Young Black Professional - Where to live in Chicago? (Buffalo Grove: 2015, attorney)

[SoxCub Fan]

Originally Posted by JL1585

But the YBP is DEFINITELY prominent. You will see the really successful YBP's here sitting all uppity (but not too uppity like a DC type place) in Whole Foods, in all the gyms in the area, etc.

YES and they are an annoying bunch whose disposition screams "ME TOO"!!! Watching them and all of their awkwardness at Whole Foods is incredible. Getting dressed up to grocery shop, posing, and taking themselves wayyyyyyy too serious. Its like come on just act normal, leave the pretentious crapola at home. SMH. Such an insecure group. To the OP I know this is the crowd you're aiming to join, but I advise you to be a little more open minded this go round.

[SoxCub Fan]

Originally Posted by JL1585

You guys aren't doing too well answering the persons question.

Chi-relo: As a YBP who knows exactly what you mean you mentioned the two top neighborhoods for YBP's, and I would agree with that 100%. There are many differences between the two neighborhoods.

Hyde Park: Hyde Park is very eclectic with african culture all around but still, diverse as the University of Chicago one of the nations top school is also in the area and brings all sorts of crowds. You walk outside and you're greeted with "How you doin today brotha'. How you feelin today sistah?" Hyde Park is it's own little city within the city. It's got a good vibe, lots of restaurants, I'm not necessarily impressed with the bars/lounges there but there are a few. Lots of mom and pops in every aspects to auto mechanics, restaurants, flower shops, book stores, etc. And the entire community supports itself VERY well. It's great because it's for young people and young families too. I can see why a lot of people fall in love with it. It's really a strong community and people work well together here. This is where the majority YBP's live would be my guess. Hyde Park is overall chill, and you don't have to leave the neighborhood often if you like chill, in the summer they have lots of street festivals which are great too. But if you want to go out and have a lot of excitement you'd be more attracted to south loop.


South Loop: South Loop is exciting but still chill depending on where you live in the area. It's got lots of restaurants, retailers, a few bars and is diverse but maybe not as much as Hyde Park (not many places are as diverse as Hyde Park). But the YBP is DEFINITELY prominent. You will see the really successful YBP's here sitting all uppity (but not too uppity like a DC type place) in Whole Foods, in all the gyms in the area, etc. It's actually nice to see. My favorite thing about South Loop: It's close to all the exciting areas in the city without being "The" exiciting area. Cause nothing worse than trying to sleep and hearing bar fights break out at 2am on a Tuesday like a lot of places in Chicago. This place is EXCELLENT (10/10) for public transportation, you never wait more than 5-7 minutes for any bus or train. It's got a great exciting but not too exciting vibe if you really want to experience "The City", this is great and you'll still see a lot of people who look like you. I will say the neighborhood isn't as friendly and personable as Hyde Park, but again, goes back to my reference of being "In the City".

So again, this is just my opinion, but the moment I moved to Chicago this was the same question I wanted answered and I saw a lot of advice on here that I would not agree with e.g. Edgewater, it's diverse and friendly, but you'll be the only black guy most places and the black community there isn't necessarily friendly with each other. Hope this helps!

And with that being said South Loop >>>>> Hyde Park

Hyde Park is a great place to visit but NOT LIVE!!

South Loop is an excellent place to live....extremely under rated...there are parts of South Loop that have a very suburban feel, but you can turn the corner and be right in the middle of city life action. I lived in The South Loop and absolutely loved it!! Soldier Field, the museums, the lake, China Town, UIC/Pilsen area, Little Italy, Columbia College campus...I almost want to shed a tear...I call this area my true home. South Loop has a strong sense of community believe it or not almost just as much as Hyde Park. I really miss the old Tantrum bar....before some guy purchased it and turned it into a "buppy" club with bottle service and a bunch of other pretentious BS. SMH! It was such a cool spot that really reflected the diversity of the South loop, you would see Columbia students, 9 to 5ers, doctors, lawyers, hipsters, tourists, South Loopers....this place had it all, and it was super chill.

[reppin_the_847]

Good post. I think with all the new development that has been occurring in the South Loop, the area might have a River North / Gold Coast type feel to it (whether that is good or bad, probably depends on your perspective) as we continue to watch the area evolve during the next 10-20 years.

Originally Posted by SoxCub Fan

And with that being said South Loop >>>>> Hyde Park

Hyde Park is a great place to visit but NOT LIVE!!

South Loop is an excellent place to live....extremely under rated...there are parts of South Loop that have a very suburban feel, but you can turn the corner and be right in the middle of city life action. I lived in The South Loop and absolutely loved it!! Soldier Field, the museums, the lake, China Town, UIC/Pilsen area, Little Italy, Columbia College campus...I almost want to shed a tear...I call this area my true home. South Loop has a strong sense of community believe it or not almost just as much as Hyde Park. I really miss the old Tantrum bar....before some guy purchased it and turned it into a "buppy" club with bottle service and a bunch of other pretentious BS. SMH! It was such a cool spot that really reflected the diversity of the South loop, you would see Columbia students, 9 to 5ers, doctors, lawyers, hipsters, tourists, South Loopers....this place had it all, and it was super chill.

[Manigault]

Originally Posted by JL1585

[Hyde Park is] great because it's for young people and young families too. I can see why a lot of people fall in love with it. It's really a strong community and people work well together here. This is where the majority YBP's live would be my guess.

Many folks don't understand that Hyde Park is the focal point for black folks on the south side, which is the majority of blacks in Chicago. The neighborhood's economy would tank if it stopped being draw for the entire south side. Black folks who could live anywhere (like Muhammad Ali, Carol Moseley-Braun, Harold Washington, Farrakhan and the Obamas) ended up in HP-Kenwood.

Previously, the center of black life was 35th and MLK and then perhaps 47th and King Drive. Now it is certainly Hyde Park.

[SoxCub Fan]

Originally Posted by Manigault

Many folks don't understand that Hyde Park is the focal point for black folks on the south side, which is the majority of blacks in Chicago. The neighborhood's economy would tank if it stopped being draw for the entire south side. Black folks who could live anywhere (like Muhammad Ali, Carol Moseley-Braun, Harold Washington, Farrakhan and the Obamas) ended up in HP-Kenwood.

Previously, the center of black life was 35th and MLK and then perhaps 47th and King Drive. Now it is certainly Hyde Park.

Hyde Park is the most overrated place in Chicago....overrated by people who are unaware and ignorant to the rest of the city. Dont get me wrong Hyde Park has a cool vibe, but once you become well versed with the city as a whole, the less impressive it becomes, and eventually ends up as a novelty as oppose to somewhere you would realistically want to call home. The nightlife in Hyde Park is non-existent, that in itself kills it as a real draw for YBP's as you call them. I think the only hot spot was the Bar Louis by the lake and that one bowling alley/bar, neither are hardly impressive. Someone making a decent living is going to want to have equivalent entertainment in close proximity. Hyde Park is where many black people who grow up in Chicago aspire to live, and many move there once they get in the work world, but here is the catch....those same people either have to go north or downtown to work, definitely to party and experience any real entertainment.....after years of this, they become acquainted with the rest of the city and eventually end up moving near downtown or the north side. I know tons of people who went from Hyde Park to Wicker Park or Hyde Park to South Loop in less than 2-3 years. Its like a natural progression of anyone with any real sense.

[Alacran]

29 isn't young.... >.>

[SoxCub Fan]

Originally Posted by Alacran

29 isn't young.... >.>

??????????

[urza216]

A A lot of young professionals in close proximity to where they went to college in the city. The north side is more hopping.. I didn't really go to college (yet) but others in my 2005 high school graduating class in the south suburbs (which was around 80% black) did. And honestly, when hanging out again or talking on Facebook, I've seen no real difference in life choices whether they were black or white. They all moved way up north to like Lincoln Park or somewhere in that vicinity.. The young urban professionals. No, I haven't done any extensive interviews or calculated hard data - not even of the people I know. But this seems to be what I have observed.

Doesn't anyone else have at least one black guy on their Facebook friends bragging about his amazing life on the north side of Chicago? Or do we just have one poster who possibly IS that guy on Facebook? I don't think anyone brags about living in Hyde Park, by the way. " Most people in their late teens and early twenties have an "anywhere but here" mentality, regardless of where "here" is or isn't.. Let's run away and GTFO out of this place and build a life somewhere else. I get the feeling that posters are failing to acknowledge said the "anywhere but here" mentality of young budding adults, maybe partially because you all are 29 or older.

A Hyde Park resident's Facebook update: "Man, last night I went to a sports bar and Harold's Chicken Shack... Can't do that in Matteson! It felt so good to go out and finally blow off steam after a long week of making tons of money... Doing something that I couldn't do easily in the burbs where your sorry asses still live. I love my life!"

Maybe I'm out of line in suggesting that wanting to live in a glamorous part of the city with tons of stuff to do isn't just a young white thing. Because young black professionals are more concerned with living around as many other black people as possible, right? Although in my personal experience, I've observed it as the other way around. No, I'm not denying whatever young black professional scene may exist in those areas. I'm just saying that it's not the only place they move to, by any means. And no, I'm not black and I'm not "professional" either. But most of you aren't young.

[Manigault]

Originally Posted by urza216

: I don't think anyone brags about living in Hyde Park, by the way.

Let me assure you that you happen to be in error.

Do you think anyone brags about living close to the Obamas?

[urza216]

Originally Posted by Manigault

Let me assure you that you happen to be in error.

Do you think anyone brags about living close to the Obamas?

Point taken. I take it back.

Btw, I know it may seem hard to believe right now but I love Hyde Park for what it is.. It's one of my favorite areas in the city. Take my words in the proper context.