the BACKSTAGE strip joint

when I was a young kid, we would try to sneak in there and get a peep. of course we always got caught by the bouncer and thrown out. after I turned 21, I had an old school buddy who worked there, his dad was one of the owners, so he got me a job as a bartender, I wasn't really sure what to expect, man what an eye opener that was !!! strippers from WWII, they really showed me the ropes. after new owners took over, a little younger bunch of girls were working the stage, they were not as adept at working the crowd, but they were better looking. cops would make the rounds for their piece of the pie, or a bust at closing. that place was so seedy, if you saw it with the lights on, you'd never come in there. I was told during WWII that upstairs was a garment company that made fatigues for the military. next to the Backstage was a cleaners owned by a black family, mr. walker was a really nice guy, he'd shine your shoes while you picked up your cleaning.

ROBERT R. McCORMICK BOYS CLUB

The CLUB opened in 1959, it had everything a kid wanted. A large gym, swimming pool, game room, and any kind of activity you desired. Summer and winter camp, was a great get away for inner city kids. Camps were in Warsaw Indiana and Williams bay, Wisconsin, to go all you had to do was sell cases of candy, which was really easy, all the top brands. Many buyers just gave you their money, and you kept the candy, and that was cool. Luckily for us the club had a complete dental office. I spent many hours in those dental chairs, they charged you a dollar for a visit, if you were broke, that was OK too, for some that was thier only care. The staff at the club really took an interest in us, you felt like someone was there for you. When the club first opened most of us were from the old club, UPTOWN boys club, it was on the south end of clarendon park, yeah it was small, but we had a blast there. we were all very close. The staff was small, but big hearts they had, Fred Lickerman, Tom Moore, Forrest Conway,Betty Thomas, and best of all Sylvia Rosenberg, they kept that place together with spit and glue. I was a member there for 5 years until the new club opened, even though the new club was bigger and better, we all missed the old one. Many kids were given great opportunities to better their lives, that they wouldn't have gotten otherwise, all you needed was determination. Thats all they expected of you. I miss the old days, I guess you cant live in the past, but the memories are good !!!

the TIME IN lounge

A really nostalgic place to have cocktails and watch a great pantomine show. Owner Jules Passin was an excellent host and entertainer, along with Jiggs and Jules daughters. Its main floor had an odd shaped bar, so everyone felt like they were front row center, with booths all around the room. Upstairs there was a horseshoe shape balcony, that seated 200, with a seperate bar. Many old time stars came to visit this place, like Jimmy Durante and Danny Thomas. Sometimes you would see some football players like Mike Ditka, or a couple CUBS enjoying themselves. It was a 4am bar so, when the 2 oclock bars closed it got busy. The show was really saucy and people loved it, when Jules was on stage, he would keep an eye on the ladies coming up from the powder room. He would ask, "ladies did you wash your hands" they would always say "yes" and he'd say "there hasnt been water down there in 6 months" the crowd would crack up. Jules would chat with everyone in the place, someone would always ask him the time, he'd pull his zipper down and pull out a huge watch, that got the ladies red faced. It was all in fun.

CLARENDON PARK

the PARK was the place where everyone came to hangout. If you lived in the hood, you belonged there. In the 40s and 50s it was the frats DELTA and TAU GAMMA, in the late 50s it was the REVELS, after that it was us, the locals. the park had something for all, softball, hardball, football, basketball, a woodshop,and model train club and gameroom, and in winter ice skating. On hot summer nights there were softball games under the lights for the older men, who represented many taverns and companies. There were many rivalries between certain teams,lots of money was wagered on those games, besides bragging rights. Even spectators bet on the outcome. Some teams had sluggers that could pound that ball out of the park so often, they had to inject water into the balls to keep them inside the park, sometimes it actually worked. For us kids we just played ball, from early morning till you couldnt see the ball anymore. we werent organized, throught out the day some kids would come, and some would go, but the game went on. we played line ball up against the wall at the old pumping station at the south end of the park, and fast pitch near the north and south entrances to the fieldhouse. Late at night we all gathered on the steps in front and shot the breeze, we all had a great time. More stories to come later !!!

PUP IN THE RUFF

JAKES HOT DOGS the cheapest and best dogs in uptown. started in a small storefront, and grew very quickly. JAKE is a great guy, ran a clean business, and kept you in line. He even introduced me to my first sweetheart. JAKE did well on montrose and sheridan, he owns the whole corner now, hes been there 50 years

uptown

Does anyone remember TOPPERS record shop ? It was cool, you went in pick up a 45 rpm, and played it on an old decca phonograph, if you like it, you bought it. If not, grab a different one. You would pick up that TOP 40 list put out by the radio stations. TOPPERS was a couple doors west of Bank of Chicago. bought my first transistor radio there, about 9 bucks.

EDGEWATER BEACH HOTEL

WOW it was posh, long promenade with stores and gift shops, a short little walk across a bridge over a koi pond, and you entered the polynesian village, man was that night club decked out. mom would sneak me in there, and I would sit in the back by the staff area and take in the show. It sure took me someplace I"d never been before !!! big orchestra playing tropical music and a floor show, fruit cocktails to boot, I was in heaven. I had a neighbor who on sundays would take me up in the tower. He was in the civil air patrol, and we would spot air traffic with binoculars. Back then we were worried about commies, you remember we had all those Nikes bases on the lakefront,,,,,,not our feet !!!! All good things come to an end.