For 15 years, Southport Corridor Chicago has followed the openings, closings, renovations and reinventions along one of Lakeview’s best-known streets. And after all that change, there’s a question worth asking: What does Southport Corridor still need?
A neighborhood that keeps reinventing itself
Southport Avenue between Belmont and Irving Park has evolved into a destination for shopping, dining, fitness and entertainment. National names have joined longtime local businesses, and storefronts that residents remember one way now have entirely different lives.
That evolution brings energy and investment. But it also raises a question about balance: How do we welcome what’s new without losing the neighborhood character that made people fall in love with Southport in the first place?
What would you bring back?
For some longtime residents, the answer might be another classic neighborhood pub. Places such as Mystic Celt, Cullen’s, Justin’s, Schoolyard Tavern and Southport Lanes are still part of the conversation years after closing or changing. They weren’t simply places to grab a drink; they were gathering spots where neighbors ran into neighbors.
Others might miss the independent boutiques and specialty shops that once gave Southport a different kind of shopping experience. What kind of small business would you love to see here again?
What should come next?
Maybe your wish list looks completely different: a bookstore, a neighborhood breakfast spot, a casual restaurant, a family-friendly hangout, a live-music venue, or something we haven’t thought of yet.
And beyond individual storefronts, there are bigger questions. Are there enough independent businesses? Is Southport still a place for everyday neighborhood errands, or increasingly a destination for special trips? What would make the street more welcoming to people of different ages and budgets?
We want to hear from you
There’s no single right answer. Some residents love Southport’s newer mix of shops and restaurants. Others wish a few old favorites could return. Plenty probably feel both ways.
If you could bring one business back—or open one entirely new kind of place on Southport—what would it be, and why?
Tell us in the comments. We may feature your ideas in a future Southport Conversation story. After 15 years of covering the corridor, we know one thing: the people who live, work and spend time here have plenty to say about its future.