Is Skokie (and other Chicago Suburbs) as Boring as they Look? (Evanston: for rent, condo)

[pvande55]

Originally Posted by alienbaker

Yes, they are as boring as they look.

Source: I grew up there.

The suburbs are considered good places to raise children. Until they are teenagers and complain how boring they are. They even call their hometown such names as "borington" or "Dead plains."

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by pvande55

The suburbs are considered good places to raise children. Until they are teenagers and complain how boring they are. They even call their hometown such names as "borington" or "Dead plains."

My favorite is Hoffman's Mistake.

[NOLA101]

Originally Posted by linicx

Regardless of its slow change over the years, Skokie is still very much a Jewish village with a Jewish population, Jewish leaders, Jewish schools, and Jewish temples.

It is? All the Jewish people I know move out to Northbrook or Glencoe or the like. Parts of Skokie/Morton Grove area look like Little Korea or something.

Skokie was the Jewish suburb 40 years ago, but seems very Asian/Black/Hispanic these days. I doubt they get too many Jews. Maybe they're getting Orthodox Jews from W. Rogers Park, since that community is kind of moving northward out of the city?

[reppin_the_847]

Skokie's lack of excitement is made up by the fact that it really is not that far from the city. It's an extremely diverse relatively affordable inner-ring suburb where it's not unusual to see a lineup of Benzes or Lexuses parked in front of a humble looking ranch house. Kind of like something you'd see in Queens, NY. People that want to expand in square footage usually look west to places like Niles or Des Plaines. And those that hit it big in terms of $$$ usually head northwest to Glenview & Northbrook. Morton Grove is like Skokie's twin brother with a little bit less of an identity. Evanston is its cultured, expensive older brother to the east.

[4122]

Originally Posted by NOLA101

It is? All the Jewish people I know move out to Northbrook or Glencoe or the like. Parts of Skokie/Morton Grove area look like Little Korea or something.

Skokie was the Jewish suburb 40 years ago, but seems very Asian/Black/Hispanic these days. I doubt they get too many Jews. Maybe they're getting Orthodox Jews from W. Rogers Park, since that community is kind of moving northward out of the city?

I actually know quite a few of Jewish people that live in Skokie. I agree it's not a Jewish suburb anymore, but there's still a portion of Jewish people there.

[4122]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

My favorite is Hoffman's Mistake.

Hoodridge is a funny one too

[nana053]

There are still Jewish people in Skokie because of the community resources there, but it is not as large a community as it used to be.

About Us - Lubavitch Chabad of Skokie

Lubavitch Chabad of Skokie • 4059 Dempster Street • Skokie, IL 60076 • 847-677-1770

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

My favorite is Hoffman's Mistake.

Rolling Ghettos. Schaumpton. Hangover Park. Crystal (Meth) Bake... Apparently there's something about the NW suburbs and nicknames.

[reppin_the_847]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Rolling Ghettos. Schaumpton. Hangover Park. Crystal (Meth) Bake... Apparently there's something about the NW suburbs and nicknames.

Lol, Skokie has been referred to as Skompton before. Another good one is Skevanston.

[edsg25]

Originally Posted by reppin_the_847

This is arguable linicx. True, the Jewish institutions are still present in Skokie, but you have to remember that a lot of the population comes in from other northern suburbs now. Places like Highland Park, Glencoe, Northbrook & Buffalo Grove may have a high percentage of Jewish people than Skokie now. But the center of Orthodox Judaism in Chicagoland is still the West Rogers Park neighborhood in Chicago (which is a short drive from Skokie).

Where once Skokie had endless numbers of Jewish families, today the Jewish population is much more "boutique" in nature: certainly the very orthodox area around Dempster and Crawford, where families are highly unlikely to send their kids to ETHS or Evanston elementary schools. And equally, Skokie is still home to many, many older Jewish residences, filling condos in many parts of town.

I could be wrong about this, but in terms of what one sees as a more "traditional" Jewish neighborhood of nuclear family homes, more than any other place, Devonshire comes to mind.


So much mention of Evanston here and understandably so. Evanston has always had a major influence on Skokie. And there is little doubt that downtown Evanston is the model for what downtown Skokie is trying to make of itself. true, Skokie knows it doesn't have a ghost of a chance of its downtown being a model of DT Evanston, but it is definitely pushing elements into place based on Evanston's experiences: condos abound in the Oakton/Skokie Blvd area an Skokie finally has a downtown transit link (CTA yellow's Oakton stop), a pretty big deal for a place that had none before it (and still lacks a Metra connection)