Equivalent to Camden Market in Chicago? (Lincoln, Bridgeport: construction, live, club)

[Guitarmaan]

Is anyone familiar with Camden Market in London UK? I wonder if there is a similar spot in Chicago?

Camden is a large & busy alternative market, mostly visited by punks, goths, emos, tourists and locals. It's a great place to wander round or just people watch.

So does Chicago have something similar?

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by Guitarmaan

So does Chicago have something similar?

I'm afraid not.

[Chicago76]

Originally Posted by Guitarmaan

Is anyone familiar with Camden Market in London UK? I wonder if there is a similar spot in Chicago?

Camden is a large & busy alternative market, mostly visited by punks, goths, emos, tourists and locals. It's a great place to wander round or just people watch.

So does Chicago have something similar?

I lived there briefly in the 90s, so I'm familiar with it. There is nothing at all like it in Chicago. Really, there's nothing at all like it in North America and possibly the world as far as I know.

Maxwell street market sells things that would hold zero interest to someone looking for something like the market in Camden Town: cheap jewelry, shades, clearance clothing, used construction equipment, toys, DVDs and music (not of the collectible variety), etc. It is more like an outdoor market version of a Dollar Store than a market.

Camden has its share of junk too. It's more like 80% junk, 20% good stuff. Maxwell is maybe a quarter the size and its all junk as far as I'm concerned. Only reason I can think of to go would be food, but really, you can get a good horchata, taco, beef, or dog elsewhere.

[Guitarmaan]

Hmmm ok, that's a shame.

Are there places that people like to hang out and visit in a similar way? Any slightly alternative places? I guess there are the beaches on the lake, museums etc But those have a more "family flavour".

Tell me if I'm clutching at straws here

[Bird4Prez]

Never been to Camden Market, but Belmont and Clark in Lake View is good for that kind of people watching. There is an ecclectic group of folks around that intersection usually...........although there could be a some tourists because of its proximity to Wrigley Field and the fact that it isn't terribly far from the Loop. Again, I can't say how accurate my suggestion is because of I have never been to Camden Market.

[marothisu]

For just people watching, the viagra triangle area - with the plaza in the middle, is awesome for it at Rush, Bellevue, and State. You won't see a lot of "alternative people" but just in general it is awesome. If you want a more alternative type of night club close to downtown, then go to Club Neo in Lincoln Park.

Wicker Park and Logan Square (and I guess Ukrainian Village) are more alternative too for sure. I guess you could say that about some people in Pilsen and Bridgeport as well. Wicker Park, while gentrified, still maintains some of its edge and alternativeness with places like Flat Iron, Double Door, Myopic Books, Reckless Records, etc etc. I like Flat Iron a lot for a type of alternative bar with some awesome art on the walls and the alternative people who go there.

Belmont and Clark does have an eclectic mix, but there's no good "people" spots there. The best you're going to do is either just sitting out there or going to the Starbucks on the corner and watching out the window. IMO though the six corners area (Damen, North, and Milwaukee - Damen-O'Hare stop on the Blue Line) is better than Belmont & Clark for that type of eclectic mix of people.

[Chicago76]

Originally Posted by Guitarmaan

Hmmm ok, that's a shame.

Are there places that people like to hang out and visit in a similar way? Any slightly alternative places? I guess there are the beaches on the lake, museums etc But those have a more "family flavour".

Tell me if I'm clutching at straws here

The areas nearest the Lake from the Loop stretching up to Wrigley area probably the most sanitized parts of the city.

Better and more eclectic people watching IMO: Milwaukee/Damen/North or Division Street in Wicker Park, Logan Square, Andersonville, 18th street in Pilsen. There is probably a greater variety of people walking these streets in these areas.

I have no idea what Camden is like now, but when I was there you had punks with 14 inch mohawks, leathermen, guys dressed up in full Soviet uniform, etc. You're not going to see that in Chicago, unless it's a one-off chance passing someone on the street.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Chicago76

The areas nearest the Lake from the Loop stretching up to Wrigley area probably the most sanitized parts of the city.

Better and more eclectic people watching IMO: Milwaukee/Damen/North or Division Street in Wicker Park, Logan Square, Andersonville, 18th street in Pilsen. There is probably a greater variety of people walking these streets in these areas.

I have no idea what Camden is like now, but when I was there you had punks with 14 inch mohawks, leathermen, guys dressed up in full Soviet uniform, etc. You're not going to see that in Chicago, unless it's a one-off chance passing someone on the street.

Yes you will....but you aren't going to find a huge market for it. There's a good amount of alternative people in Chicago, but you aren't going to find it if you hang out in the Loop, most of the Near North Side, or most of Lincoln Park and ...most of Lakeview though you have a lot more of it in Lakeview than the aforementioned.

[Chicago76]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Yes you will....but you aren't going to find a huge market for it. There's a good amount of alternative people in Chicago, but you aren't going to find it if you hang out in the Loop, most of the Near North Side, or most of Lincoln Park and ...most of Lakeview though you have a lot more of it in Lakeview than the aforementioned.

Of course there are people like that, but it's not like Camden Locks on a weekend where you can sit down and see dozens of people fitting this description every 20 minutes. You can sit on Milwaukee avenue, knock back 6 drinks and see maybe three people dressed in this kind of gear in 4 hours. There isn't a single place where you'll find people of this ilk in droves unless it's waiting outside to get into a show. You do see this on Lakeview, but gawking at three kids sitting down at the Dunkin Donuts parking lot having a smoke hardly constitutes good people watching IMO. The closest thing in Chicago is probably watching a bunch of hipsters walk by with stupid looking facial hair.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by Chicago76

The areas nearest the Lake from the Loop stretching up to Wrigley area probably the most sanitized parts of the city.

Better and more eclectic people watching IMO: Milwaukee/Damen/North or Division Street in Wicker Park, Logan Square, Andersonville, 18th street in Pilsen. There is probably a greater variety of people walking these streets in these areas.

I second all of this. I'm sure even those areas pale in comparison to a punk/goth market in London, though.