’s Drive-In on October 30, 1953. The mystery is solved why my parents don’t remember Topper’s – they didn’t move to Lincolnwood until 1959. Black and white photos courtesy of Eric Bronsky collection. Eric is a historian, urban archaeologist, and author of three books on Chicago.
Multiple people mentioned Henry’s Drive-In with their famous 15 cent hamburgers and Richard’s Drive-In on Lincoln Avenue. The Halloween-themed Henry’s ad is awesome and you have to love the prices on the Richard’s menu! I couldn’t locate the address of Henry’s.
Lincolnwood Dairy was likely in the same location as the Lincolnwood Grill, just east of Thillens Stadium.
I could not find any information about Hans Goodrich other than its location at 6717 Lincoln Avenue – the same address as Renaldi’s and the Great Beijing, which receives consistently good reviews.
According to a blog post I found, on Lincoln Avenue from Devon to Crawford, four restaurants served burgers: Henry’s Drive-In, Richard’s Drive-In, Jalin’s Restaurant, and Howard Johnson’s. I completely forgot about Howard Johnson’s in Lincolnwood until a reader mentioned drinking the best milkshakes ever there and others talked about it on Facebook. The Lincolnwood location changed to a Ground Round – I can’t recall ever going there. In 1969, H.B. Johnson tried a new restaurant concept called Ground Round, which proved successful for a period of time. Ground Round restaurants were company-owned and franchised, thereby increasing Howard Johnson’s company profit. I believe the last Howard Johnson’s Restaurant in the north suburban area was adjacent to a lodge at 9333 Skokie Boulevard (pictured above), which until recently was a revolving succession of moderately priced motels. Highway Host confirms there were standalone restaurants at Lincoln and Crawford in Lincolnwood and Touhy and Cauldwell in Niles – the latter corner has also seen a succession of different restaurants.
Jojo’s was another restaurant on Lincoln Avenue with good burgers, in business some years after the aforementioned hamburger joints. The help wanted ad dates back to 1973. I clearly remember going to Jojo’s on a date with Jim during my junior year in high school, which would have been 1975. He had a burger with all the fixings including onions, while I ordered a soft drink. When Joan and I took my sister Janet and her friend Leslie to the Fleetwood Mac Rumours concert at the Chicago Stadium, we ate at Jojo’s afterwards. My sister and Leslie were acting very silly – pouring ketchup, mustard, sugar and other stuff into their drink glasses. As far as I recall, that’s the last time I ate there.
Amazing how many drive-ins existed in Lincolnwood once upon a time. Sol and Florence Singer opened the Mardi Gras Restaurant, likely across from Allgauer’s, in 1953 or 1954. It was a high-end deli with gourmet dinners and also featured the first drive-thru, drive-in deli. The concept failed and the owners moved to New York, where they apparently opened a successful restaurant.
Multiple people fondly recalled working at Biasetti’s Pizza on Touhy (east of Cicero). From all accounts, Harry Ermoian was a wonderful guy, swell boss, and a tough but beloved baseball coach. Although I couldn’t find anything about Biasetti’s, I located this newspaper clipping from the Niles Bugle, circa September 20, 1973. There was a Biasetti’s in Chicago at 1625 W. Irving Park, however, I found no indications of any relationship between the two restaurants.
I am well aware Myron & Phil was an institution in Lincolnwood. I didn’t include it in the first blog because it went out of business recently. Several people mentioned it and although I never ate there, my parents dined there once or twice in their many years in Lincolnwood. While the restaurant was much beloved, it became infamous when purported ties to the mob surfaced in the early 1990s. Sadly, Myron Freedman, the 95-year-old namesake of half the restaurant died just 30 minutes before a four-alarm fire raged through the restaurant in the early morning hours of May 8, 2013. Myron’s brother Phil Freedman, the namesake of the other half died in September 2014 at the age of 90. The iconic steakhouse, which enjoyed 40 years of business at 3900 Devon Avenue was torn down three years later to make way for an Islamic learning center and mosque. On a positive note, Myron’s son Mark Freedman opened a tavern-style restaurant and bar called Wildwood Tavern at 6480 W. Touhy in Niles.
What’s Cooking was around back when Lincoln Village was an old-fashioned shopping center – before building developers butchered its charm. My parents’ neighbor Sam owned the restaurant for quite a few years, but he has been retired a long time, so I am assuming he sold it. The restaurant closed in 2012 after 42 years in business. When I worked at Bronson Coles, I remember almost being hit by flying dishes when a few busboys got into a fight and started flinging china in the narrow side alley – a few pieces sprayed out onto the front pavement.
Kow Kow Restaurant first opened its doors as a carry out restaurant on August 13, 1949 at its original location on Devon Avenue, in West Rogers Park. Four years later, owners Don Moy and his father Nathan expanded the restaurant into the adjacent store front and it became a full service dine-in restaurant. Back then, along with Kow Kow, shoppers on Devon had a wide pick of eclectic businesses to patronize such as Carol Corr, The Hang It Shop, Bud Shaibly Bowling Alley, The Adam’s Apple, The Clothes Barn, Schwartz’s, Bon-Ton, and Crawford’s.
On October 18, 1989, Kow Kow moved to the southeast corner of Pratt and Cicero in Lincolnwood. This was the prior site of an Italian restaurant called Billy’s, which opened some time after Trattoria Gallo. Gallo was the restaurant famous for a particularly garish, huge sign. I have no idea if the food was good at Billy’s or Gallo because we never ate at either restaurant. Before that it was a vacant lot, yet I also recall a small brown brick building with an insurance office on the same corner when I was very young. Kow Kow’s last day of business was May 31, 2015 – Don’s family finally convinced him to retire. People bemoaned the closing of Kow Kow and their delicious house-made egg rolls, including my family.
On the bright side, Lincolnwood Towers resident and veteran restaurateur Phil Stefani and his daughter Gina bought the property. They will tear it down and open an Italian steak and seafood restaurant. I imagine this will be a high-end restaurant with prices to match, but it’s still good news for Lincolnwood.
Whistlers was a longtime Lincolnwood favorite at 3420 W. Devon. The vast menu was similar to many other restaurants including Jack’s and Sander’s. The last time my family ate at Whistler’s was in August 2014 – the food was plentiful but nothing to write home about. The only other time I dined at this restaurant was in the summer of 1996. I know my mom went there quite a few times with several friends and she said the quality deteriorated over the years.
A lot of people mentioned Dairy Queen at 3472 W. Devon – this has been a Dairy Star for 33 years, which means Dairy Queen sold this location around 1983. This was a hangout for kids in East Lincolnwood, as I’m sure Dairy Star has been to new generations of kids. My parents always took us to 31 Flavors/Baskin-Robbins in Edgebrook. Speaking of ice cream, if I recall correctly, a Bresler’s Ice Cream opened in Lincoln Village some time in the mid-1970s, in the same spot as the Village Nut Shop – next to Bronson Coles, where I worked.
Although this popular restaurant was actually in Skokie, its close proximity to Lincolnwood made it a favorite for generations of families. It was also a hangout for kids who went to Niles West – my older sister must have hung out at Jack’s dozens of time. Jake’s Snack Shop, pictured in the middle photo (from the Chicago Tribune) opened in the 1950s. The restaurant became Jack’s when Jack Koretos and Jerry Rubin bought it in 1965. They subsequently improved and enlarged the building (thanks, Eric!). Located at 5201 W. Touhy Avenue, the restaurant operated as a 24-hour diner for most of its 50-year run. Koretos cited the smoking ban enacted by the village of Skokie in 2003 as the beginning of the end, because Niles West kids could no longer hang out and smoke there. Soon thereafter, the diner reduced its hours and closed daily at 3 pm. Koretos and his son George hung on until 2015, when much to the dismay of legions of fans, Jack’s closed its doors forever.
Some of us remember when the drinking age in Illinois was 19! When I went off to RISD in 1976, the drinking age in Rhode Island was only 18. I was never much of a drinker, yet I could hold my alcohol fairly well back then. Frankenstein on Howard in West Rogers Park was one of our favorite bars during college breaks and over the summer. Two memories stand out above all others. During winter break one year, a few of us went to Frankenstein. I talked to Maurice Dayan (an old classmate I grew up with) for a few minutes, but ended up flirting the rest of the evening with Al Smith Jr., the son of the former longtime mayor of Skokie. We corresponded during the school year and ended up going out a few times the following summer. When we started discussing politics after watching fireworks on July 4, I discovered Al was a staunch Republican and a huge fan of Philip Crane. That effectively put a mutual end to the relationship. The second memory is when a bunch of us were hanging out at Cathy’s house and they decided we should continue the party over at Frankenstein. Since I didn’t drive that night, I forgot to bring my driver’s license. I waited outside for 30 or so minutes while the other went inside – one of those dumb things I’d rather forget but will always remember!
Potpourri and Reader Picks: All on Touhy – Lucky’s, Mr. Adams, Frankel’s Delicatessen, Normie’s Delicatessen, and King Kole – a corner diner evoking an Edward Hopper painting (thanks, Stefanie!). The latter two were east of Crawford – King Kole on the corner of Crawford and Touhy and Normie’s in the middle of the strip mall. My family loved Normie’s and on the former site of King Kole is my parent’s all-time favorite restaurant Renga Tei. Prior to Renga Tei, there was another Japanese restaurant at this location called Sakura. Another reader mentioned Elliot’s Pine Log Restaurant and Lounge in Skokie which operated from 1939 to 1988 at the intersections of Lincoln Avenue, Howard Street, and Skokie Boulevard.
Banks
The Continental Savings of Lincolnwood at 6677 Lincoln Avenue is now home to the US Bank. Richard’s Drive-In was torn down to make room for the building.
Bank of Lincolnwood stood for many years on the same site as the Mardi Gras Restaurant, which is currently the Republic Bank. I think my parents had an account there, because I remember running into my freshman year Niles West French teacher Marcia Adelson at the bank.
My first bank account was at Uptown Federal Savings, however, I don’t think the Lincolnwood branch at 6820 Lincoln Avenue (just north of Pratt) was there yet. I opened the account at the Lawrencewood Shopping Center at Oakton and Waukegan. Those were the days when interest rates were something like 6.75 percent and you received nifty gifts for opening accounts! I had my Uptown account until 1988 when the bank was bought by First Nationwide Bank, which was acquired by California Federal Bank in 1997. A BMO Harris Bank branch is currently in the old Uptown location in Lincolnwood.
In December 2011, it was announced MB Financial was acquiring First National Bank of Lincolnwood at 6401 Lincoln Avenue (at Devon). The number of acquisitions in the banking industry over the years makes it hard to keep track what’s what!
Grocery Stores, Specialty Stores and Delis
Just across from Proesel Park and L. Woods, Lincolnwood Produce recently closed and is now a Binny’s. My parents loved this store, however, I wasn’t very impressed – we have so many interesting stores in our area like Valli, Wally’s and others. Kohl’s opened on December 6, 1973 and thrived here until 1981. My younger sister worked in the bakery department very briefly when she was in high school. Jerry’s Deep Discount opened in the space in 1986, a “discount retail operation, specializing in health and beauty aids” according to the Chicago Tribune. Before Lincolnwood Produce opened, it was a self-standing Osco Drug.
The photo is from a different Kohl’s in Chicago – I think there was also one in Morton Grove on Dempster. I had no idea until doing research that the grocery store was owned by the same company as Kohl’s department store. The first Kohl’s supermarket opened in Milwaukee in 1946, founded by Maxwell Kohl. A&P acquired all the grocery stores in 1983, although it was another 20 years before all the locations closed. Thanks to Eric V., who sent me additional information on Kohl’s and Red Owl, a supermarket mentioned by a few other readers.
The Lincolnwood Red Owl opened on December 14, 1959 on the northeast side of Crawford and Devon, current site of a CVS – Hall’s Rental was a longtime business there. On the same day, they opened another 17,000 square foot grocery store at 333 Ridge, Wilmette. A third Chicago-area store opened in January 1960 in Arlington Heights, according to the Chicago Tribune article, the 165th store across 10 states at that time. By May 2, 1962, there were nine locations across Chicagoland. According to the Facebook page, the Minnesota-based company operated across the Midwest from 1922 to the 1980s.
Fannie’s Deli at 4718 W. Touhy was a longtime family favorite and several readers also mentioned it. While my parents mainly shopped there in the 1960s-1970s, I fondly remember buying Warner’s chocolate licorice whips there. The only store I have seen chocolate licorice whips at in recent years is Tenuta’s in Kenosha. My parents also bought bagels and bialys at New York Bagel & Bialy at 4714 W. Touhy long before fresh, refrigerated, shelf-stable, and frozen bagels were widely available. Bialys are still a little more obscure and not available at most grocery stores. Open since 1965, it’s kind of reassuring New York Bagel & Bialy is still in business!
It’s hard to believe the south side of the 5200 block of Touhy Avenue (at Laramie) was such a mess in the 1970s. This photo, taken in 1975, shows wrecked cars across the street from where the Jewel-Osco and Foremost Liquor stood – just west of Jack’s. The Jewel-Osco moved to Village Crossing, however, I’m not certain when because the center opened in 1989, but was built in stages. At the time, I worked at a telecommunications company just east of Lehigh and there was very little to walk to other than Papa Chris’ Place and the Leaning Tower YMCA – Village Crossing was a welcome addition to the neighborhood.
I’m not certain when Cigar Country and the Party Corral went out of business, but this ad is from 1986. I remember my dad going there to buy Ben and Jerry’s and Dove single ice cream bars as well as bags of Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews.
On Facebook in particular, several Lincolnwood guys fondly recalled working at the Milk Pail and pointed out the deli was owned by someone else. Steve Brin and his father Wally owned Wally’s Deli inside the Milk Pail. Wally owned it from 1970-1986 and when he passed away in 1988, Steve purchased the Milk Pail and renamed it Wally’s Milk Pail and Deli until 1999. With partner Harry Friedman, Steve turned the establishment into a strictly-kosher deli and grocery store. Steve worked there longer than any other employee – starting in high school in 1970 through 1999! (thanks, Steve!)
Reader Picks: National grocery store, Robbie’s Deli, and the deli in Lincoln Village.
Hardware Stores
At the bottom of the ad, you can see a listing for Lincolnwood Hardware – Sam, “The Hardware Man.” There is no address in the ad – thanks to a reader for recalling the store was on Touhy east of Cicero. I didn’t mention Bain Hardware in Lincoln Village in my first article. A reader said one of the owners looked like Floyd the barber from Andy Griffith. My dad and I went there when they were going out of business and I bought this bizarre light plate. Another reader mentioned her father opened Edgebrook Hardware in 1953 on the south side of Devon. Of course the Ace Hardware has been a longtime presence in that same location.
While I couldn’t find any photos of Van Zeelt’s and the building’s charming Dutch gabled building, I did locate an ad. I believe Van Zeelt’s closed in the early 1990s. I remember taking my daughter there when she was 2 or 3-years-old for an Oktoberfest (around 1990). They served free bratwursts and soft drinks and had a swing set in front. My dad purchased and had lawn mowers and snow blowers serviced at Van Zeelt’s.
Drug Stores
Many people spoke fondly of Orlove Drug store, which was ultimately forced out of business by Walgreens. Despite thorough research, I found nothing about this drug store – except an obituary for Arlene Orlove and a mention of Herman in a pharmacy document. Orlove was on the ground floor of a medical/dental building at Lincoln and Pratt. My own dentist was upstairs, of whom I have both fond and not so fond memories. He didn’t believe in novocaine and he smoked – so his hands smelled as he sadistically drilled and filled my very deep cavities. This was long before dentists wore gloves. At the reception desk, they had a box full of shiny gumball machine-type rings and the receptionist Annette was a real sweetheart – she always let me take more than one. Orlove was a small and straightforward pharmacy, but they had some candy and Chandler’s assignment books, which were all the rage at Lincoln Hall Junior High School. A reader recounted her salesman dad setting up Ever-So-Fresh candies displayed in bags on a rack with spindles. Another reader talked about buying Charms lollipops there for 5 cents – I did as well, but not at Orlove since I was either going to or leaving my dentist’s office!
Potpourri and Reader Picks: Galen Pharmacy (Touhy east of Crawford), Mal’s Pharmacy (Devon and Crawford/Pulaski – in Chicago), Lee’s Pharmacy (Lincoln Village), and Lincolnwood Drugs owned by Mr. Himmelfarb (on the north side of Touhy east of Cicero).
Hobbies and Sports
Numerous readers fondly recalled bowling at Gabby Hartnett at 6670 Lincoln Avenue, which later became Sy’s Bowl. The former Cubs catcher actually owned the bowling alley. Hartnett was a home run slugger, breaking several records in his 18 years as a Cubbie. In July 1958, robbers forced the night maintenance man into a washroom and stole $1000 from a locked drawer. Hartnett died of liver cirrhosis in 1972 in Park Ridge, which happened to be his 72nd birthday.
Ms. Carr took her Lincoln Hall gym classes bowling at Gabby Hartnett on more than one occasion (thanks, Joan!). Does anyone remember what Ms. Carr was infamous for doing? She threatened to rub gum in anyone’s hair who was found chewing in class, I assume due to the potential choking hazard. Lest anyone was fooled by her angelic face, one day she followed up on her threat and did this to a friend of mine in front of the entire class. If a teacher tried pulling this today, she would not only be fired, but would also likely be sued. But I digress – back to Gabby Hartnett. I was not a good bowler, but I sure had a great time at the 8th grade bowling party thrown by Patty Rosen and Andrea Linn.
Bud Shaibly Bowl was an old-fashioned alley on the second floor of the same building housing Crawford Department Store – on Devon between Western and California. There is something really cool about bowling alleys on upper floors of buildings. It must have been the summer after my first year at RISD when I briefly dated an older guy from West Rogers Park. He was a serious bowler who bowled in several leagues and attended professional tournaments as a spectator. He actually taught me a few skills and I remember getting three strikes in one game, yet I think my best score was only 129! Of course that beats the 88 I bowled in gym class.
Monty Levenson’s Pro Shop was located at 3372 Devon. I remember my mom taking my grandfather there to hit golf balls when my grandparents were visiting from Florida – likely around 1974. Those were the days before mammoth golf shops existed – ironically one of these mammoth stores recently declared bankruptcy. Monty Levenson Golf has a website, but no brick and mortar store and now specializes in customized golf products – like balls imprinted with company names.
My favorite childhood coin shop is still in business after 61 years! In 1955, Archie’s opened at 5516 Devon in Edgebrook. I had a brief obsession collecting coins inspired by my Uncle Jack who had a coin collection worth more than $1 million. When I lost interest in that, I rode my bike to Archie’s to buy antique postcards, which I still have after all these years – a collection that now includes flea market and antique store finds from all over the U.S. and Europe. Another coin shop called King Coin (thanks, Doug!) was on Touhy just east of Cicero. One of the gentlemen who worked there (owner?) was sweet, but the other one was nasty so I never set foot in there again after a bad experience.
Just north of Lincolnwood in Skokie, Sunset Drive-In opened in 1955 and closed in 1977. It was a typical drive-in with a concession stand and playground beneath the screen. Located just north of Touhy and south of the Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago water filtration plant – you could always smell the distinctive fumes of sewage driving by. I remember going there at least once with my entire family, but never went there on a date or with friends.
Anyone remember Marine World on Devon … or the business directly across from it – Turner North Men’s Clothing? Marine World was in business from 1968 to 1998. Thanks to owner Don Sporleder for scanning and sending me snapshots from the opening on Saturday, October 12, 1968. Don mentioned he still operates on a smaller scale, servicing aquariums in people’s houses.
Reader’s Picks: Several people mentioned Devlin Bowl, which was apparently at Devon and Lincoln, behind the bank (First National Bank of Lincolnwood?) Another reader mentioned several Rogers Park businesses – Libby and General camera stores on Devon and Hobby Models on the northeast corner of Devon and Western.
Like this blog? Purchase an 
Oh wow, Betsy. What a labor of love. I can’t imagine the work that went into tracking down all this information and the photos. I was thinking today about the magic shop that used to be on Lincoln Avenue and wondered about this brief trend. There was even a magic shop in Charlottesville for awhile, owned by a professional magician who demonstrated his wares. I digress I know, but I am sure you also feel the absence of so many quirky stores that have disappeared.
Thanks, I am glad you enjoyed it and thank you for sharing it on Facebook. I cannot remember the magic shop on Lincoln, but there is still an old-school magic shop on Western near Lincoln – is that the one? The owner appeared on Bozo’s Circus a dozen times and a documentary was made about him a few years ago. I remember when Scott was really into doing magic tricks – I can picture him doing this trick with a red cup and disappearing ball, with Winston watching us. https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150418/lincoln-square/amazing-mr-ash-his-magic-shop-get-star-treatment-at-film-fest.
I love seeing your posts. I’m friends with Stefanie Newman who told me about this blog.
Thank you for continuing this trip down memory lane. I didn’t live in Lincolnwood, but I certainly spent a lot of time there with my Niles West friends. My wife, Janet (Eickhoff), was a lifeguard at the Lincolnwood pool before I hired her away to work for me at the Harrer Park pool in Morton Grove. I spent a few late evenings at the Lincolnwood pool with Jan and the rest of the staff. Great memories, mirrored sunglasses, and fantastic tans!
You’re welcome, David. I remember you were on the NW swim team, so working at the Harrar Park pool was a perfect gig for you. Yes, indeed – those were the carefree days of summer!
Betsy, thank you so much for all the work you have put in. You have brought back so many memories for me. We moved to Linconwood in 1955. Our house was on Sherwin Ave. just off East Prairie. My father owned Edgebrook Hardware till he retired in the early ’70’s. And you are right, it is an Ace Hardware now. My first job was working in my father’s store. There was a Chinese takeout store on the corner of Touhy and East Prairie where I worked after school for $1 an hour. During the winter, the town would flood the park on East Prairie so we could ice skate.
I am going to put your website on my Facebook page so other Lincolnwoodites can relive these memories also.
Hi Meryl – You’re welcome and glad you enjoyed the second article. My good childhood friend Stefanie Newman lived on Sherwin just west of East Prairie – perhaps you remember the Newmans or the Bondys, who also lived on Sherwin. I remember the takeout Chinese on Touhy – there was also a laundromat in that little strip mall with a really cool polka dot ball on the roof. Closer to Crawford on the north side of Touhy, there was a little art gallery/school called Steiner Gallery, where both Stefanie and I worked. Thank you for sharing this on your Facebook – I greatly appreciate it!
The Chinese restaurant on the corner of Touhy and East Prairie was called Bamboo House.
The Chinese restaurant was the Bamboo House. Ate carry-out from there monthly in the 70’s, best Chinese food ever! In the same mall to the West was a little drug/sundries store and for a while in the 70’s, there was a comic book shop. Also, there was a barber shop my father used to get his nails polished at.
A great read. It was interesting for me to see the photo of Allgauers because my parents held their wedding reception there in 1956.
I LOVE reading your articles – my mother and father lived in Lincolnwood from 1958-2000 and my two sisters and I grew up there. Such great memories from such a wonderful time in our lives. Your research, comments, and pictures are really great. Thanks for the trip down memory lane…
The two articles on Lincolnwood were outstanding – what memories! Why no mention of Shoppers World and Community Discount? My father managed both, at one time or another! Once again, great articles!
Hi Curt: Thanks much! Shoppers World and Community Discount are mentioned in the third article – http://192.168.1.246/?p=7337. Interesting that your father managed both! Glad you enjoyed the articles and hope you’ll read the blog about discount and department stores.
In that same mall was Normie’s delicatessen and Weiner’s Drug store. In the same strip on the corner of Crawford and Touhy was a small restaurant where we used to go for fries and cokes after school. Don’t remember the name. Maybe you do?
Hi Merle – Thanks, I mentioned a few of these under Reader Picks: All on Touhy – Lucky’s, Mr. Adams, Frankel’s Delicatessen, Normie’s Delicatessen, and King Kole – a corner diner evoking an Edward Hopper painting. The latter two were east of Crawford – King Kole on the corner of Crawford and Touhy and Normie’s in the middle of the strip mall. I never went to King Kole, but Normie’s was a family favorite.
The restaurant was King Cole. My parents owned the women’s clothing store called The Sample Hut three doors west of Weiner’s drug store.
King Cole was our after school hangout. So many memories there!!!
Normie’s was my grandfather’s restaurant/deli! So happy it was a favorite back in the day!! He was my favorite 😍. My mom started working there for her father when she was just 13 years old. If anyone remembers Candee, I’m her daughter and Normie’s only granddaughter.
Hi Tiffany – Thanks so much for writing. Do you have any photos of your grandfather’s restaurant? So many people including my family have fond memories of Normie’s!
King Cole
My wife and I used to shop at Wally’s Milk Pail and Levinson’s Bakery (located further east on Devon and still in business). You may recall that the brined pickles, tomatoes, etc. were displayed in open barrels opposite the checkout counter. Those items were self-service; the store provided tongs, containers, and bags.
This is a true story: One day my wife’s mother accompanied us there. While shopping, we heard a splash and a loud “OY!!!” Turns out that my mother-in-law had taken her wallet out to pay, but somehow it slipped from her grasp and fell into one of the pickle barrels! She promptly stuck her bare hand into the brine and fished it out, but it was too late; all of her money got ‘pickled.’ This was too funny and we cracked up. The facial expression on the guy behind the counter? Priceless.
OMG … Eric, you made my day with this tale! I couldn’t stop laughing – thanks for amusing me and readers of this blog! Now I can’t wait to hear the story about your dentist – hope you’ll share it.
I was that employee and also Wally’s eldest son. The lady left me a WET $5 bill as a tip and I still have it framed and hanging on my office wall in Scottsdale, Arizona. AND it’s still WET as the brine keeps it that way!
Enjoyed all of your photos and memories. I have lived in Lincolnwood all of my life within a five block area. I am now 75 years old. I pretty much remembered all of the things you have listed, etc. I worked at Lincolnwood School for 35 years. My brothers used to go rabbit hunting in the winter when most of our village was still prairie. It was a great place to grow up in.
Barbara, your brothers probably knew my brothers Lance and Guy Vincent…they were big on rabbit hunting in the woods behind our house. It was the big Victorian house at 7100 Lincoln Avenue, behind where Proesel Park is now – it was all woods back then.
Thanks so much Betsy for all the wonderful memories! What fun to be taken back to the good ole days. It was such fun growing up in Lincolnwood. We could take off on our bikes on summer mornings and not return home until dark. And no one worried about us. They knew we were safe. So different than today. I wouldn’t trade those days for anything! Thank you again!!
Thanks so much for reading the blog and commenting, Patty! Indeed, we were lucky to be able to gallivant all over the neighborhood safely. Glad you were part of those wonderful memories.
I wrote a long comment under part 1 before I learned about part 2. Yikes!
More ancient memories. There was a K-Mart or Venture or something where Lincoln Village was – at least I think so. And Jack’s – spent many a late night there! And… and… and…
One minor thing about the Continental Bank. It was on the corner of Lincoln and East Prairie. Richard’s Drive-in was torn down to make way for it. I grew up across the street from Richard’s at East Prairie and North Shore and mourned Richard’s vanilla shakes for years.
Once again, thanks!
Aloha Carol,
This is Jim, your old next door neighbor. Going through this blog, lots of memories. I remember when Tony Novac, did the building expansion to his “Chicken in the Rough” and the neon sign out front was a rooster with a broken putter held up in the air by one chicken leg. We used to go down into the basement and place all the empty reusable beer bottles (from the bar above the basement) into the wooden bottle shipping racks for the beer delivery truck. Once we finished this job, we were allowed up into the kitchen to use their potato press to slice a few potatoes into strips, then dump them into the fry basket to make a pile of french fries. I think we were about 10-years-old then…can’t imagine the liability for allowing something like that these days.
Jimmy,
Just discovered this group. I was in Chicago two summers ago, had to visit the old neighborhood. Sadly, your house was torn down for additional parking for Lou Malnati’s and Gabby Hartnett was also torn down – just an empty lot. Too many changes to mention but a lot of good memories. Hope life has been good to you.
Nancy
East of Lincoln Village across McCormick was a Zayre store. Zayre in Yiddish means ‘very good’. Anyway, next to Zayre was a movie theater (not Lincoln Village) which showed double features. I remember seeing Summer Love and Night Shift some time in the early 80’s with my older cousins.
Betsy, thank you for your hard work on both of these blogs which have unlocked so many wonderful memories.
My family moved to Lincolnwood in 1955 and then to Arizona in 1970. We lived on Keeler just north of Lunt Ave. Always loved the elm trees that formed a canopy over the street; sadly removed at some point due to Dutch Elm disease. I remember wild pheasants in our yard, and a small vegetable farm just up the street until the area became more populated.
A few personal memories to add…my father actually wrote and produced a jingle for Henry’s Hamburgers. I had a speaking part in this and said “Oh boy, you bet!” Being quite young at the time, several takes were needed as I kept giggling. I recall the night Allgauer’s burned and the sound of the sirens wailing throughout the night. I have always tried to live in a place where I could hear trains in the distance, as I could from my bedroom on Keeler…so soothing.
Shopping on Devon with the girls was always an adventure – we would start with a hot dog from the Ranch, work our way down to a record store that had listening booths, and end up at Swento’s Bakery for a warm pizza roll. It was at that record store that I asked the clerk if he had a record I had just heard for the first time, “Please Please Me” by The Beatles – his classic response was “The Beatles? What a dumb name for a group!!”
I remember when my Mother sent me to Orlove’s Drug Store to pick up a personal female item and being mortified when Bobby Orlove rang me up at the register. While riding my blue Schwinn, I met the love of my life at Weiner’s buying a popsicle. As he lived in Skokie, I would go to baseball games at Terminal Park to catch a glimpse of him. We are together 50 years later.
I won second place in a “Don’t Be A Litterbug” poster contest in third? grade and my poster hung in the lobby of the Bank of Lincolnwood for a while. I remember ice skating on the street to my girlfriend’s house four blocks away after a freezing rain storm. I don’t miss the winters.
While living in Tempe, Arizona, I worked for a Restaurant group called “Big Four Restaurants” (4 guys from Chicago) whose flagship restaurant was “The Lunt Avenue Marble Club”. I enjoyed that irony…
Thanks again for helping me to fondly remember what a great little town Lincolnwood was – a very nice place to be from.
Hi Barbara – Thanks for sharing all your wonderful memories of Lincolnwood. How cool that your dad wrote and produced a jingle for Henry’s and you had a part! Your experience at Orlove’s brought back a flood of memories of how embarrassed I was when a teenage boy would ring me up for female items! I especially love that you met your husband at Weiner’s and are still together after 50 years – that is terrific!
Hi Barbara:
My parents, Lou and Rita Holtzman were very close to your parents and also moved to Scottsdale. I remember the jingles your dad wrote – Green Giant and Pepsodent. Unfortunately. my mom passed away Nov. 2017 and my dad passed away Nov. 2018. My dad designed and built our house at 6930 N. Kostner across from Proesel Park. We moved to Lincolnwood in 1958 and my parents moved to Arizona in 1992.
Betsy, thank you for your incredible blogs. Brings back so many wonderful memories. Lincolnwood was really a great place to grow up.
Judy Lynn Holtzman Lieberman
Hi Judy: I’m glad my Lincolnwood blogs brought back so many happy memories. I’m sorry about the loss of both your parents.
Thanks Betsy, for this great article. I grew up near Touhy and Lehigh in Edgebrook, and so many of these places were in my old stomping ground. I’ve recently moved back after living in Indianapolis for many years, and it’s been fun exploring to find out which of the old places are still around. New York Bagel and Bialy and Lou Malnati’s are two spots I’ve continued to go to over the years when I’ve been home to visit. One question – There was another department store within a few blocks of Crawford’s, also on Devon, and I think also on the south side. Any idea what that one was called? My dentist was located within a block or two of both of those. One other business I’d love to see featured is The Bunny Hutch. I haven’t read your first blog yet, so it might be there, but I recently visited and had a great talk with the new owners, and would love to read some of its history.
Hi Ann – Thanks much for writing and sharing your memories. The department store you are thinking about on Devon might be Robert Hall – I featured it in my last blog: http://192.168.1.246/?p=7337. As for the Bunny Hutch, I too have fond memories of that place and wrote about it twice – in the first Lincolnwood article: http://192.168.1.246/?p=7227 and also in one about hot dogs written several years ago: http://192.168.1.246/?p=3513. I didn’t know the Bunny Hutch had new owners – is it not owned by Craig Klatzco anymore? In any case, glad you are enjoying being back in Chicago.
Oops, I just saw your reply from several years ago! Yes, Robert Hall was what I was remembering, thanks! And yes to the Bunny Hutch — we chatted with one of the new owners shortly after he took it over in 2017.
Hi Ann, I think the name of that department store was Manzelmans.
All the talk about Dairy Star, one of my first employers back around ’82, prompted me to google Rosalba Baseley. She and her family bought the business in 1961 and kept it for 25 years. She gave up the Dairy Queen name due to franchise issues in the early 80’s, and “Dairy Star” was born. I hadn’t thought of her in years. Google revealed she just passed away last month in WI. What great times we had working there, on hot weekend nights. The lines would be 20+ people deep at every window until closing. We’d work like dogs for next to no money but we had a riot and never stopped laughing all night. After work we’d go get a hot dog and fries at Superdawg and drive around looking for things to do. Jack’s of course was another late-night spot. And Par-King in Morton Grove was a regular stop. Eventually life took me east to Rogers Park and Loyola where I spent all my time in the mid- to late-80s, and for the most part, the glory days of growing up in Lincolnwood were behind me. Life changed, as it does, but the memories hang on.
Hi John: Thanks again for sharing your memories – you have a way with words that makes the past quite compelling. Sorry to hear Rosalba Baseley passed away. It sounds like you had a great time working at Dairy Star!
Part 2 was just wonderful – thank you. The comments are also a great read. Here we are years later learning that we all felt the same way. I guess that’s why it was such a terrific community.
But we all came from different neighborhoods, yet and we all used to go back to shop, dine or go to a place of worship. Rogers Park and Devon Ave was a huge part of our lives. The shops and bakeries, and of course, when your mom needed a fancy dress…it was Seymour Paison or L Starr’s. Also, there was the Chinese restaurant called Hi Howe. It was on Cicero just north of Peterson. All gone now.
Jackie
Thank you so much for these amazing blogs, Betsy! The rush of nostalgia is just overwhelming. The photographs are just incredible. I love that you found a photo of Ernie’s Flower shop as my parents were good friends with Ernie.
We moved to Lincolnwood in 1964 when I was 2 years old. We lived in a two-flat at Hamlin and Pratt. My sisters both graduated from Niles West but we moved to Riverwoods/Deerfield just after I finished at Lincoln Hall. All my childhood memories are there. I loved all of the places you mentioned and I miss them.
A few places I would like to add:
Robbie’s Restaurant which was across from Lincoln Village. I loved the chicken noodle soup there. We used to go there the night before Passover started as my mom made our house kosher for Passover.
Elliot’s Pine Log, which was in Skokie near the Dunkin Donuts on Lincoln. I was very young when we went there, but I remember it being very charming.
The Prime Rib – it was near Oakton and was the place we went for birthdays and other occasions.
Where the current library stands at Pratt and Crawford there was originally a Jewel Food Store. Then it became Pier 1 Imports before being torn down for the library.
It wasn’t special, but Estelle’s Diner was near Jojos if I recall.
I’m really looking forward to your blogs on Skokie because we attended synagogue at Niles Township and I have many fond memories of businesses and restaurants there. We shopped often on Oakton and at Old Orchard. Keep up the great work!!!
Hi Andy: I am glad you enjoyed the blogs. Thank you for sharing your memories of Lincolnwood. Very cool you got your start at the Tom Thumb Players on Devon – looks like you’ve had a successful career in the theater.
Oh! A business I forgot but which was very special to me was the Tom Thumb Players on Devon. I studied theater there for three years and now I work professionally in the theater. It’s where I got my start. Lester Netzky was the owner/director. He was wonderful.
What a wonderful endeavor…you have very current info, too. We have lived in Lincolnwood since 1960. In our home for 51 years on Greenleaf west of Hamlin, moving to the corner of Lincoln and Touhy 5 years ago. When we moved into the brand new house there were cock pheasants in the huge prairie east of Hamlin, which was not a paved street. There was a huge tree in the middle of Hamlin just south of Greenleaf. All of our neighbors loved it and did not want change. Two of us took our baby buggies and strapped ourselves to that tree to prevent its removal. We could see all the way east to Bell and Howell. People came every Sunday with sacks to hunt the rabbits in the fields.
My good friends and neighbors would go almost every night to Jalin’s to schmooze over coffee. It was on Crawford just south of Lincoln, across from where they put up Ground Round, which is now a Kia dealership. In the snowstorm of 1967 we learned that the National Foods was open. It is where the library is now located. My next door neighbor and I decided we needed some food as we were getting low after pooling what we had. Her husband told us to take their toboggan but we demurred saying we were only going to buy a few things. Needless to say, we bought too much. We called him from the store to come rescue us. He came walking down the middle of unplowed Crawford, rope across his chest, pulling the toboggan. I made the fatal mistake by saying “mush” and he exploded!
We were the ones responsible for getting houses built on the east side of Hamlin. The Mayor, who owned the whole prairie wanted to put factories there. It cost all the families in our area $200 each to hire an attorney and we finally prevailed after using some info on the Mayor we had learned…pure and simple blackmail. He bought land on the corner of Crawford and Lunt for $16,000 and turned around and sold it for $125,000 because he knew what would become Todd Hall was going to be built there. We fought him to get the library…the village bought National Foods location to use for a library. Before they could start remodeling, the roof collapsed from the weight of the snow…demolished the building instead and we got a nice new library. We fought to get a pool and he said “what do YOU people need a pool for…you can go to the JCC”. We had to force a referendum to get the pool, which opened in 1972. When he cut the ribbon at the opening, I wanted to push him in.
We now live in the condo building that stands on the land where the House of Pierre was. I recall going quite often to the restaurant because it was a favorite of my father as it had great food and strolling violinists. My eldest son worked for the subcontractor who erected our condo during summer break from college. He carried up the balconies and warned us not to hang anything on the ceiling of the balconies because they contained asbestos. Again, loved your two blogs…well done!
Speaking of Hamlin Ave, my father owned a machining business there called Grind-Rite and General Manufacturing. Probably the opposite end of the part of Hamlin that you speak of, as this part had all new factory buildings. This part of Hamlin was off Lincoln Ave, a bit past Lou Malnati’s. What I’m curious about is what was there before? I recall a photo of my dad and business partner standing in front of an old concrete arch that had all kinds of marbles stuck in the pebbled concrete. They were standing in front of the property before ground was broke for the new factory. I worked there many summers and I remember behind the factory was a little wooded pocket with lots of wildflowers I would look at closely with a magnifying glass (lady slippers and milkweed). Seemed magical to me. Always wondered what kind of place existed there before the factories came. Any idea?
I had the honor of being a classmate of Betsy, I believe in 1966-1967 in 3rd grade with Mrs. Boening. She does a fantastic job pointing out the sites of Lincolnwood back in the day. I guess I never realized it was hip to live in Lincolnwood. I remember back in 1965 or so meeting Comedian Alan Sherman at Shoppers World, who was the most popular cultural icon in America with his famous, “Hello Mudda. Hello Fadda.” I remember going to that pickle place King Kole on Touhy and Crawford too. We lived on Christiana from 1958 to 1965, so Kiddieland was our second home.
Hi Larry – Good to hear from you and thanks for the praise. It’s an honor to know you – a person who has devoted his entire adult life to military service – thank you! While it wasn’t especially hip living in Lincolnwood when we were kids, it was definitely a great community to grow up in. Its close proximity to Chicago enabled many family trips downtown. I think you’re right – we weren’t in any classes together after 3rd grade. I remember running into you on the Pace bus in Lincolnwood – I think in the early 80’s – in the springtime, around Passover. I hope all is well with you.
We moved from Hyde Park to Lincolnwood in 1955 when I was starting kindergarten…7100 block of Keeler between Touhy and Estes Ave. Early memories of Linwood Market and the barber shop on Touhy and Crawford (at the far end of the same strip mall as Norm’s Deli and Weiner Pharmacy. A bit later, across the street from those – Emil’s mens/boys clothing store, the Baskin-Robbins and Ruben’s Deli. My Dad shopped at Aidem and Dess for clothes…as teenagers, we shopped at Selig’s in Evanston, owned by a Lincolnwood family too. The go-kart track near the trampoline place on Lincoln, hamburgers at “Bay’s” – the joint on the street near Niles East HS. We moved to Wilmette in 1976 – on Sheridan Rd. across the street from where the Teatro del Lago and Peacock’s ice cream used to be in “No Man’s Land.” Oh yeah, sno-cones at Thillens Stadium.
Thanks for sharing your Lincolnwood memories, Mark! I had to look up Teatro del Lago because I wasn’t familiar with it – just Plaza del Lago, which was built on the same site. There is a photo and info on it at: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/4494.
Hi Mark, I happen to know EXACTLY where you lived on Keeler! Hope you are doing well.
Signed — previous next door neighbor!
Sue Archibald Outlaw
Hi Sue – we did live on a friendly block of Keeler…our joint “claim to fame” – 2 houses side by side which were the “twins” of each other. I warmly remember the invites to Xmas morning celebrations in your home, and the farmhouse at the corner of Keeler and Touhy, which was one of the oldest homes in Lincolnwood together with the garage, converted from a stable that used to house horses. And the Weinhart’s, who used to flood the large empty lot next to their house for a neighborhood winter ice skating rink…w/night lighting and hot cocoa drinks always available. Of course, the summertime block parties – a common occurrence throughout the whole village. Another memory – the annual Halloween bonfire in the park behind the Village Hall near the baseball field. Best regards to you, your sisters and your Dad.
Wow – Emil’s. I remember that store, but like many places mentioned here, it was a long dormant memory. My mom used to take me there for clothes. My mom’s taste in clothing for fellows my age was pretty conservative and I was always bucking against her choices. I wanted Beatles boots and wild polka dot shirts, but she’d just freak out. “Hoodlum shoes!” It was a real struggle.
Does anyone remember the amazing site of monarch butterfly migration? There would be thousands of them in layers rising higher and higher in the sky. Monarchs were everywhere at this time.
It would be nice if this blog brought in more photos from the neighborhoods. How life was in Lincolnwood, particularly for the children growing up there in the ’50’s and ’60’s. If it goes in that direction, I have lots of photos.
Bays was such a good place. Their hot chocolate donuts were the best I have ever tasted.
Bay’s was the only reason I got pimples (or zits as we called them) my first year at Niles East in 1964. Niles North only had Juniors and Seniors that year so the District 68 school bus (I lived on Frontage Road right across from Niles North) would drop us off right in front of Bay’s every morning. Of course, everyone had to get one of their greasy delicious (soaked in oil) chocolate donuts on our one-block walk to school. Every morning this occurred!
On the last day of school that year, I asked the bus driver why he always dropped us off in front of Bay’s and not the school? He answered, “My brother in law owns the place.”
I believe the Bank of Lincolnwood was designed around 1966 by
Marshall Leib, an architect, whose sons, Joel and Alan went to school with me.
In the early 2000s I met Alan out here in Los Angeles at an architectural preservation event.
He was living in a modern home in Glendale.
It looks like there was a big legal battle between the architect and the bank stretching into the 1980s. https://www.leagle.com/decision/1983820113illapp3d7071720
In Mark’s comment, he mentioned Ruben’s Deli. I just loved that place – I remember Ruben and his wife, a delightful couple. One of the best recipes for corned beef I ever ate. I’m 24 again and it’s 1978. Thanks!
Thanks for the memories! So many places near and dear to my childhood. You mentioned Gallo’s (official name was Trattoria Gallo) which is where I got my first job at 13. I was the weekend salad bar girl. One of the owners, Dominic Gallo, taught me how to make so many of their delicious recipes including his secret cannoli filling.
Then, Uptown Federal Savings where I held my first full-time job after high school. I started at the branch inside the Jewel at Oakton and Lee. Within a few years, I worked my way up to supervise and then eventually manage the Lincoln and Pratt branch until shortly after the First Nationwide acquisition.
Your articles are the best chronicles of my childhood in Lincolnwood. Thanks for bringing me back!
Hi Rachel – Thanks for reading the blog and sharing a few of your experiences. I’m glad the Lincolnwood articles helped you relive childhood and young adulthood memories!
Since I have lived in Lincolnwood all of my life (76 years so far), I really remembered all of the places you mentioned. It was great growing up here. Thank you,
My grandfather is Harry Ermoian, owner/boss of Biasetti’s! If anyone has any memories or stories to share, please I would love to hear them. Love my grandpa.
My family loved Biasetti’s! We used to order beef instead of sausage and it was great!
I lived half a block from Biasettis. I worked there and knew Harry pretty well. I recall how really hot it got in the store in the summer and once I cleaned out the walk-in freezer in back during a hot spell and practically got pneumonia. Great pizza but the ribs were the best. I remember how Harry loved his new baby Mercedes and how he had great hair.
Your grandfather’s place was the best! I’ve never had a half-pound burger that tasted so good. And the fried chicken also ranks No. 1 in my memory…even better than Popeyes. I hope Harry is still doing well. He’ll always be remembered.
I delivered pizza for your grandfather in 1966. Two of my friends, Shelly Cohen and Mike Rosenberg also worked at Biasetti’s. He was a firm taskmaster but, as I look back, great teacher! Tell him I still refuse to work lunch. I hope he is well.
Cary Chubin
I worked for your grandfather Harry in 1966 delivering pizzas while I was in high school. He was a very nice man and would let us make our own pizza burgers between deliveries. Great pizza too.
Amazing!
I am 51 years old and I needed this blast from my past!
Does anyone remember Charles Moell Cadillac on Lincoln and Pratt?
You bet, and right in front of them – wasn’t that triangle lot gas station a Sinclair with Dino the green dinosaur? And the wooden split rail fence that went around the whole Dist 74 school campus.
You bet, then Steven Grossinger’s dad purchase the place and turned it into a Cadillac dealership. I remember watching them build the place from the school yard across Pratt Ave.
I know this is technically Chicago, but during the mid-late 60’s there was a hot dog stand on the south side of Devon towards LIncoln…perhaps adjacent to Bounceland, I recall it being named Ed’s or Eddie’s but could be wrong. So far I’ve only found folks with vague memories of this….anyone have more specifics?
I’m pretty sure it was “Mike & Eddie’s”.
For someone who grew up in Skokie during the same era, thanks for posting this….
Hi Neil: Glad you enjoyed the Lincolnwood blog. Most people don’t realize I also wrote a blog on Skokie – in the same style with a lot of research and photos. Hope you enjoy it! http://192.168.1.246/?p=7637
Are you thinking of the Bunny Hutch? It was on the southwest-ish corner, next to a miniature golf place.
No, the place I’m talking about was in Chicago on the south side of Devon, east of Lincoln…by where the Sprint/Dollar Tree strip mall is now.
The Chicago side of the street was pretty taboo to me, I do remember the trampolines there. Was Bounce Land the name? I remember jumping there after a hard rain – your feet got wet when they hit water that didn’t drain from the pit. That and going across the street to Novelty Golf to play a round of 18. Never did get a free game from the 19th hole pinball – ball return.
This site is incredible. So many memories long forgotten came flooding back. Anyone remember the great snow blizzard of 1967. Thought it was so cool that they closed school for several days to clean up all that snow. I still remember jumping off the roof of Todd Hall into the snow drifts.
Paul, I remember not being able to open our back door the snow was so deep at 7:30 am. Later that day, I pulled my sled to the Jewel Tea at Pratt and Crawford for my mom (we lived on the corner of East Prairie and North Shore). Shoveling out the driveway, finishing just before the plow came through… before my mom broke down and bought a snow-blower.
It’s still the storm by which I measure all others.
Thanks for the memories.
I remember the snow that year. It was semester break at Indiana University and I was coming home to Lincolnwood after my last final; only to discover that O’Hare was closed down: I ended up instead in Bedford, Indiana with my roommate…
Carol, I grew up on Crawford between Lunt and Estes and the grocery store at Pratt and Crawford was where my mother did all her shopping. I seem to remember that it was originally a National when we first moved to Lincolnwood in 1960. Correct me if I’m wrong but I also recall a Dominick’s somewhere in that transition between grocery stores. I also remember that the restaurant at East Prairie and Touhy was another restaurant before the Neba. Maybe someone remembers what. Another long forgotten memory just popped back in my head. Anyone remember Friday nights at the American Legion hall? It was the highlight of my week as I used to look forward to seeing all the popular Chicago area bands. Just a few names to jog your memories. Shadows of Knight, Cryan’ Shames, The Buckinghams, The Flock, and The Ides of March. Pretty sure they all played the legion hall at one time or another.
Hi Paul: Thank you for your thoughtful feedback and comments. In March, another reader wrote: “Yes! I’ve been reading for an hour and waiting for a posting about the unbelievably great live music at the Legion Hall Dances.” Somebody mentioned a restaurant on Touhy near East Prairie called Rubie’s Deli and of course there was Normie’s, which my family liked very much when I was quite young. As for the 1967 blizzard, I strained my back sledding down the street during the snowstorm – I was 8 and going to North Shore Food Market, which stayed open.
I was in high school at Niles West when Nick Fortuna of the Buckinghams was there. One day he showed up at school with a goatee and the principal sent him home. Saw all the bands you mentioned, many of them at the American Legion.
Paul, the restaurant was Tony Novak’s before Lou Malnati’s (the 1st one). That grocery store was a Jewel Tea as far back as I remember. I seem to recall that the roof caved in from an extra heavy snow. Then it morphed into the Library (is it still there?).
We moved to L’wood in 1954. There were empty lots all over the neighborhood, then. There was a Dominick’s someplace nearby, but I’m not sure where.
My next door neighbor and best friend, Lisa Nathan, walked over to the Legion dances every Friday. Jeez, the memories…
Went back to Lincolnwood summer of 2017 and stopped by to tour the town. Looks like I had just gotten there after they turned our old home into extra parking for Lou Malnati’s. Can’t believe all the homes that popped up around the town reservoir and the empty lot (part of Mayor Proesel’s backyard) we used to drive Rich Masters Go-Kart in. I moved to Hawaii in 2005 so it is a bit of a distance to come home to visit. I did get to see Linda’s new place in Palatine, even brought Ma with to visit.
Jim
What an abomination that was done to Mom’s house. Last time I was there was in ‘07. Your old house was still standing then.
How’s life in Hawaii?
Pretty good – beats shoveling snow. Met Linda the last time I was in town – we all had Chinese food with my Ma up in Clarendon Hills. Need to get back there soon, ‘cept this COVID stuff is really getting in the way. Love Linda’s new Palatine lake view home – she always wanted one of those 2-person paddle wheel bicycle things to paddle around a lake.
I like the weather better, but medical is kind of dicey out here. Still haven’t tried surfing yet, but can do an OK ocean kayak surf into the shore.
Does anybody recall Johnstones Restauraunt in Edgebrook on Peterson and Cicero? Remember the Jungle room and the spinning relish tray?
Mark Stoller, a quiet guy died in 2009. He was a NW 1976 graduate. His family lived at Albion & St. Louis, a softball toss from Dairy Queen/Dairy Star. He will be missed by all who knew him.
Betsy,
Enjoyed reading about all the stores and businesses in Lincolnwood. Brings back many memories.
Was there a restaurant named Jennies that used to be on Devon?
Thank you for all your hard work on this subject. I am very interested in early Lincoln Village info. I grew up wandering this shopping center as a 3-year-old by myself as my father opened the deli The Bagel & Tray. Just about everyone in the center knew me as a child since I spent my time exploring their stores. I would love to know if anyone has any photos of the restaurant or memorabilia of interest. Thank you – love the blog!
Hi William:
Thanks for posting and glad you enjoyed the blog. I always hope that somebody with a personal connection to a business I feature has photos I can add to my blog. It’s very cool that your father owned the Bagel & Tray! Since you are asking for photos, you must not have any! I looked far and wide and did not find many of Lincoln Village – perhaps somebody else has photos.
Hey, do you remember the Wieboldt’s department store in Lincoln Village? I think this was the store that held the huge Lincoln Village sign on top of the roof. We drove by the corner there many a week night – to pick up my dad from the Ravenswood CTA “L” station. There was also a Wieboldt’s in Evanston on Ridge where the Chicago & Northwestern train tracks had a bridge over the street. Same area where the Skokie Swift meets up with?? I think it is the Brown line that runs up to Winnetka.
I worked at Biasetti’s and remember Harry well. We all had fun making pizzas. I also worked at Lincolnwood Drug on Touhy near where the NY Bagel and Bialy is located currently. Sam Himmelfarb was the very nice owner and pharmacist. I recall that they kept the Playboy magazines in the back of the store and only the pharmacist could dispense them as requested. The barber shop was next door and I think a man named Abe owned it. He was bald and had some pretty women manicurists.
I used to go to this drug store because it had a vacuum tube test machine in the front. I was able to repair our TV a couple of times after I found the bad tube.
Hi John, I am Sam and Edna Himelfarb’s granddaughter – I love that you have a memory of working there! They loved that drug store and their customers. I have a photo and I’m curious if it is you. Can I get your email address?
Thank you, Betsy for getting back to me. You are correct, I possess no photos from this time in my life. I love the memories your writing has awakened in me. My father and I used to go to Gabby Hartnett to bowl on Sundays. We would bowl a couple of lines then go to the basement where there was a gun range where we would shoot…great times. I also looked at your blog on Skokie where we lived at the time. In 1969 I started working at Uniroyal Tire store at Touhy and Cicero. I ate lunch every day from Biasetti’s – knew Harry very well and Johnny and a young lady named Pam.
My father opened a restaurant across the street named The Wedgwood after he sold the Bagel & Tray!
I used to live in Lincolnwood on Navajo. I remember the real manger scene at Christmas – cool!
Hi Betsy. I’ve really enjoyed reading your articles. I have a fairly neat piece of history related to one of the folks you talk about in this one. Can I reach out to you?
Hi Jonathan: Glad you enjoy my articles. Can you please email me more details about what you have? Thanks much! bvd6656@hotmail.com
Does anyone remember Turks Drugstore in Edgebrook near the train tracks??
Yes, of course, I think anyone who grew up in Edgebrook in the 60s and 70s remembers Turks (aka Edgebrook Drugs).
What ever happened to Lockwood Castle and their “Giant Killer” ice cream creation – 24 scoops of different flavor ice cream and every ice cream condiment in their fountain arsenal that came out with a lit sparkler on top. If one person ate the whole thing within one hour, there was no charge for the treat.
Hi Bridget, of course I remember Turks. My family owned Edgebrook Hardware across the street. My father ran the store from the early 1950’s until he and my mother moved from Lincolnwood to Florida. My favorite place was Lockwood Castle. We knew everyone on the block. My first job was working for my father testing Christmas tree light strings for customers at Christmas time.
Meryl
Hi Meryl:
I moved to Florida also. Where does your mom live??
My parents moved to Hallandale in the early 70’s. They are both gone now. But I cherish my Lincolnwood memories.
I also moved to Hallandale in the 70’s – golden isles. HA!
Who remembers the Cock Robin drive in at the corner of Skokie Blvd and Oakton?
Their ice cream was served in square scoops instead of the traditional round.
Best cheeseburgers ever…
Mid-1960’s
Hi Boris:
I wrote about Cock Robin in my blog about Skokie – http://192.168.1.246/?p=7637. I never ate there, but my older sister loved it before she became a vegetarian.
Cock Robin was a very fun place indeed. But the real gem was a few doors south of there. Karl’s Truck Stop was the very best. It was a cafeteria with trays and mainly served breakfast. Big rigs parked on Skokie Blvd – came in for the coffee and big helpings, real cheap. KARL’S TRUCK STOP: Who remembers??
Karl’s was excellent – real hearty, homemade food at ludicrously low prices. It was really a genuine, in-town truck stop, big rigs, little rigs, a smoke ’em If you got ‘em kind of place, way before the Surgeon General or cholesterol counts.
I would sometimes stop there on my way home from my summer job at a tool and die shop, or when I was home from the U of Illinois.
Roger Wilson
NIles West 1966
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Just started reading your Tessville blogs…great stuff. Moved to Lincolnwood in 1975. Graduate of Niles West 1979. Still a resident.
Did you ever mention Ruben’s Deli at Touhy and Crawford in your blog? Great place…but Milk Pail was my Sunday go-to for bagels and lox.
Bud Schaibly’s second floor bowling alley on Devon Avenue was the site of the original “Gabby Hartnett’s” bowling alley. Hartnett lived in the vicinity and was a parishioner at St. Timothy’s Catholic Church near Devon and Washtenaw. Subsequently, Hartnett’s name was attached to a brand new bowling alley in Lincolnwood — I am not sure if he simply sold his name to the owners or if he had a percentage. Supposedly, he ran the sporting goods store connected with the bowling alley. There was also a pistol range in the basement as well as other rumored activities.
Great memories… I moved there in 1956 with three siblings and parents. Dad lived there until 2013.
Some places I remember not mentioned here:
Lin Wood Foods, Howies Hobby Shop, Mitt Man Hardware, driving range and miniature golf (located at Touhy and Lincoln intersection). There was also a restaurant located next to the police station.
Thanks for taking the time to present this.
Hi, nice website. I was sad to see my dad’s grocery store Lincolnwood Foods (Touhy & Keystone) was left out. My dad Lou Fasules took over the store in the early 70s and was in business till about ’78 when Bank of Lincolnwood bought the property for its branch.
Many happy memories there and a great loyal local customer base. Thank you for putting together this collection of memories.
Hi Louis – Thank you for leaving feedback. If I recall correctly, a few people mentioned your dad’s grocery store in comments. I’m thinking about writing a third shorter blog and would love to mention Lincolnwood Foods. It would help if you had any photos of the store or mementos of any kind that you could digitize and email to me. Do you have anything?
Hi, Louis – I vaguely remember Lincolnwood Foods, but definitely remember the Bank of Lincolnwood branch there, and what a big deal having a branch with a drive-through was. I used to deposit my paychecks there and get some cash back when I was home from school, working during summers. My clearest memory in the general area of Touhy was FelPro, west of McCormick, where the father of a friend of mine worked.
I grew up in Lincolnwood – remember Milk Pail and worked at Lincoln Village Wieboldt’s. Ate at Bagel and Tray for lunch. Lived around the corner from Monty Levenson Golf Shop. My mother went to the podiatrist Dr. Krivets in the Lincoln Village shopping center. I played at the local park.
I saw movies at the theater in Lincoln Village. Worked at Long John Silvers, which is where AutoZone is now. Trees lined the street of Kimball like an arbor. Went to school at Todd Hall, Rutledge Hall, and Lincoln Hall. Streets were clean bright and safe. Lived in that neighborhood until illegally evicted in March 2019. Lived in that house on Kimball from age 13 and now I am 63. Had many good neighbors and friends. Knew many businesses and employees. Last worked at Dollar Tree in Lincolnwood on Devon. I miss my friends, coworkers, and my pets. Plus our library and Village Hall. All different now. Thanks for the memories.
My grandfather was the owner of Sam the Hardware Man. His name was actually Sol. Sam was from the previous owner and he didn’t want to change the sign. He eventually sold the store in the mid-1970s. I moved to Phoenix, as well as the Frankel’s, who owned the deli across the street.
No one has mentioned Thompson’s on Devon and Trumbull. Used to go there every Sunday after Mass at Queen of All Saints in Sauganash. They bakery section was great. My siblings and I got to pick a pastry out every Sunday! They also gave free broken pretzel rods to the regular kids that stopped in every day for Popsicles or candy! Great grocery store…also, do you remember Milt & Dave’s Sinclair gas station with the green Dino the Dinosaur on the sign at the northwest corner of Devon and Kimball Ave?
Lots of Lincolnwood memories, looking back at the old Dairy Queen and the Marine World fish store – nobody mentioned the Heath-Zenith hobby store that was between them. I was never able to afford their Oscilloscope kit, but always wanted one to help out with the electronic repairs I was interested in doing. What was the drug store on Devon across from the Red Owl food store?? I remember going in there to test our TV’s vacuum tubes in the tester they had there.
I just found your blog and I hope it’s still active. I lived in West Rogers Park my whole life. Even when I was old enough to have my own apartment!!! So I’m talking about 1952-1989 until my husband and I moved to Glenview. I have some answers for a couple of people:
To Anne McAlexander: The store you’re thinking of is Manzelmans.
To Jim Sigrist: I used to call it Butterfly Gulch. It was the entrance way to LaRabida Chidren’s Hospital in Jackson Park. My father took me there every year.
And to the person whose dentist was at the corner of Lincoln and Pratt…I was your dental hygienist – LOL.
Hi Jim, Are you thinking about the long driveway leading to La Rabida Children’s Hospital in Jackson Park? I always called it Butterfly Gulch. My dad took me there every year to just witness such an extraordinary event.
Hmm, I don’t recall talking about a long drive or the children’s hospital. I don’t see any blog reference to comments I made. Can you give me the reference of the topic again? I’ve heard and seen collections for La Rabida, but I’ve never visited (way out of my stomping ground area) except when I went to the Museum of Science & Industry.
Hi Betsy, just discovered your posts about Lincolnwood. I grew up on Estes Ave., went to Todd, Rutledge, and Lincoln Halls and graduated from Niles West in 1977. My favorite places were Ruben’s Deli (my dad took me there for lunch most weekends) and Kiddieland. Always rode the roller coaster followed by a grape snow cone at the concession stand. Loved to browse at Shopper’s World. Of course can’t mention Lincolnwood without bringing up the great pizza. We ordered Lou Malnati’s all the time and loved Biasetti’s, too. (I remember having to always wipe the grease off the top of those but his pizza was delicious.) My mom hung out at Normie’s with her friends a lot and I remember they also had very good food. I think the restaurant we went to the most was Jack’s – just a great place! Thanks for the wonderful memories!
Hi David – I’m glad you discovered my blogs about Lincolnwood and enjoyed this trip down memory lane. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Betsy – What a masterpiece! You worked to the extreme presenting this volume with memories galore! This would nicely accompany a local history class. You ought to be paid for your efforts! I learned a lot. I’ll spread the word that you’re a tremendous writer, historian, and entertainer. Thanks for revealing your sources, that’s very professional. I loved that you mention Tenuta’s in Kenosha, that’s my hometown now. I grew up in Lincolnwood, worked at many places and businesses, my daughter went to your day camp and became a counselor. I posted a Hyatt House video here if you’re inclined. I love your work. Thanks for posting.
Hi Greg – So glad you enjoyed the blog and thanks so much for your kind and enthusiastic feedback! What an odd coincidence that I’m wearing the Tenuta’s LS polo shirt today that I purchased quite a few years ago – we haven’t been back to Kenosha in probably seven years. Another odd coincidence is that my husband’s best friend in middle school was named Greg Reynolds, but that was in Beach Park, Ill.
Hi Betsy – I will have to ask my mother if she has any old pictures from the restaurant. If she does, I will definitely post them on here! We will have to go through our old box of pictures in my parent’s basement, possibly this weekend. I will keep you posted. Thank you for replying, it’s so nice to hear from people that grew up going to my grandfather’s restaurant! He loved his restaurant and all his customers, they were like family to him.
Hi Tiffany – Thanks so much, but if you do find any photos, I have to post them. Please send them directly to me at bvd6656@hotmail.com. Of course, I will give you proper credit and may even write an entirely new blog!
Wow old photos! I still have not cataloged all the photos I have sitting in a box under my computer. I keep threatening to digitize them one day (going on 30 years now !) I would love to see those photos, too!
I’m in Hawaii – get in touch at jbklyman@hotmail.com
Hi Marla, I have some other great old memories of the drug store.