The concept of a “food desert” (PDF) is familiar to many West and South Siders in Chicago, but not everyone recognizes that most of Chicago’s North Shore suburbs are a virtual fast food desert.
The fast food desertification of the North Shore has intensified in recent years with the closing of many of the outlets at the Old Orchard Food Court (and, yes, we know that Skokie is not part of the North Shore).
Crain’s Chicago Business is reporting that the Old Orchard Food Court, which closed recently, will reopen next summer as a “green” venue, offering “organic and sustainable foods.”
A skeptic might wonder whether this is an effort to change the demographics of the Food Court, which had become largely teen and ethnic – sort of like playing classical music at an indoor mall.
If you’re dependent on frequent fast food fixes and considering a move to the North Shore, you might want to rethink your housing options. Glencoe, Kenilworth and Wilmette, in particular, are not sustainable environments for fast foodies.
Joe,
Combine your NIMBY with your nanny stater and the relative famine of fast food joints on the north shore is readily explainable.
I seem to recall a controversy in Highland Park(?) over a McDonalds. The main objection was of course that such an establishment wasn’t upscale enough; however, a resolution was found when the colors and building style of the restaurant were changed to something more fitting for the North Shore milieu. A McDonaldan Milieu so to speak.
Something similar occurred in Lincoln Park over the Golden Arches at Halsted and Fullerton. However, there the displaced masses from the North Shore that now infect Commandoes in some community vote.
Sometimes a burger is just a burger. Other times a burger is just an invasion set out to destroy the NIMBY ideal.
What is the nimby ideal?
Build or change nothing…….ever. If a property is vacant tear it down and turn it into a park. If something will bring outsiders into “our” neighborhood, even if those outsiders live mere blocks away, oppose it.
I really need to stop drinking. Thank God, I don’t live in Lincoln Park and can still find a place to buy liquor within sliding distance.
I should have typed the following in paragraph three:
Something similar occurred in Lincoln Park over the Golden Arches at Halsted and Fullerton. However, there the displaced masses from the North Shore LOST OUT TO THE QUARTER POUNDER COMMANDOES in some community vote.
IrishPirate,
Remember the early-80s proposed McDonald’s on the site of the Dietzgen building, Fullerton and Sheffield? That’s a battle the NIMBYs won, although NIMBYs were only the nominal protagonists.
The proposal was to tear down the Dietzgen building and put in a McDonald’s with a drive-thru – an establishment that would have been wildly successful at that location and cut against Demon Dogs, under the Fullerton El stop. Demon Dogs may have been only in the scheming stages at that point in time.
Peter Schivarelli, Demon Dogs doyen and 43rd Ward Streets and San man, as I recall, had a major backstage role in killing the McD’s.
The debate, as I recall it, was framed around the issue of the amount of litter a McD’s would generate, a topic on which Schivarelli had great expertise.
Demon Dogs was one of two great coups Peter pulled off in the 43rd Ward – the other being his flea market, also on property bargain-leased from the CTA, at Armitage and Racine.
Schivarelli did well enough from public service and his native frugality to acquire the Dewes Mansion.
The current 43rd Warders appear to be a colorless and lumpen sort compared to some of the supporting cast from an earlier era.
Have you been to the Lake Forest McDonald’s? Couldn’t find any of my pics, so here’s one from Flickr.
Joe,
I’ve never had the pleasure of eating a Quarter Pounder at the Lake Forest McDonalds.
I do recall Mr Demon Dogs “retiring” from his city position after some naughty activity. Something regarding city employees driving him to South Bend for football games?
The mayor fired him and the politicos and former politicos of Lincoln Park came to his defense. Some of the same folks protesting the potential “invasion” of a grocery store at the former hospital site.
I can’t wait to see the fun that comes from them trying to halt all development at the Children’s Hospital campus.
The city itself is more “lumpen” than in the 70’s-80’s. When the Sheriff’s office gets released from the Shakman decree it is truly a different time.
The upscale burghers of Lincoln Park are doing their best to stop any improvement in Lincoln Park which might help their less wealthy neighbors. There are plenty of folks in Lincoln Park of relatively modest income who might like a decent grocery store within “carting” distance.
IrishPirate,
If the Fresh Market in Wilmette is representative of the company’s shops, the one in Lincoln Park will not appeal to folks with a relatively modest income. They can cab it to Jewel or Dominick’s and still come out ahead.
This is interesting because “food desert” usually refers to a dearth of healthy eating options that forces people to eat less healthier fast food. It’s also interesting because the lack of fast food options has not given way to other good options. It’s not like the North Shore is rife with great restaurants. I’m constantly disappointed by most of the restaurants there. There’s still plenty of fast food in the North Shore. Just look at the area around Northbrook Court. One of the busiest McDonald’s I’ve ever seen is on Waukegan just north of Lake Cook Rd. There are plenty of office parks in the area to give them business. I didn’t even know there were fast food apologists out there, save for the lobbyists.
bk,
Northbrook doesn’t count. It’s not a North Shore suburb.
Wasn’t there a KFC in Highland Park at one time (or was it Wilmette?)?
The Wilmette KFC closed about 10 or more years ago, as did the one on Central St in Evanston. There’s still a KFC on Dempster in Evanston, but far from downtown.
Wilmette does have a Domino’s. And Winnetka has an upscale McD’s.
What, pray tell, kind Sir, is an “upscale” McDonalds? For our refined English help, perchance, with fine wines?
Are there any Kosher McDonalds like there are in Buenos Aires?
Sheridan B,
I have to confess that, now that the kids are grown and gone, I don’t dine at McDonald’s very often.
The interior décor of the Lake Forest and Winnetka McDonald’s is not your typical McDonald’s furnishings. See the photo from Lake Forest I linked above. And, the exteriors are muted, tasteful and contextual, with only mini-arches marking the sites.
As to the food, when I did visit years back the now-defunct downtown Evanston McD’s served up whole fruit (bananas, apples, etc.), granola muffins and more. Winnetka had a more limited selection of non-McD’s offerings.