Some (Possibly Final) Thoughts About Maxwell Street.

Several members of this forum have urged me to join it, in part because I have been involved in the efforts to save Maxwell Street, a favorite neighborhood of many here.

Until earlier this year, I was president of the Maxwell Street Historic Preservation Coalition.

There is a lot of Maxwell Street information (though not a lot of it specifically food-related) on my web site, including a recent essay of mine that prompted several people to suggest I make a mention of it here.

(Go To) Some Thoughts (Possibly Final) About Maxwell Street. (10/11/04)

Nice link, and nice blog. Yes, I think some of us have something in common with you.

Personally, I was pleased with your use of the term "outsider," as I have been taken to task in the past for using that term to refer to some of the Chicago communities that existed on the margins for so many years.

Secondly, there are more than a few of us that share your interest in Bourbon, and might wish to explore that section.

Hope to meet and break bread with you one of these days.

Someone once told me that Chicago tears down and rebuilds itself every ... years. I do not remember the number, but I imagine it is between 20 and 50. I sort of think this is characteristic of much of the US, where we value the new and fresh above all else, and so like to tear things down and replace them with the new. Historic Preservation, in my personal theory, is solely a function of a place being healthy and economically vibrant enough to be building lots of good stuff, followed by such a steep and prolonged decline (a duration of 50 years at least) that there is no interest in spending any money on new construction. If this is then followed by a modest recovery, people will discover all this cool building stock, and try to use it because there is still not quite enough incentive to tear down and rebuild. If this goes on for some time, say another 50 years, you end up with this marvelous, old, partially re-habbed architecture that everyone recognizes is worth preserving. Charleston is a great example of this process.

Otherwise, one must count on spectacular buildings and heroic efforts by people with a whole bunch of money to preserve the individual buildings. Which does not happen that often. Or perhaps some federal pork barrel initiative (Lowell, Mass. and Paul Tsongas' efforts come to mind as an example of this, though it also probably follows the Charleston model, too.)

And then there are the idiotic preservation initiatives designed to save places with no soul, little history, and no historic value, like the old Soldier Field (RIP, I say), which detracts and distracts from the efforts to save places with character and value. Sorry, I had to add my rant on this one - every time I hear someone decry the loss of Soldier Field, I just do not get it. Nice columns, yup, but was it one of the 1,000 most interesting and historical structures in Chicago? I do not see it.

As to the current Maxwell Street Market, why does it still exist? Is it somehow related to the political clout of the Mexican community, which can hardly be classified as "outsider" any more? Or is the current location just a way station on a carefully planned trip to oblivion, designed to make the place go away in gradual, non-confrontational steps? Or something else entirely?

I am curious what you think the future holds for it, and why the powers-that-be allowed its preservation.

Welcome.

Survival of the Maxwell Street Market at its current location on Canal is precarious and becomes more so with each new development in that area. The nearby chain stores don't like it and would like to see it gone. However, the merchants who are there do like it and are not without some clout of their own. It is very closely tied to the Mexican community, and specifically to St. Francis and Pilsen. It still needs all the support it can get. The former Consumer Services Commissioner, Caroline Schoenberger, liked the Market. I don't know anything about her successor, Norma Reyes.

Hey Charles,

I had been meaning to respond to your article for some time.

I, too, miss old Maxwell Street, as I do Riverview and many of the other Chicago treasures that have disappeared in my lifetime.

The Canal Street location, however, seems to offer some things the old market could not - principally, space. The lack of buildings butting up to the sidewalk, as well as the grand longitudinal expanse, comfortably permits more vendors than would have been possible at the old old Maxwell St. Market. Now, I'm not saying more is better, but I always like standing at Taylor and looking down the street southward and seeing that big teeming boulevard of random stuff and bargain hunters and food fanatics.

Hope to see you there some time,

Hammond

HI,

What about Swap-O-Rama, which I have yet to visit, it seems to have the feel of a Maxwell Street type event. Just their commercials: eat a meal, get your haircut, get some legal advice, (buy stuff which fell off the truck -- my interjection) --- would these type of places be considered modeled after Maxwell St or at least in a different way carries the spirit on?

On the surface it would be the same premise: small scale entrepreneurs who cannot afford a brick and mortar store, build up their reputation and bankroll to get their business launched via low cost, temporary market place.

Many people characterize the Maxwell Street Market as a "Flea Market." That characterization may have been valid, and least partially, during some of its history, but certainly not in its heyday. Even today, although some vendors do sell the used or odd lots merchandise that characterizes flea markets, the produce and prepared food vendors do not fit that description.

Maxwell Street was unique because the market coexisted with a commercial and residential neighborhood. In its heyday (within living memory) it was several times larger than the current market, spreading out onto all of the adjacent side streets.

The current market on Canal is a great institution in its own right, as David Hammond has documented so well. It is a worthy continuation of the Maxwell Street tradition.

Butch, Earl, Dickson,

You would have met Chuck at the first bourbon tasting arranged by Aaron Deacon. With a little additional cajoling, he just may be convinced to lead a second bourbon tasting.

I posted on the release of Chuck's book, Bourbon Straight, back in August...although I finished it a while ago, I just wrote a follow-up post to recommend it to LTH readers here.

The new Maxwell Market is greatly constrained compared to the vacant lots area that I visited only once or twice. Then, it was more like the 6 mile fair with spaces so cheap (or free) that you ended up walking a great distance to see less product. IMHO, I think the new Maxwell Market is a bit like keeping a confined lassez faire red light district. In other words, allowing it to exist in one confined area, helps keep the competition from sprouting up somewhere where you can't control it.

pdaane wrote:You would have met Chuck at the first bourbon tasting arranged by Aaron Deacon. With a little additional cajoling, he just may be convinced to lead a second bourbon tasting.

You know, I've been thinking it's time to try this again, though I've been a bit put off by the bitching of El Panzone over the first one. I'll try to get in touch with Mike at Delilah's and see about a good time, if there's interest.

Lee Bey, who writes about architecture, recalls it was 20 years ago when eviction notices began to be issued to clear the near west side for development. On his blog there are video clips of what Maxwell Street used to be. You want want to check out his blog piece: http://www.wbez.org/blogs/lee-bey/2013- ... ilm-107720