Permanent Records

Ukrainian Village’s Permanent Records continues to defy the odds and survive as an independent record store (and label) while also occasionally hosting successful in-store performances. Best thing yet, Permanent strives to keep their buying and trading policies in vogue, even at times making house calls.

1914 West Chicago
(773)278-1744
permanentrecordschicago.com

Audience choice:
Reckless Records, 3126 North Broadway, (773)404-8050; 1532 North Milwaukee, (773)235-3727; 26 East Madison, (312)795-0878, reckless.com

Best of Chicago 2009

Archie’s

Snuggled on the corner of Iowa and Rockwell near Humboldt Park, Archie’s success lies in the fact that not every “cooler than thou” hipster infests the place—only the real folks in the ‘hood. Calling Archie’s a dive bar seems presumptuous, but with the faded Hamm’s sign hanging outside, it could be easily mistaken for one of the local townie bars. Cheap beer and free pool are the main draws: Hamm’s is $2 every day and the likes of Goose Island and Stella are only $3 on some days. Heck, Archie’s doesn’t even sell PBR.

2600 West Iowa

(773)486-2626

Best of Chicago 2009

Dilly Lily
Rose petals strewn about the entranceway. The floating music of Bebel Gilberto. “When people walk in, we like to put a smile on their face, to change their outlook for the day,” says Christine Gorman, who has co-owned Lincoln Park’s Dilly Lily flower shop with her sister Melissa for the last eleven years. Arrangements are girlish and whimsical with unexpected accents: a curlicue of fiddlehead fern, a palm-sized burst of escheveria, woodcut gift cards, jewelry crafted by neighborhood artists. Upon leaving this dreamy little shop, customers are sent off with a jovial, “Have a Dilly Lily day!”

742 W. Fullerton
(773)404-0602
dillylily.com

Audience choice: (Tie)
Fleur
3149 W. Logan
(773)395-2770

A New Leaf
1645 N Wells
(312)649-7008

Stems
850 N. Ashland
(312)243-4470

Best of Chicago 2008

Mercury Café

West Town’s Mercury Café is one of the most gigantic cafes in the city, and perhaps in the world. With over 4,000 square feet of hardwood space, it would be nearly impossible to find yourself without your own cozy nook for sipping coffee, finishing work or playing (provided) board games. With free Wi-Fi, you just may start to consider it home.

1505 W. Chicago
(312)455-9922
chimercurycafe.com

Best of Chicago 2008

Rotofugi Designer Toy Store & Gallery

From cute to crunchy, from fluffy to Bad-Bad, Chicago Avenue phenom Rotofugi not only sells adult toys from artists like Tim Biskup, Frank Kozik, Archer Prewitt and dozens more, they`ve developed relationships with artists and manufacturers that guarantee a good supply of goodies, and many exclusives. Plus, timeless hide-in-the-fist toys like the implausibly cute little addicts, the Smorking Labbits, popularly known as “toy crack,” which gets you started on your own jones. Owners Kirby Kerr and Whitney Kerr host monthly fine-art exhibits each month at the gallery next to their stuffed-to-the-walls-and-ceiling, colorful-as-candy and twice-as-compulsive storefront, with nine so far in 2007.

1953 West Chicago
(312)491-9501
rotofugi.com

Best of Chicago 2007

The homeless ghost

In olden days, say the 1970s or so, at the most recent, there were caseworkers and beat cops and extended families and longtime citizens of a block who kept tabs on their corner and looked after all manner of strays. All summer at the corner of Chicago and Damen, a homeless woman has taken up residence on one bus shelter during the day, another, catty-corner, by night, head folded, a white blanket covering her face and form at almost all times. The worst modern reaction, however, has come from all those who merely assumed it was a “time arts” stunt, a bit of performance art involving duration.

Best of Chicago 2007

Happy Village

Maybe it’s the Zeppelin on the jukebox, or the lawn chairs and folding tables, or the oscillating fans cooling the patrons, or the ping-pong tables lingering in the back room, or the “There are no strangers here, only friends we haven’t met yet” sign hanging behind the bar, or maybe the endless stream of PBRs and Old Styles, but there’s something about this joint that reminds us of Dad.

1059 North Wolcott
(773)486-1512

happyvillagebar.com

Best of Chicago 2007

D’Amato’s

Next time you stop by D’Amato’s for a loaf of their legendary Italian bread, grab a bag of breadsticks. These crispy rods, covered with sesame seeds and filled with the flavor of homemade bread, make a snack to savor, either dipped into your favorite hummus or cheese spread, or just enjoyed au naturel.

1124 West Grand
(312)733-5456

Best of Chicago 2007

The enclosed Starbucks means you now can buy the New York Times south of Division Street.

Best of Chicago 2007

Division Street at dusk between Wood and Damen

The soundscape starts mildly at Phyllis’ Musical Inn and bumps up a notch at Smokedaddy, where the forest of sidewalk tables begins; move further west and Moonshine thumps into the cool autumn nights. A few doorways of quiet, past the closed-by-night Milk & Honey, and then you are in the throng: Via Carducci, The Boundary, Jerry’s, Coco Rouge, Vintage, Easy. The block west of Damen is eatery-chocked, too, but the loud music chiming and clashing and crowds noshing and gnashing and flashing and splashing are a solid wall of attitude, if not style, the closest approximation in this new yupscale nightlife zone to the most impossible, impassable stretches of Miami’s South Beach. Cross the street! Quickly!

Best of Chicago 2007