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By Kathy Headley
Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor
6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778
How great was last week with four days of spring-like weather?
And, I’m sure you know I visited Marquette Park as often as I could in those four days. It was just so nice to see people out there fishing and walking or jogging and playing golf. Last Thursday in particular, the breeze was blowing just right for kites. It was fun to watch the kids running back and forth with their colorful kites flying high in the air.
Now are you into watching Chicago Blackhawks games? Perhaps you watched the final game of the season last week, when Captain Jonathan Toews played with the team for the last time. At that same game, the Blackhawks announced that Head Trainer Mike Gapski was retiring and that would also be his final game.
Even if you don’t watch hockey religiously, I’m guessing many of you knew Mike. For those that didn’t, he was one of our own, for not only did Mike spend 36 years with the Hawks, he was a graduate of St. Rita High School, Class of 1976, and grew up on 59th and Mozart.
Here’s what’s coming up in the neighborhood this weekend and next week:
This Saturday, April 22, the Chicago Lawn Branch Library. 6120 S. Kedzie, will begin hosting a Family Project Hour from 1 to 2 p.m. Suitable for children ages 6 to 13, the group will be working on a different project every month. For April, there will be a discussion of how plants grow and then everyone will be able to make plastic bottle planters. Space is limited so prior registration is required. For more information, call the branch at (312) 747-0639.
The Annual Unofficial Bogan Reunion is scheduled for this Saturday, as well, at the Irish Rebel, 9953 Southwest Highway, Oak Lawn, at 7 p.m. The get together features a DJ and pizza. For more information, go to the Unofficial Bogan Reunion 2023 Facebook page.
This weekend at St. Thomas More, 2825 W. 81st St., representatives from the Catholic Christian Community from Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the Holy Land will display their handcrafted olive wood religious figurines and artifacts for purchase after the weekend Masses. For more information, view bethlehem-art.com.
This Sunday, April 23, the Lithuanian Center, 5620 S. Claremont, brings Tragic Magic to the stage. Developed and directed by Beth Bornstein Dunnington, official winner of the Hollywood Encore Producer Award, Tragic Magic is a story of recovery, billed as “ultimately a story of hope, redemption and triumph.” The show begins at 1 p.m. Tickets with lunch included are $30. A cash bar will be available. For reservations and more information, send an email to antanas5190@gmail.com.
Also on Sunday, April 23, the Community Cinema brings a screening of the 2022 Walt Disney film Strange World to the Chicago Lawn Branch Library. The movie begins at 2 p.m. and is suitable for ages 6-13.
On Tuesday, April 25, in celebration of National Poetry Month, and living poets everywhere, the Chicago Lawn Branch is holding an Open Mic night from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Share your own poetry and hear readings of the original work of other living poetic voices.
Then coming up from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, the 27th–since April is also Jazz Appreciation Month–the library will host a special live performance by the Sylvia Strings Quintet. Adult Librarian Bruce Sullivan assures us, “You’ll marvel at the lovely sounds of the violin, viola, and cello played by professional orchestra musicians.”
Now back to 1973. When we left 1973 last week, we were on our way to the liquor store by the Zayre on Southwest Highway. Back then we could still enjoy nice cold Pepsi or Coca-Cola in glass bottles and this store was running a good sale on 8-packs. Dan P. was the first to remember Kane Liquors. And he remembered it because when they had a little extra money, he and his friends would ride their bikes up there on a Saturday to get a hot dog from the hot dog vendor that was usually set up by the store.
Let’s take a break from 1973 and do something different this week. Over the years there was one store that had many different locations in the area. They started here as early as the 1930s. I am going to go out on a limb and guarantee that you have shopped at least at one of these locations. So here are a few of the addresses of this store over the decades, you might recognize: 2440 W. 63rd, 3048 W. 63rd, 6057 S. Western, 2317 W. 69th, 6225 S. Kedzie, 8444 S. Pulaski, 5724 S. Kedzie and of course Ford City. What do you think? Recognize the store?