We (along with a few readers) have noticed construction activity at the former Hollywood Video store located at 6201 N Clark Street. According to a follower on Facebook who contacted the Alderman's office the space is currently being renovated to become an Auto Zone store.
11 comments:
How absolutely boring! It needs to be a Trader Joe's. :)
Actually, something is better than nothing, so hooray for AutoZone.
AutoZone...egads!
Considering the slow but gradual growth of local businesses along Clark between Ridge and Devon, it's a real shame that this chain superstore (with its garish orange/red exteriors) should be taking over such a prominent site, especially so close to the mosaic columns at SKH Elementary School.
Hopefully the district will plant some Italian Cypresses to screen the school property along the alley alignment which abuts the site and its dumpster laden parking lot.
I pass this every day and its 1000 times better than an empty store and on that stretch of Clark there are a lot of empty stores. Any successful tenant helps to attract more stores.
Im okay with autozone going there.
I live in RP and the one on Touhy is the pits. Hopefully this one will be better and not have so many sketchy people. It will be closer.
Better to have something there than something vacant. So many former video stores sitting empty.
I dont think its big enough for a Trader Joes
I agree with Kearby Kaiser.
This stretch of Clark is so dead,
and so many vacancies it will be nice to have a little more life on the strip.
Does anyone know what is going in a couple blocks north of this location? They added several stories to the building and I thought maybe parking above the retail but now looks like apartments or condos. I can't imagine anyone buidling housing now.
I’m not so sure that an AutoZone is a net positive for the neighborhood or the other businesses in the area.
In case anyone has noticed, the area centered at Clark & Devon and extending as far south as Ridge may have vacancies, but it is quietly developing its potential to be a neighborhood dining/nightlife district.
And dare we say a potential “gayborhood” business district?
This is probably due, in part, to recent improvements to Devon Avenue and businesses relocating from Andersonville to escape its higher rents. For instance, the former owner of La Donna Italian Cuisine in Andersonville has renovated a building on the west side of Clark just south of Devon where in the near future she will be opening a new restaurant, and Know No Limits Gym moved north from a much smaller location.
There are currently 66 businesses along this stretch, of which more than 23% are auto-related (sales, repair, parts, maintenance, etc.) We don’t need more automotive businesses in the neighborhood.
Here is a listing of businesses along N. Clark Street from the north side of Ridge to one block north of Devon (businesses with an asterisk * denote gay-owned/focused):
(27) Professional & Misc. Services: Bridgeview Bank, State Farm Insurance, A.C.T. Group (accounting)*, Chicago Eyes Optometry, Back to Health Chiropractor, Clark Dental Office, North Clark Dental Center, Dignity Mortgage, Rimando Realty, Kassis Realty, Accord One Real Estate, Pleasant Travel & Tours, Dentzer Plumbing & Heating, Know No Limits Gym, Computers on Clark, Collier Lock Services, EDL Graphics & Signs, Tony’s Barber Shop, Fadil’s Salon, Smitty’s Barber & Beauty, Esmeralda’s Beauty Salon, Braidology, George Papas Tattoo, Western Union Currency Exchange, Custom Laundry, Brite Coin Laundry, Centro Romero
(16) Auto-Related: Chicago Auto Repair, Brakes 4 Less, Nineveh Auto Parts, Spring & Wheel Service Inc., Beil Auto Upholstery, Spring Auto Service/Car Wash, Akram Auto Electric, Koam Auto Repair, Community Auto Parts, Ben Franklin Motor Sales, Royal Crown Auto Sales, Chicago AutoHaus, Super Spray Car Wash, Mufflers 4 Less, Marathon Gas Station, Shell Gas Station
(9) Bars/Cafes: Jackhammer*, Touche*, Parlor*, Champions, Memories, Little Star, Dino’s, Pressure Café & Billiards
(8) Restaurants: Alexander’s Restaurant, Deluxe Diner, Marias, Gaztro Wagon, Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robins, Bandir Restaurant, East Africa Restaurant, El Chorrito
5) Small Shops: Harmony Art Glass, Gary’s Bicycle Shop, Minas TV & Video, Dr. Cell Wireless, Mephisto Leathers*
2)Performing Arts: Raven Theater, Joel Hall Dance Studio*
I don't think that it is any more garish than the Hollywood Video signs were.
Wasn't there a plan for the school to take that lot for a playground? Auto Zone is better than a vacancy, but keeping strip mall type building with parking in front isn't going to help develop Clark between Ridge and Devon into Andersonville North. What's needed is what's happening on Lawerence between Damen and Western. They are going to narrow the street, expand the sidwalks, slow the traffic and make it more appealing to pedestrians. Yes, it's true it would make driving around slower. Too bad the alderman couldn't show some vision on the Hollywood video site, but the world needs AutoZones too don't they?
QRBNST
i agree that the area is becoming a gayborhood. You also have the long standing Leather Musuem on Greenview by Devon. And BTW thanks for the business rundown. Nice to have a review. That stretch is improving.
Actually I just saw a new business called Double Apple where a video store used to be on the east side of clark by senn. It looks like a cool corner food store.
Personally I would rather have an independent autoparts store, but apparently thats just impossible.
We still need nuts and bolts businesses in the area as well.
Like the vaunted Clark and Devon Hardware store with its cool Clock and Sign up now. Considered to be among the top hardware stores in the city, which I can personally attest to.
I cant wait for that new restaurant to open from the former La Donna people.
I am always leery of cinderblock construction but Im just a worrywart in general and I hope that that 3 story addition to the clark and glenlake building turns out nice.
It would have been nice to have a Trader Joes or Walgreens.
But we have to settle for what we get even though there are many auto parts and auto related businesses between Ridge and Devon on Clark. Maybe the competition will drive some of them out.
I see the two auto parts stores there dont stick out much,
nineveh especially is humdrum. What is a nineveh?
Community autoparts looks okay but
thats tough in that only street parking for an autoparts store.
This stretch in general looks like a whole lot of nothing, but its good to see that changing in the past few years.
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