Southport Corridor Chicago is 15 years old. What began as a Facebook page in 2011 became a blog in 2013 and, eventually, a record of approximately 4,500 posts about a neighborhood constantly reinventing itself.
A neighborhood, documented one storefront at a time
In the earliest years, the news might have been a boutique opening, a restaurant changing hands, a familiar tavern closing, or the next development on the block. The Facebook community talked about it; the blog helped preserve it.
Those thousands of small updates have become a remarkable time capsule. Today we can look back at what Southport looked like before its latest wave of national retailers and remember the businesses that shaped daily life.
The bars and gathering places we miss
For a generation of neighborhood regulars, Mystic Celt, Justin’s, Cullen’s, Newport Bar & Grill, Southport Lanes and Schoolyard Tavern were places to find friends and familiar faces. The changing bar scene is at the center of our lost Southport bars retrospective.
The boutiques that made shopping personal
Perchance, M2, Cerato, She One, Mint Julep and Uncle Dan’s helped make an afternoon on Southport feel like exploring rather than running errands. Our independent shops feature recalls their character and their departure.
The changes continue
Southport gained investments, new restaurants, larger storefronts and the attention of national brands. Some improvements have made the street a stronger shopping destination, but development has also sparked debates about affordability, independent retail and neighborhood identity.
In the final installment, Southport Then and Now, we explore how the corridor can embrace its success without forgetting what made it special.
Thank you for 15 years
Thank you to everyone who has shared photographs, tipped us off to neighborhood news, corrected a detail or joined the conversation since 2011. The archive is a record of a community, not just a collection of buildings.
What is your favorite Southport memory since 2011? What do you miss, and what do you love about the neighborhood today? Tell us below.
Explore the full anniversary series: Part 1: 15 Years of Southport Corridor Chicago: How Our Neighborhood Changed Since 2011 | Part 2: The Southport Bars We Wish We Could Bring Back | Part 3: Before the Big Brands: Independent Southport Shops We Still Miss | Part 4: Southport Then and Now: What We Gained, What We Lost, and What Comes Next