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By Kathy Headley
Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor
6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778
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Over at 87th and Kedzie, it’s just one month shy of seven years since the Ultra Foods closed on the northwest corner. It will soon be 10 years since Luther South High School closed on the northeast corner.
Back in 2017 it was confirmed that a new Pete’s Fresh Market would be built on the site of the school. The question in many people’s mind was: Why didn’t Pete’s just move into the site across the street that had been vacated by the other grocery chains – Ultra and Omni?
Later there was talk about the large Ultra building being divided into smaller stores. Then in 2020, confirmation came once again about Pete’s moving to 87th and Kedzie; but this time into the Ultra building.
Quite a bit of drama for the neighborhood about that intersection over the last 10 years, wouldn’t you say? What is anyone supposed to believe? Now many may have already seen this, but I just drove by last week and for the first time saw the big red letters attached to the building, really confirming that a new Pete’s Fresh Market would be opening in the former Ultra. No opening date has been set yet.
As for the Luther South site, well as you know, it is still empty. The school, which opened in 1951, closed due to low enrollment and then was deemed hazardous–too expensive to fix. It was demolished. At the end, alumni were invited for a final walk through. If you missed that, there is a video you can see on YouTube. I will warn you, even though I had no connection to the school, it does tug at the heartstrings–especially when you see all of the books, etc. left behind. It is named simply Abandoned Luther High School South.
As Easter quickly approaches, Stations of the Cross are held at 3 p.m. Fridays at St. Thomas More, 2825 W. 81st St. Stations of the Cross are prayed at St. Adrian Church, 7000 S. Washtenaw, at 7 p.m. Fridays.
A Taskavimo Technika class will be held Saturday, March 16 at the Chicago Lithuanian Youth Center, 5620 S. Claremont. I am told this relaxing activity has been very poplar over the past decade. Regardless of age, you can easily learn how to draw and decorate pots, jars, etc. The finished products I have seen are very professional looking.
As of this printing, the starting time of the class has not been published. For more information, call (773) 778-7500 or send a message to chicagolithuaniancenter@gmail.com.
As a Lenten Corporal Work of Mercy, St, Rita of Cascia Parish has been collecting items for kids at Advocate Children’s Hospital. This Sunday, March 17 is last day to drop off brand new small toys/books that can help the kids stuck in their beds at the hospital pass the time. Items can be dropped off inside the church at 63rd and Fairfield or at St. Clare of Montefalco Church, 55th and Washtenaw. For more information, call the parish office at (773) 434-9600.
Community Cinema brings the 2023 Paramount picture Under the Boardwalk to the Chicago Lawn Branch Library, 6120 S. Kedzie, at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 17. Suitable for kids ages 6 to 13, it sounds pretty cute with two crabs embarking on an epic journey to get home after a storm sweeps them away.
St. Adrian Church offers Lauds prayer for the next two weeks of Lent, Monday through Friday, at 5:30 a.m. in the church.
On Thursday, March 21, the Tween Graphic Novel Book Club meets at the Chicago Lawn Branch Library to discuss Catherine’s War from 5 to 6 p.m. Kids ages 10 to 13 are invited to join in. Register ahead of time at chicagolawn@chipublib.org or call (312) 747-0639.
Get your bike ready for next Saturday, March 23, and join in a guided ride on the Marshall “Major” Taylor Trail at Dan Ryan Woods. Learn about who he was and his connection to the Forest Preserves. The ride is about 16 miles. Meet at the Visitor Center on the corner of 87th and Western at 8 a.m.
On Wednesday, March 20, the Chicago Park District will hold a town hall meeting at Marquette Park, 6734 S. Kedzie, from 5 to 7 p.m. with updates on the future plan for the park and an opportunity to provide additional input.
Now let’s go back to 1979. When we left last week, we were visiting our local health food store, one was on 55th street just west of Kedzie, and the other was on 83rd and Kedzie just off the corner. Brad O., who lived about a block down the street from this store, was the first to identify Pass Health Foods.
In the early months of 1979 two gentlemen passed away that left their mark on the neighborhood. One was Dr. Thaddeus Klabacha and the other was Tom Pilafas. Do those names sound familiar to anyone?
Happy St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day!