Are hipsters moving to Uptown? (Chicago: movie theater, estate, businesses)

[aragx6]

Well yuppies are typically (if there is such a thing) considered to be liberal on social issues and conservative on economic issues

Oh also they're young (I always thought under 30 and typically childless), so lenniel I guess it just depends how old you are!

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

I had some anecdotal evidence of a new (but small) hipster presence in Uptown, and wanted to find out if others had seen any evidence of this. It's always interesting to see what other people are observing, is it not? I've been in the neighborhood for three years, and I really saw very few hipsters around the 'hood until recently. Yes, have been yuppies and other middle-class residents moving in for years--along with the long-time gay presence, but I've only recently heard, for instance, that a lot of the young graphic designers my wife manages are moving to Uptown (this is always my hipster sample focus group). And it's just kind of interesting to see all of these former Wicker Park and Bucktown pioneer businesses coming in, like the Holiday Club, Nick's, and Silver Clous (as the Fat Kat).

I think the Holiday Clubs rent got jacked up so high in Wicker Park/Bucktown area they decided to take a chance right over the border between Uptown and Lake View. The first couple of years I think they had a rough time and may have been losing money or at least not as much as they made on Milwaukee Ave.

I do think the Holiday Club and Nicks have drawn people to move to Uptown especially Buena Park. It is crazy how a couple of bars can draw new residents!

Go hang out by the Sheridan station after like 4pm on a weekday and the Hipsters will start coming off the train like roaches!

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Go hang out by the Sheridan station after like 4pm on a weekday and the Hipsters will start coming off the train like roaches!

Nice visual

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

I think the Holiday Clubs rent got jacked up so high in Wicker Park/Bucktown area they decided to take a chance right over the border between Uptown and Lake View. The first couple of years I think they had a rough time and may have been losing money or at least not as much as they made on Milwaukee Ave.

I do think the Holiday Club and Nicks have drawn people to move to Uptown especially Buena Park. It is crazy how a couple of bars can draw new residents!

Go hang out by the Sheridan station after like 4pm on a weekday and the Hipsters will start coming off the train like roaches!

And now there's a new Nick's on Wilson--which is probably the grittiest nastiest part of Uptown. They are trying to get another 4am liquor license for that place, though I really can't imagine walking around Wilson and Broadway at 4am...

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

And now there's a new Nick's on Wilson--which is probably the grittiest nastiest part of Uptown. They are trying to get another 4am liquor license for that place, though I really can't imagine walking around Wilson and Broadway at 4am...

Why walk up there? Maybe early in the evening to check it out but... Keep it safe for now until the area improves more and just go to the one on Sheridan.

I usually try to avoid walking by Wilson And Broadway at all times. lol

I took some classes at Wright College last year and I would wait for the Montrose bus over there at like 10 am on a Saturday and it was sketchy even at that time of day.

Maybe Nicks will be the catalyst of change.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Avengerfire

Why walk up there? Maybe early in the evening to check it out but... Keep it safe for now until the area improves more and just go to the one on Sheridan.

I usually try to avoid walking by Wilson And Broadway at all times. lol

I took some classes at Wright College last year and I would wait for the Montrose bus over there at like 10 am on a Saturday and it was sketchy even at that time of day.

Maybe Nicks will be the catalyst of change.

There's a lot of stuff right there on Wilson just west of Broadway... Nick's, Magnolia Cafe, Jimmy Johns, Starbucks... But yeah, it's still pretty crappy.

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

There's a lot of stuff right there on Wilson just west of Broadway... Nick's, Magnolia Cafe, Jimmy Johns, Starbucks... But yeah, it's still pretty crappy.

I know about those things. I hope that my Uncle will still be around to see that part of Uptown brought back to where it was when he was 15 y.o. or so!

I think there is hope for Rogers Park too, once Joe Moore is expelled.

[bobbivalentino]

some of you guys are chicagoans, right? then you've totally seen this type of thing happen over and over and over and over and over and over again in different regions and 'hoods in this city. I was born and raised here (on the south side, however) and i've noticed its just and an organic part of how this town re-invents itself and evolves over time.

I'm only in my late 20's and I've seen incredible gentrification happen before my eyes (wicker park, southport area, "boystown"/clark x belmont area, lincoln park and even OLD TOWN- which was peppered with porn shops in the early 90's if ya can believe it!). yes, all these areas used to be "skid rows" just like Uptown is. Uptown will change too as affluent white people continue to flock to the city and minority folks go to the burbs in search of more affordable rents and space.

the "brave" will move in now. the super rich late adapters will move in in 5 years, in no time there will be a jamba juice on the corner of wilson n broadway and the crabgrass that sprouts up through the cracks in the sidewalks will be replaced by organic wheatgrass.

all we have to do now is watch and wait... again.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by bobbivalentino

some of you guys are chicagoans, right? then you've totally seen this type of thing happen over and over and over and over and over and over again in different regions and 'hoods in this city. I was born and raised here (on the south side, however) and i've noticed its just and an organic part of how this town re-invents itself and evolves over time.

I'm only in my late 20's and I've seen incredible gentrification happen before my eyes (wicker park, southport area, "boystown"/clark x belmont area, lincoln park and even OLD TOWN- which was peppered with porn shops in the early 90's if ya can believe it!). yes, all these areas used to be "skid rows" just like Uptown is. Uptown will change too as affluent white people continue to flock to the city and minority folks go to the burbs in search of more affordable rents and space.

the "brave" will move in now. the super rich late adapters will move in in 5 years, in no time there will be a jamba juice on the corner of wilson n broadway and the crabgrass that sprouts up through the cracks in the sidewalks will be replaced by organic wheatgrass.

all we have to do now is watch and wait... again.

Sort of. Uptown has disadvantages that Old Town--or even Wicker Park--never had to deal with. The concentration of social services and care for the homeless is one thing. I read once that 10% of ALL Chicago homeless shelters are in Uptown. There are many halfway houses, rehab centers, and homes for the mentally ill. Then there's the Alderman, Helen Shiller, who has made a career out of class warfare and socialism--and she is hellbent on cramming as much affordable housing in Uptown as possible. Also there's the coolness factor. Old Town was sort of the old Wicker Park. It was THE cool neighborhood to be in during the hippie era, though yes, it was dicey. I question whether Uptown will ever be that cool, though it seems to be getting a LITTLE bit cooler (thus the title of this thread).

Uptown does also has advantages over Wicker Park and Old Town... It's on the Lakefront. That's big. It's better served by public transportation, with the Red Line running right through it and hordes of express busses. And it's not as rough right now as Old Town and Wicker Park used to be. Both of those neighborhoods were seriously gang-infested while Uptown only has pockets of trouble. A family member used to teach at St. Michael's in Old Town back in the 60s and 70s, and he talked about how bullets would hit the school all of the time. It was bad!

People have been talking about gentrification in Uptown since the 1980's, and it has been REALLY slow. I question whether the pace will pick up any time soon.

[Drover]

Well looks like I'll be in Uptown at least a couple times in the next 6 weeks on account of shows by 1) G. Love & Special Sauce, and 2) The Pogues.