Ep. 10: Living In Near West Side (United Center) feat. Kristen Peterson

Written By Jake Lyons

Kristen Peterson, an event sales professional living in the Near West Side neighborhood (what we for now call the "United Center neighborhood"), shares her insights on the area's safety, walkability, and evolving character. She contrasts city living with suburban life and discusses the neighborhood's proximity to the United Center and its potential for growth. The episode offers a glimpse into the unique aspects of life in this dynamic Chicago neighborhood.

The Living in Chicago Podcast is where I, Jake Lyons, get to interview all kinds of people about the Chicago neighborhoods they live in, work in, and play in. This way, you can learn about the lifestyle pros and cons of various neighborhoods directly from the people who live there (or maybe even learn something new about your own neighborhood!)

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Real Estate in areas discussed:

https://www.thechicagohomesource.com/near-west-side/

Real Estate Quick Start Questionnaire 

https://www.thechicagohomesource.com/form/

Local Businesses Mentioned: 

  1. Smoque BBQ

  2. Manny's Deli

  3. Lola's Coney Island

  4. Butcher and the Burger

  5. Ricobene's

  6. Honey Butter Fried Chicken

  7. Billy Goat Tavern

  8. Kuma's Corner

Note: the following transcript was generated automatically and not checked closely for spelling, grammar, or accuracy

Jake: Welcome to the Living in Chicago podcast, where I get to interview real Chicagoans about the neighborhoods that they live, work and play in. My name is Jake Lyons. I'll be your host. And in this episode, I interview Kristin Peterson about her experience so far living in the near west side neighborhood of Chicago, which is what we're calling it because this is the section of the near west side that is closest to the United Center. It doesn't really have, as far as I know, it doesn't have sort of like its own neighborhood name yet, like a lot of other areas within the near west side do such as the West Loop and Fulton Market, the medical district, Tritaylor, little Italy, even Greek town, you know, places like that. So for just lack of a better name, we call it the United Center neighborhood, or we actually call it the near west side neighborhood.

Excuse me. If all this sounds familiar, we also spoke with Holly Smith about this neighborhood back in episode five, same, same general area, but, you know, a different person and different experiences and whatnot. So, and, you know, honestly, we're going to, I'm going to be having lots of episodes dealing with various neighborhoods within the near west side because it is a very popular section of town in general. And there's a lot going on and a lot of people want to live there for a lot of different reasons.

And, you know, we, that's, that's something that I intend on exploring a lot for the remainder of however long this show is going on. So if you are unfamiliar with where it is, though, if you just picture the Chicago Loop or downtown Chicago, just when you picture the skyline of Chicago, that's, you know, that's the Chicago Loop, essentially. If you just go a little bit west of that, that is basically the West Loop, which logic would follow. And the West Loop is within the near west side. So basically the area that we're talking about is a couple miles west of downtown Chicago and is between right around 290 Highway 290. If you are listening to a radio station in Chicago, you might hear that referred to as the Eisenhower Expressway. There is also, it's also right between a couple of different train lines. So blue lines to the south, pink and green to the north. Lots of different bus lines going, you know, north and south as well. So plenty of ways to get around if you are looking for, looking for public transit or car, very conveniently located neighborhood. Lots going on there. Not necessarily in the exact immediate area, but lots to do within, you know, walking distance or a short car ride or, you know, things like that.

But we're kind of stepping on the toes of what we're going to get into in this conversation. So without further ado, I will let Kristen Peterson tell you more about what it's like to live in the near west side. All right, joined here today by Kristen Peterson. She is a veteran of the event sales space, event venue, event planning, anything involving having a good time and finding a place to do that.

Kristen: Kristen, how are you? I'm good. How are you?

Jake: I'm doing very well. A slight, as we've talked about beforehand, I battling a slight cold just from various goings on over the holiday and things like that. So to anyone who will ever be listening to this, apologies if there's a couple of sniffles or raspiness along the way, but, you know, no excuses.

Play like a champion. We're here to talk about Chicago and the near west side and just Chicago in general with with Kristen. Kristen, what in a nutshell, what would you want the audience to know about you and your experience in Chicago so far?

Kristen: I guess that I was born and raised in the Northwest suburbs, but always felt the need. I'm more of like a city person, definitely than a suburban person. And that, you know, there's two different types of people I always say that are either city people or suburban people. And a lot of people like to tell me that my opinion will change when I get older. And I think that is not true.

Jake: Yeah, I mean, yeah, you see that that's definitely the route you see a lot of people take, right? As I grow up in the suburbs, get the itch to be a city person for a little while, settle down, have kids move back to the suburbs and the cycle repeats.

But I'm always, it always warms my soul a little bit when I see somebody go against that grain, you know, and they're just like, no, city. This is fine. This is a fine place to raise kids.

You don't need all the suburb trappings and all that. Agreed. What?

So Schaumburg originally, right? What? Maybe what? I don't really know how to phrase this question.

I'm just going to go for it. So what what do you think is like the relationship between the suburbs and the city from the perspective of like both both sides, like growing up in the suburbs, were the people in your life, were they kind of like anti city, even though it is just kind of right there? Or, you know, hostile?

Kristen: Well, I would say like my parents both were like raised in the city. They both moved out and like middle school and junior high. I mean, that's the same thing. Middle school and high school. So then they were like both the babies of their family. So their older siblings, you know, did born, raised, went to high school and kind of those pathways. So I think that they they have their own view because they did that pattern of like their family moved to the suburbs and they did that.

And my dad has still to this day does go down here and work. So he's exposed to it. But he just it's always the traffic. It's like every time you talk to someone in the suburbs, they're like, how do you deal with the traffic?

It's so horrible. What about the violent crimes? Are you afraid? Do you feel safe? And I feel like that's kind of just always been the message is like it's a headache. And still to this day. Did I get that? Yeah, sure.

Jake: And you live, I mean, you don't have to give like an exact address by any means, but you're near West Side.

Kristen: Yeah, it's the people probably don't know this neighborhood. I literally did it until I like looked at a map. It's probably going to get a better name in the next I'd say five to ten years, just with like gentrification. It's like right by the United Center. So people, I usually say that compared to like near West Side, because no one knows that neighborhood. But they know the surrounding area of the United Center. Yeah.

Jake: Yeah, I I've had a couple of conversations on this show already about how how odd it is to try to name that specific neighborhood right there. Because, you know, every it seems like every other corner on Chicago kind of gets to have like its own identity and its own its own name.

You know, even like the Fulton, the Fulton Market District is only like really a couple blocks, really. But literally, you know, it's like a whole world unto itself. But yeah, so you're kind of over in that like no man's land between like the West Loop and like East Garfield Park between.

Kristen: Yeah. And like in cornered in between West Town, like East Garfield Park, West Town. And yeah, just kind of like that interesting area.

Jake: What how and you've been there for how?

Kristen: Like this is coming up on my third year.

Jake: OK, so long enough to that's a pretty solid sample size. What do you I mean, it's all been, I guess, since you would have moved, I say you would have moved in pretty much like COVID year.

Kristen: I would say like the ending. It's like, you know, I mean, well, it depends on when you go there when it was. Yeah, I guess I feel like things are just even in my short time here, there was like a vacant lot that's been vacant for a really long time.

And they just built a three flat. It feels like in two months. I mean, they feels like that. But I mean, maybe but definitely a very short period of time, the buildings there, it seems like they have to just like the interior things. But just to see that change and, you know, right there. Yeah.

Jake: What's been your experience just in general living there? I mean, you know, just like a safety standpoint, things to do within walking distance or not too far.

Kristen: Yeah, I would say safety, I feel very safe. I know like 10 years, 10 years ago, this area was very different. That's what I hear a lot. Obviously, I wasn't here 10 years ago, but I do I can see that. But right now it's I feel like I live around a lot of like families and just things like that. As far as like walkability, I would say there's you have to be like committed to the walk. And by that, I mean like 15, 20 minutes, which is not a bad walk at all. But like it's not like, oh, I can walk five minutes and there's, you know, to get I mean, I can to get coffee actually. And maybe it's like seven. But just compared to like some other neighborhoods, I would say it's it's walkable. But it's not as walkable as others.

Jake: That's true. Is this the only neighborhood that in Chicago that you've that you've actually lived in? Yeah, so far. OK. Yeah. So you spent some time in some other some other places, Minnesota, Twin Cities, etc.

Kristen: Yeah, I used to live in like downtown St. Paul's like in comparison of like when I lived in downtown St. Paul, like unless I was going somewhere, you know, like the grocery store, which is not in St. Like downtown area, I would really be able to like walk to like my nail salon or, you know, like just those types of like quick access things like my favorite local bar.

Not to say that I can't walk to like the bars around me, but they're just not my favorite locals. I guess. Mm hmm. I just I feel like it's because it is so close to the United Center that it really the business there also depends on like if there's something going on at the United Center, then that obviously impacts it.

Jake: Right. That makes sense. Yeah, there's really for for being right for having the United Center right there, there's really not a ton of like businesses that you would think would kind of be around a venue like that.

I mean, you've got the man. What's the name of the burger place right there on on Ogden? I yeah, Billy Goat. Sorry, Billy Goat. I go to Billy Goat all the time.

I'm so bad with names sometimes, but yeah, like Billy Goat there and then like a couple others. But for the most part, you kind of have to go down back into the like towards the west loop to really get into anything.

Kristen: Pretty much it is that I mean, and I think a lot of it has to do with kind of the changing of the neighborhood, you know, throughout the years that like 10 years ago, people didn't really want to spend time right around the United Center.

It was more of like a go to the event and like leave right away type deal. And now people are like, oh, well, you know, thinking about it. So I'm thinking things will change. But also the United Center is like surrounded by surface lots. I mean, there's just so much surface parking. I guess I don't really, you know, think of the other like Sox Park, I guess, probably, but that's in a different area. You know, like Wrigley, there's it's Wrigley. So.

Jake: So what neighborhoods do you tend to spend the most time in like on either for work or leisure time?

Kristen: Yeah, for work, it's usually, you know, just like probably like River North, Straitorville, Gold Coast, West Loop in those types of areas. But as far as like leisure, I do like that West Loop is so close to so kind of staying in that area.

A little bit of Wicker Park, which is just an interesting neighborhood in itself, but it's super close by. So just kind of like staying within. That's why I really like where I'm at, because I feel like I'm 15 minutes away from everything. You know, I can I'm super close to Pilsen. I'm super close to the loop. You know, I'm not that far away from like even like the Gold Coast or going up more north. Like it's kind of nice to be that located. Yeah, that makes sense.

Jake: So yeah, so you said for work and I mean, you know, we don't have to get into like exact employers or anything like that. But I mean, what's like what about the work you do? Has you in those like the street or Bill River North kind of areas? Is this where the places are that happen to have the kind of events that you're working in or?

Kristen: Yeah, I would say definitely that kind of typically traditionally, I would say I do more like corporate events and whether their offices are. I mean, it's it's funny when you talk to people, they'll say downtown.

And I always ask them what's your definition of downtown? You know, is that the loop? Is that people will say River North? People say Street orville? Like what is downtown Chicago is a true question that I like to ask people because it varies. So I would say, I guess in that people like to stay within that like, quote unquote, downtown realm for things, whether they're doing, you know, like coming in town for business. And that's where their hotels are or just things of that nature where their corporate office is kind of there. It kind of generally brings more business naturally.

Jake: So, yeah, I mean, I know you said like you haven't you haven't been there long enough to really observe some of the changes that have happened over the years. But even just in terms of like what you hear, I don't know when we met before, we were talking about just how how different a lot of the neighborhoods are based on based on what we've heard, you know, the stories of like all these neighborhoods that we know of as just nothing but nice places where people want to live. It's like, yeah, you hear that all the time, like 10, 15 years ago. Oh, you didn't want to step foot in there past dark or really anytime or anything like that. And it's like kind of wild to hear. I mean, yeah, definitely.

Kristen: I was about to say that like, I guess, because growing up, I would go to the quote unquote like Fulton Market area, you know, back when it was a market. And my dad used to own like Pete's Meats, which is a meat packing company. My uncle still owns the building across from Peoria on Lake Street where like the stands donuts, like they manufacture donuts there now. So, you know, I would go down there at four in the morning with him and just go to work.

And it would just be just completely different. And for I guess it really comes to life when I bring my my dad down here and I'm driving out with him or any of his brothers. And, you know, they drive by and like, oh, I used to own that building and like we're right there where it's now a skyscraper like a high rise, not a skyscraper, but like a high rise. Like I used to be like a building that was demolished and just kind of like those things. And I guess they're just kind of like stuck in their ways where I want to maybe like take them out to like a nice restaurant or something in that area.

And they're just like, I can't believe that they this is like what's here now and they're charging this and just, you know, things like that. I feel really, it changes, which is gentrification and its growth. And it's just, I think it's interesting, like the neighborhoods that they pick. But I mean, if you really think about it, you know, the West Loop and Holds a Market is so close to River North and Street of Berlin or like quote unquote, downtown, the loop. So it just kind of makes sense in the way of expanding that that would be, you know, brought in where people do want to live because it is convenient.

Jake: Yeah, it's fairly, I think it's pretty intuitive to look at sort of the growth patterns that the city has had in the last decade or two and just be like, yeah, I can see why that would happen there. You know, like even looking up to West Town, Wicker Park, Logan Square, kind of heading up that way. It's like, okay, it's along the blue line. I can figure this out, you know, or Milwaukee Avenue or like the green slash pink line in the case of West Loop and things like that. It's like, yeah, the lines still matter and proximity to the dense, you know, downtown still matters. At least, I think it still does, but obviously things are a little different like post COVID, all that stuff, but people are going back to the offices though.

Kristen: Yeah. I mean, well, speaking of offices, Google has their office down there. A lot of corporate companies have kind of chosen to put like corporate McDonald's have moved to that area.

So that also helps with it too. And I also think it's interesting that, that like, you know, Randolph restaurant row a years ago, it used to be where, you know, the food was coming from the meat, the poultry, like the products, those things were coming from there. And now it's restaurants there. So it's kind of sticking with that realm almost and just expanding.

Jake: Yeah, that's interesting. I never actually made that connection, but that does make sense that that would be one of the, you know, like get your meat from a block away, get all your products from just this is all right there. So that would make sense that like the biggest restaurant area in the city would also grow out of that. I wonder if that's how that actually happened. I mean, I imagine it is to some extent, but yeah, that's interesting.

Kristen: Yeah, definitely. I mean, that's something to think about. I just don't just thinking back. I know it's been, it's obviously really boomed within the past couple of years where everybody, it feels like if you're any type of restaurant group, you are opening at least one restaurant in the West loop to just kind of keep up with the Joneses almost. But I wonder, I would like be interested to just kind of go back and see the first evolutions of who did that. But I also think that the West loop is kind of creating its own, its own vibe in the sense that people River North used to be, you know, the go to spot wherever I want to want to go. But it's kind of now seen as a little rough. I've heard a lot of people say that they're, they don't feel safe going out in River North because of the things that are going on there. And that's why they're kind of going to West loop.

And I don't want to jinx it or anything. But I think, you know, from a standpoint of like easy in and out and like getaways and things of that nature for violence, it's easier to, you know, disappear in River North than it is more so in West loop or Fulton market, just because of like all of those one way, it's not really made, set up the same way as River North, which is made for like high dense populations of traffic. And that area was made for not that at all. So there's, I mean, it brings also it's not made for all these people to be parking there because there's no parking at all. Right.

Jake: And even public transit is kind of hard in the West loop, unless you're right right on the green line, you know?

Kristen: Yeah. I mean, that's a lot of people live like, like, oh, I just I live by the red line. So I take it everywhere. And I like I live like off the pink and green. So I always always have to transfer. It's like very there's not unless I'm going to like the West loop, there's not really a direct place. So then other people will have to kind of do that same thing and transfer to get on to the train. Oh, yeah.

Jake: Right. This year in general, the more the more hurdles there are the or anybody who means you harm, the more safer going to be.

Kristen: Yeah, definitely, which is and I think it's just like also a different area where people needed to go because there's I would say like Gold Coast, Old Town, that tends to be the younger like early 20s, you know, type vibe. And West loop is more of, you know, like the young profession, not that the young kids are young professionals, but like not out of college, you know, more established people. It's that kind of vibe.

Jake: Yeah. What would you say about if you were to categorize similarly Westtown going up that way, like Westtown, Wicker Park area?

Kristen: Well, I feel like Wicker Park is very it's like a melting pot. It gives because there's there's like the Wicker Park vibe of like the hipster, you know, just alternative type person. Then like yesterday, I went to this place in Wicker Park off of Milwaukee, and I was like really not expecting that to like be in Wicker Park. Like it played like hip hop music, had great food, just not necessarily like I really enjoyed it. I just wasn't expecting it to be in that neighborhood. So I guess it's kind of like a melting pot of different things.

Jake: So if someone were to visit your neighborhood, and we could just kind of say, you know, maybe not your like immediate neighborhood, but you know, like kind of these general areas that we've that we've been talking about for just one day, what would be sort of the perfect way to experience, experience these Chicago neighborhoods in a way that you would recommend?

Kristen: I would hope it would be when it's nice outside. So you can.

Jake: Yeah, let's let's assume.

Kristen: Yeah, let's assume it's a big assumption to make. But yeah, I mean, being positive. Let's assume it's nice weather. I would, you know, really say I'm a big food person and just kind of go on like a little bit of like a food tour and do really experience because Chicago is a food city.

You know, some cities are nightlife and Chicago is definitely if you want to succeed in like the food and beverage industry, you need to have dead food. So kind of go to like that Randolph. Probably it would be easy. You could go to Randolph Street and just kind of walk up and down and kind of do like a drink in an appetizer or small bites at a bunch of different places. There's some cute shopping there, too, to just even like pop in and see that.

I think also on. Like if you take Madison down, like there's like obviously there's that area of a sleep, but then kind of going jogging over a little bit more, not forgetting about over there, there are some super cute shops and just kind of seeing even within the neighborhood, the differences within it. I think that's what's really cool and walking and just eating.

Jake: Yeah. There's a lot of good eating to be at in this city.

Kristen: Yeah. And out of this world. Yeah. And even I mean, even trying different cuisines and different things and being able to do that within the same neighborhood is amazing and definitely checking out a rooftop bar because those are our favorite in the summer.

Jake: What's something that you would truly only know if you actually lived in the area that you live in

Kristen: that, you know, this neighborhood is called the near West side. That's literally one of them. I don't know that. Street parking is not as bad as you would think because it's really not. I don't. Random fun facts, I guess. Yeah.

Jake: That checks out. I've had that experience there, too. Almost it's like a game day kind of situation. There's like an event fun on nearby or something maybe, but besides that.

Kristen: No, I mean, but even when there is an event like it would be more so like getting on to my street, but actually finding a parking spot is unless there's like street cleaning or whatever, because you need a sticker. It's like, but it's not, but it's not permanent. It's not permanent parking.

It's just like I need like a near West side sticker that like proves that I live in the neighborhood, but it's free. So. OK, that's a plus. Yeah. Right on.

Jake: What would you say is the most surprising thing about about your neighborhood that you've learned since living there?

Kristen: I would say the most surprising thing is how like why it is just with the like location of things, especially when things are happening, you know, like over the summer or especially when the weather is nice. And it's kind of actually both with the games and stuff. It's not as like crazy as you might think with the location. Mm hmm.

Jake: How about a common misconception that you that you found people to have about either your neighborhood? We can answer both, you know, your neighborhood and then just the city and at large.

Kristen: That I live in a dangerous area. There's a like a big one. I feel like never my parents are like it's really changed. Like, you know, when they tell people where I live, there's that. And I think we touched on it earlier. The misconception is that this is just a phase in my life and that I'm going to move to the suburbs and live life there, which I don't know, maybe, but I really, really don't foresee that. Coming. Mm hmm.

Jake: Yeah, no, no white picket fence life, not for a while, at least.

Kristen: No. And I feel like the people that do make that jump, like whether they, you know, at one point said that they were going to be in the city forever. I feel like I always knew that that wasn't really their vibe. You know, like they might be in that that realm, but there is just a certain type of person that you know is going to stay here forever. And I think that's well, not in Chicago, but in the city, in a city. Mm hmm. Right. Yeah.

Jake: I mean, bottom line, like kids get involved in kids change a lot of stuff. And that's not that's not an experience that I have yet, but I definitely, you know, can empathize with it.

You know, like, I know how hard it is to like get your kid in the right school in Chicago and like that whole that whole thing. But but yeah, I definitely see where you're going with that for sure. Yeah.

Kristen: But I mean, there's so many families that live in Chicago, you know.

Jake: Definitely. Oh, yeah. Yep. Yeah. But at the same time, it's so it's so rare to actually like meet somebody who's truly from like born and raised their whole life in Chicago. You know, it's almost like if it's if it's. It's almost always like somebody, you know, like yourself, like, so they're from the suburbs and live here now or something like that. Like it's yeah, very few and far between that you find somebody like that.

Kristen: I would say it depends on like the neighborhood and also, you know, like with coaching, gymnastics, I coach like a lot of people from like Lincoln Park, I would say, like they're like born and raised and like stay here. And like they have families and. But I coached gymnastics kind of in like South Loop. Area ish and like a lot of the parents of the kids like were born and raised in the city. And then they have like teenagers now. So it just depends. But then I do it like an adult class at the same time and pretty much everybody in that adult class is not from Chicago. Mm hmm.

Jake: Let's. So we were talking about restaurants, bars, things like that. Let's just do a quick, like top five. Then no particular order. Really putting you on the spot. Yeah.

Kristen: I. I don't know. See, like I like to go to like a bunch of different places. I really don't like to go to the same place over and over again. I know that's a weird. Yeah, I mean, either. So to say, yeah. So I feel like that's why it's like hard to pick because I feel like it depends on who I'm with.

And then I'm like, let's I try to go to new places. So I don't I can't answer. Top five. I mean, it really depends on. The five. What are your top fives?

Jake: Oh, turning around on me. I wasn't ready for that. Yeah, I mean. So the place I would answer in terms of the places where if somebody's coming into town, like if I have like family or friends coming into town, like, what are the first places that come to mind that like we need to take you here? Because I doubt I doubt you've experienced anything quite like this, wherever you're from. Um, so to that, I would say I'm avoiding like the deep dish pizza and like that kind of thing. I'm just I'm over it with the deep dish pizza.

I don't know that I was ever really a big fan of it to begin with, but like I would take somebody like Parler. OK. Parler pizza or something or one of those other kind of pizza places like that, something like Kuma's. There's so many really good burger places. Kuma's is in there. Really a big fan of like Butcher and the burger on Armitage, Armitage and Sheffield area.

That one's really good. Let me think. Oh, Smoke. If somebody is looking for like the best barbecue there, you'd have to go to, you know, Texas or somebody to find, you know, barbecue that's anywhere near as good.

Smoke with a Q. They just opened a new steakhouse too. It's pretty good. And then right across from that steakhouse is another one, Honey Butter Fried Chicken. I heard of that one.

Kristen: I guess if I had to think about that, it would be like places my dad like has brought me just because of him being like Ricobino's is like very iconic and like very like put you in a food coma. And that's something that I would definitely bring someone to for the breaded steak sandwich, some monster. So if you've not gone, you definitely need to go.

Jake: It's where is it? What is it? I can't say Ricobino's. It's in it's like South. I want to say it's in the South Loop. They just they're famous for their breaded steak sandwich. And you have to. I was, but it was get the king. You can't finish it all, but you eat half of it. It's just so amazing.

Kristen: It's just so. Yeah, that's really like you're like Manny's deli. Just I feel like the iconic places that my dad has gone to for a million years and I I'm like I'm a sucker for just like classic things. Like that's why I like to go out to different places. But like there's a sandwich shop on Western that I grew up going to. It's like literally a hole in the wall only open for breakfast and lunch. And I love to get like an egg sandwich from there. I've gotten the same egg sandwich since I was like 13. And I love that it's down the street from me.

And they have amazing grits and they're just like. I guess like a memory that I mean, it's not like I'm going to like bring someone up. But like, hey, you want to get like a great breakfast sandwich? Like let's just go here and just pick it up.

Jake: Yeah, nice. That's a good note. I'll check the check those places out. I'll I'll have I'll find some links and have those in the show notes or people go. Yeah. So yeah, I guess just a bottom line, like in summary, why should somebody want to move or live in Chicago? And from there, why would somebody want to live in your neighborhood?

Kristen: Why would someone I think someone should want to move to Chicago if you're a number one, if you're a big foodie because we love food here. And it is the Midwest. People are nice, but I would say from living in like a different Midwest area, they're nice, but they're not passive aggressive, which I a lot of Midwesterners can be passive aggressive, but I feel like Minnesota people could be very passive.

So I like that. I didn't learn what passive aggressive was until I lived in Minnesota. So and then I would say moving to my area.

Well, to be selfish, I really don't want people to because I want to like keep my ranch and like keep it a little secret. But if you are looking for something that is really great, like centrally located and kind of be a part of the up and coming, I would say that this is definitely the neighborhood for it. Just growing off the expansion of the West loop is just going to continue to flow over to this area. Yep. Agreed.

Jake: Awesome. Well, I think that's about all I all I have on my end. Are there any other any other, you know, tidbits you wanted to say or things you wanted to highlight or questions I should have asked?

Kristen: No, I think you hit everything.

Jake: Cool. Well, thank you so much for coming on and sharing your experience of the near West side in Chicago in general with the audience. I'm sure everyone will get a lot out of it. All right. Thanks, Rissa. Yeah, no problem. Yeah.

Jake Lyons
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Ep. 11: Living in Southport Corridor, Lakeview, Chicago's Boating Scene, & More w/ Keith Levy!
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Ep. 9: Living in Edgewater feat. Tree Caridi