NEW YORKERS IN CHICAGO…… help! (Lombard, Washington: appointed, real estate, condos)

[FAReastcoast]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Based off of previous discussions with you about the same exact topics. Most parts of Lincoln Park, Andersonville, Lincoln Square, Albany Park, Lakeview, etc are pretty damn local. They have chains, yes but they are far out numbered by local places. I don't know how anybody who's actually explored these areas fully could think otherwise, honestly. There is also a vast difference between say a very small chain like Umami Burger and a McDonald's.

OK. I was renting a house in Old Town until 3 weeks ago, I now live on the Southport Corridor in Lakeview. I dont know much about Albany Park, but not really on the radar of most "white collar professionals", who I assume make up the majority of members here. I was actually a little surprised by the number of chains in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, River North, Old Town (the areas I frequent most), that is just my opinion.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by FAReastcoast

OK. I was renting a house in Old Town until 3 weeks ago, I now live on the Southport Corridor in Lakeview. I dont know much about Albany Park, but not really on the radar of most "white collar professionals", who I assume make up the majority of members here. I was actually a little surprised by the number of chains in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, River North, Old Town (the areas I frequent most), that is just my opinion.

River North/Streeterville/Loop area makes sense - there's a ton of hotels there. Also the amount of office workers in the Loop who need a quick lunch. This is no different than various parts of Manhattan. I guarantee you that there's far more local places in areas like Lakeview and Lincoln Park than chains as far as food and drink goes. Obviously there are chains, but I'll put real money on this.

[FAReastcoast]

Originally Posted by marothisu

River North area makes sense - there's a ton of hotels there. This is no different than various parts of Manhattan. I guarantee you that there's far more local places in areas like Lakeview and Lincoln Park than chains.

Why are you arguing this? MY OPINION is I was surprised by the number of chain restaurants in Chicago. Perhaps we differ on what we consider "a lot".

[berniekosar19]

Originally Posted by FAReastcoast

A little bit generic - compared to NYC, Chicago seems a bit too cookie cutter for me. Lots of chain restaurants, gas stations, drive thru's, empty parking lots. If you haven't spent much time here, it is much more noticalbe than nyc (especially Manhattan)

I agree with all your pros, but as to this point... have you been to Manhattan lately?
It's nothing BUT chain stores now; it's so ridiculously generic compared to how it used to be and a LOT of the mom-and-pop and unique stores that made New York "New York" have gone by the wayside to become bank branches, nail places, frozen yogurt shops, etc etc. I actually find that Chicago has more of the homegrown and unique to the area shops still in place than NYC does nowadays.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by FAReastcoast

Why are you arguing this? MY OPINION is I was surprised by the number of chain restaurants in Chicago. Perhaps we differ on what we consider "a lot".

It's your opinion based on perception, but you out of all smart people should know that this is something verifiable, fact. Not like something that's faith-based.

[FAReastcoast]

Originally Posted by berniekosar19

I agree with all your pros, but as to this point... have you been to Manhattan lately?
It's nothing BUT chain stores now; it's so ridiculously generic compared to how it used to be and a LOT of the mom-and-pop and unique stores that made New York "New York" have gone by the wayside to become bank branches, nail places, frozen yogurt shops, etc etc. I actually find that Chicago has more of the homegrown and unique to the area shops still in place than NYC does nowadays.

I am in Manhattan right now, sure the city isn't what it once was, but I believe it has a much stronger local retail/restaurant presence than pretty much any major city in the US. Again, these are all my opinion.

[FAReastcoast]

Originally Posted by marothisu

It's your opinion based on perception, but you out of all smart people should know that this is something verifiable, fact. Not like something that's faith-based.

Fact? How do you quantify the term "a lot"? I have not quantified it, I was just surprised by the number of chain restaurants in Chicago, nothing more nothing less should be taken with that phrase.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by FAReastcoast

Fact? How do you quantify the term "a lot"? I have not quantified it, I was just surprised by the number of chain restaurants in Chicago, nothing more nothing less should be taken with that phrase.

I understand and I wasn't talking about "a lot" as the verifiable fact. i'm talking about being able to verify in any given area the number of non chain versus chain food and drink establishments. This is something that can be done.

I respect your opinion, but to me, as someone who has actually experienced both extremes of the spectrum with this topic around the world, I disagree about numerous areas of town here.

[BigLake]

Originally Posted by berniekosar19

I agree with all your pros, but as to this point... have you been to Manhattan lately?
It's nothing BUT chain stores now; it's so ridiculously generic compared to how it used to be and a LOT of the mom-and-pop and unique stores that made New York "New York" have gone by the wayside to become bank branches, nail places, frozen yogurt shops, etc etc. I actually find that Chicago has more of the homegrown and unique to the area shops still in place than NYC does nowadays.

Given you have a better view than I do, but I feel the opposite. NYC, at least Manhattan in particular, has way more interesting mom and pop stores -- even per capita-- than chicago. IMHO it's not close either.

[ambivalent_newyorker]

Originally Posted by FAReastcoast

I am in Manhattan right now, sure the city isn't what it once was, but I believe it has a much stronger local retail/restaurant presence than pretty much any major city in the US. Again, these are all my opinion.

Chiming in here to agree with FarEastCoast, sorry. And trust me, this is not a snobby New Yorker thing! (At least, for me it's not.)

As I stated in the original post, I'm a native New Yorker (right on FarEastCoast, I live in Wash Heights right now! But grew up on the Upper West).

But I've by now spent a lot of time in Chicago -- 7 months total (only two in the winter, hence all the winter-related questions).

And again, I love Chicago and prefer a LOT of things about it to NYC. But it definitely does not have anywhere near the sheer number and proportion of locally-owned businesses. I can imagine the parts of "Manhattan" that might suggest otherwise to a visitor -- but in the vast majority of Manhattan (Washington Heights, Harlem, Inwood, Upper West Side, Hell's Kitchen, Morningside Heights.... i.e. over half the island) it is almost entirely local stores.

Case in point: ask Chicagoans where to get the best classic Chicago pizza, and you hear Giordano's and Lou Malnati's. Ask New Yorkers where to get the best classic New York pizza, and you hear a slew of idiosyncratic, often hole-in-the-wall non-franchises.

Hey, Chicago has better beaches, nicer people, better architecture (IMO), a better quality of life, the list goes on. But I do find the preponderance of chain restaurants disappointing.