Let’s play a game of “Count the evil chain store” in Wicker Park. Starbucks is a no-brainer, but how about Urban Outfitters, sitting there, all quietly, pretending as though it was born in that trendy-looking loft space on Milwaukee. Then there’s Scoop, the New York-based outfit with the blandly Benetton-looking clothes that makes no bones about being a big ol’ chain store. Scoop’s made its presence felt in a suitably boring white shopfront on Milwaukee just down from a convenience store and a Blockbuster (yes, Blockbuster has been there for a while and so far shows few symptoms of death-by-Netflix.)
Speaking of Scoop’s hideously suburban-looking shopfront, Yo hears that the Wicker Park Committee is lobbying for the city to landmark Milwaukee Avenue between Division and North avenues in order to protect the historic facades in the event that national retailers try to come in and imprint them with their corporate image, or rip ’em down cos they’re so last season. Know of any more evil chains? Click on “Comments” below or vent your spleen over at Yo’s Wicker Park forum.