Red Eye tags Avondale as next hot hood

[Chicagoist123]

Originally Posted by North Side Brandon

Avondale has alot going for it. It is near two EL stops on it's Western side one at Kimball and Belmont and another by Addison and the Expressway just east of Pulaski. It also has Old Irving right to the North. It is a majority Latino now but it still has a large Polish presence which it has had for over a century. The key for any gentrifying is access to the EL and Avondale has that.

Technically, it's runs right the thought the middle. Avondale's eastern borders are the River and the western one is I believe Pulaski, maybe even a bit further in some parts. So the Blue Line actually slices right through the middle.

With the exception of it's Western border, it's also surrounded by Logan Square, North Center and Irving Park. All very good neighborhoods to be surrounded by. It's certainly an interesting neighborhood, it has this strange mix of things, it can be really gritty but then on the eastern portion once you get closer to the river it can be spotless and very clean and green.

I have a huge prediction that Belmont between California and Kedzie is going to see a boom. So many new places have opened up there in the past 5 years: Square, Pork Shoppe, Dragon Lady Lounge, Brothers, Kuma's, Jay Yen Sushi/Noodle. There are also a lot of vacant storefronts on that Belmont strip. Add a couple of coffee chops and a few more trendy restaurants/bards, and that strip on Belmont is going to become extremely vibrant.

[Drover]

Belstifornia!

[Chi-town Native]

Mexican Twinkie flavored ice cream is rumored to be like kryptonite to hipsters (hypsterite?):

Delicias Natural - Avondale - Chicago, IL

I will just say praise jeebuz to have something besides a ^%$#@! cell phone hut opening on the 2800 block of Milwaukee.

[eating while walking]

Originally Posted by Chicagoist123

I have a huge prediction that Belmont between California and Kedzie is going to see a boom. So many new places have opened up there in the past 5 years: Square, Pork Shoppe, Dragon Lady Lounge, Brothers, Kuma's, Jay Yen Sushi/Noodle. There are also a lot of vacant storefronts on that Belmont strip. Add a couple of coffee chops and a few more trendy restaurants/bards, and that strip on Belmont is going to become extremely vibrant.

If that happens, I hope it stays east of the expressway. Keep the west side real, for working folks, multigenerational families and ethnic enclaves the way it is now. That way the neighborhood gets the best of both worlds.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by eating while walking

If that happens, I hope it stays east of the expressway. Keep the west side real, for working folks, multigenerational families and ethnic enclaves the way it is now. That way the neighborhood gets the best of both worlds.

I have similar sympathies, but I'm increasingly disgruntled at the corporate/chain store crap-o-rama the Belmont & Kimball are is plagued with.

It's not really "working family" friendly in the big picture IMO.

We have some decent ethnic eateries, but we also have Five Below, Best Buy, Chase Bank, Dunkin Donuts, Pizza Hut etc. which aren't what I consider bastions of a solid economy. Walgreens is IMO different as although it is a chain, it is based in the Chicago Metro area so the profits (and better jobs) stay here.

But really, we could use some businesses that pay wages you can actually raise a family on.

I am looking forward to the development of NEIU's El Centro campus, that should be a huge boost.

[Chicagoist123]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

I have similar sympathies, but I'm increasingly disgruntled at the corporate/chain store crap-o-rama the Belmont & Kimball are is plagued with.

It's not really "working family" friendly in the big picture IMO.

We have some decent ethnic eateries, but we also have Five Below, Best Buy, Chase Bank, Dunkin Donuts, Pizza Hut etc. which aren't what I consider bastions of a solid economy. Walgreens is IMO different as although it is a chain, it is based in the Chicago Metro area so the profits (and better jobs) stay here.

But really, we could use some businesses that pay wages you can actually raise a family on.

I am looking forward to the development of NEIU's El Centro campus, that should be a huge boost.

If anything east of the Kedzie has more independent stores than west of it. I mean east of Kedzie you have Mr. Pollo, Brothers, Porke Shoppe, Taqueria Traspasada, Orbit Room, Mexican Grocery Store place, Dragon Lady Lounge, Chief O'Neils, Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Square, etc. Only chains in that are actually is Burger King.

West of the expressway it's big box, Subway, Domino's, Best Buy, Aldi, etc.

If anything the eastern portion is doing a much much better job retaining a unique indentity than the west.

[eating while walking]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

I have similar sympathies, but I'm increasingly disgruntled at the corporate/chain store crap-o-rama the Belmont & Kimball are is plagued with.

It's not really "working family" friendly in the big picture IMO.

We have some decent ethnic eateries, but we also have Five Below, Best Buy, Chase Bank, Dunkin Donuts, Pizza Hut etc. which aren't what I consider bastions of a solid economy. Walgreens is IMO different as although it is a chain, it is based in the Chicago Metro area so the profits (and better jobs) stay here.

But really, we could use some businesses that pay wages you can actually raise a family on.

I am looking forward to the development of NEIU's El Centro campus, that should be a huge boost.

True, I was mostly thinking of the residential side streets and the Mex/Polish stuff along Milwaukee when I made that statement. The Belmont/Kimball intersection is something of a corporate eyesore.

[Chicagoist123]

Originally Posted by eating while walking

True, I was mostly thinking of the residential side streets and the Mex/Polish stuff along Milwaukee when I made that statement. The Belmont/Kimball intersection is something of a corporate eyesore.

It's convenient though. However, it is a huge eyesore, that big ol parking lot is!

[North Side Brandon]

I don't see Avondale ever becoming as expensive as St. Ben's, Roscoe Village, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Lakeview, Near North Side or Lincoln Park but I do think it will get more expensive. Many Poles who have lived on the West End for generations fear being priced out. I personally don't think that will happen.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by eating while walking

True, I was mostly thinking of the residential side streets and the Mex/Polish stuff along Milwaukee when I made that statement. The Belmont/Kimball intersection is something of a corporate eyesore.

Gotcha, and yeah, I agree.

I also agree with Chicagoist that the eastern half seems to have a lot more character as far as the shops on Belmont go.