West Town, Chicago
West Town is a district of several communities making up the northwest side of the city. The cities composing West Town include West Town, East Village and Ukrainian Village. West Town contains quite a vibe of cultures in its neighborhood from about 58% white, 46% Latino, 10% black, and various Asian, native American and other demographics involved. Within its neighborhoods you'll find a lot of different coffee shops, book stores, museums, antique dealers, and even cinematic theaters. While it may not quite match the name of the "city that never sleeps," you can walk down the street at any point and find areas of interest.
West Town began about the same time that most of Chicago was being formed back in the 1840s. The city was primarily a manufacturing hub and most of it due to the growth of railroad lines and other industrial activities. Europeans were the first immigrants and settlers to come to West Town, primarily the Germans and Italians in the late 1800s and early 1900s, as well as Scandinavians and Russians. The Ukrainians settled in the area that is known as Ukrainian Village today, bringing their culture and religion along with them. Even today there are two Ukrainian cathedrals located within this district. Later in the 1970s and into the 2000s, the Latino community grew in this section as well as the black, though both have stagnated a little in the higher real estate areas of this district.
Some places to visit within the district include this West Town Chicago movie theater, Nightingale Cinema which shows not only mainstream movies, but also independent films and art shows. You also can find Chicago Dramatists where playwrights and directors bring plays and theatrics to life. The Chopin Theater, named for the great German composer, features films, literary readings and concert performances on its grand stages, and all of these theaters can be found around Milwaukee Avenue.
If you're a gaming enthusiast, you might want to visit the West Town Chicago Game Store, The Exchange. At this store you can buy, sell or trade games that you feel enthusiastic about, including retro games. It's easily accessible via Milwaukee Avenue while staying within West Town and Ukrainian Village's limits. There is a West Town Chicago comic book store, Challenger's Comics located just down the road from the game store on Western Avenue, and at this store you can find comic book collections from DC, Marvel and many others.
Services in this area