Chicago Legacy Business Overview
Chicago is a city of neighborhoods. Chicago neighborhoods are anchored by Chicago Legacy Businesses. What are Chicago Legacy Businesses? Chicago Legacy Businesses are often multi-generational, family-owned, and locally operated. Business owners often live in their community and employ people from their community. Chicago Legacy Businesses are a reflection of Chicago which is culturally rich and ethnically diverse. Their authenticity and uniqueness contribute to the quality of life for Chicagoans. Pressure from rising rents and competition from national chains has forced many Chicago Legacy Businesses to close. The economic impact of the pandemic has made it even more challenging for Chicago Legacy Businesses to survive. Chicago Legacy Businesses have been supporting Chicago and serving Chicagoans for decades.
Now is the time we must recognize, celebrate and support them. By recognizing and celebrating Chicago Legacy Businesses, Preservation Chicago hopes that Chicagoans will choose to support Chicago Legacy Businesses by “voting with their wallets”. The simplest way for individuals to support Chicago Legacy Businesses is by shopping, dinning and drinking at these establishments. Additionally, Preservation Chicago hopes that City of Chicago will take steps to pass a Chicago Legacy Business Protection Ordinance to help recognize, celebrate and financially support Chicago Legacy Businesses. Successful legacy business programs have been implemented in San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles and others.
The list and map below is a work-in-progress and is the result of hundreds of responses through a crowd-sourced request for nominations through social media. This Chicago Legacy Business list is a great start, but is far from complete. Preservation Chicago will proactively reach out to chambers of commerce and other neighborhood organizations to try to fill in some of the gaps in the list so that the wonderful diversity that makes Chicago great is better reflected. We invite you to submit any additional Chicago Legacy Businesses that haven’t yet been added to the list through the website contact form, email or send us a tweet. General rules for Chicago Legacy Businesses include: located in Chicago, locally-owned, and in business for at least 35 years old. Link to learn more about specific strategies to Support Chicago Legacy Businesses.
Chicago Legacy Business List
| Chicago Legacy Business List | |
| Alcala’s Western Wear | 1972 | Andy’s Deli | 1918 | Ann Sather Restaurant | 1945 | Ba Le | 1988 | Balzekas Motor Sales | 1919 | Barba Yianni | ??? | Bari | 1973 | Berghoff | 1898 | Berlin | 1980s | Beverly Bike and Ski | 1921 | Billy Goat Tavern | 1934 | Birrieria Ocotlan | 1973 | Bob Inn | 1945 | Budackis Drive In | ??? | Calo Ristorante | 1967 | Calumet Bakery | 1935 | Calumet Fisheries | 1948 | Capt’n Nemos | 1971 | Cary’s Lounge | 1972 | Central Camera | 1899 | Chicago Diner | 1983 | Chicago Filmmakers | 1976 | Chipp Inn | 1897 | Chiu Quon Bakery | 1986 | Cho Sun Ok | 1980 | Cole’s appliance & furniture | 1946 | County Fair Foods | 1964 | Matthews Roofing | 1934 | Baird & Warner | 1855 | Cubbie Bear | 1953 | Daley’s | 1892 | D’Amato’s Bakery | 1970 | Danny’s Tavern | 1980s | Decorators Supply | 1883 | DiCola’s Seafood | 1933 | Dinkel’s Bakery | 1922 | Disco City | 1976 | Donnellan Funeral Home | 1913 | Duk’s Red Hots |
| El Milagro | 1950 | Exchequer Restaurant | 1969 | Exit | 1981 | Facets | 1975 | Fat Johnnies Famous Red Hots | 1972 | Felix Lock Service | 1916 | Ferrara Bakery | 1908 | Fireside Bowl | 1941 | Fox’s Restaurant | 1960’s | Foxes Pub Pizza, | 1934 | Frances’ Deli | 1938 | Franco’s Ristorante | 1989 | Gale Street Inn | 1985 | Garcia’s Tacos | 1991 | Geja’s Cafe | 1965 | Gene & Georgetti | 1941 | Glasscott’s Groggery | 1937 | Goldstar | 1934 | Greek Island | 1971 | Green Door Tavern | 1921 | Gulliver’s Pizza & Pub | 1965 | Guthrie’s Tavern | 1986 | Hagens Fish Market | 1946 | Harold’s Chicken Shack | 1950 | Harvestime Foods | 1995 | Henry Frerk and Sons | 1888 | Hopleaf | 1992 | Huttenbar | 1985 | Hyman’s Auto Supply & Hardware | 1927 | India Sari Palace on Devon | 1973 | Inner Town Pub | 1983 | Italian Fiesta Pizzeria | 1919 | Italian Village | 1927 | Iwan Ries & Co. |
| 1857 | Janson’s Drive-In | 1960 | Jeffery Pub | 1965 | Jim’s Original (Hot Dog) | 1939 | Joe’s Barbershop | 1968 | Joseph’s Finest Meats | 1977 | Kasey’s Tavern | 1974 | Kelly’s Pub, |
| Ken’s on Western | 1956 | Kingston Mines | 1968 | Kopi Cafe, | 1991 | L&L Tavern | 1960s | La Crêperie | 1972 | La Pasadita | 1976 | La Villa | 1972 | Laschet’s Inn | 1971 | Lawrence’s Fish & Shrimp | 1950 | Lottie’s Pub | 1934 | Lou Mitchell’s | 1923 | Lyon and Healy Harps | 1864 | Mack’s Motor Sales | 1934 | Magic Inc. |
| 1926 | Margies Candies | 1933 | Marie’s Pizza | 1940 | Mario’s Italian Ice | 1954 | Mark II | 1950s | Mellow Yellow | 1976 | Merz Apothecary | 1875 | Middle East Bakery | 1981 | Milano’s Pizza | 1984 | Monk’s | 1978 | Montrose Saloon | 1976 | Moody’s Pub | 1959 | Moon’s Sandwich Shop | 1933 | Morgan Locksmith’s | 1962 | Murphys Bleachers | 1930s | Music Box Theatre | 1929 | Myopic books | 1995 | Nisei Lounge | 1951 | North Side Federal | 1935 | Nuts on Clark | 1981 | Old Fashioned Donuts | 1972 | Old Town Ale House | 1958 | Old Town School of Folk Music | 1957 | Optimo Hats | 1995 | Orange Garden | 1932 | Original Soul Vegetarian | 1982 | Orlando glass and trim | 1918 | Oscar Wastyn Cycles | 1910 | Palace Grill | 1938 | Pasta Fresh | 1989 | Patel Brothers Grocery | 1974 | Paulina Meat Market | 1949 | Performers Music | 1981 | Phoenix Bean Tofu | 1990 | Phyllis’ Musical Inn | 1954 | R.J. |
| Grunts | 1971 | Rainbo Club | 1936 | Rainbow Cone | 1926 | Reebie Storage | 1880 | Regal Men’s Wear | c. |
| 1955 | Resi’s Bierstube | 1972 | Roeser’s Bakery | 1911 | Romanian Kosher Sausage | 1957 | Ronny’s Steak House | 1963 | Roscoes | 1990s | Sayat Nova Armenian Restaurant, | 1970 | Schubas Tavern | 1989 | Schulze and Burch Biscuit Company | 1896 | Second City | 1959 | Seminary Co-Op Bookstore | 1961 | Shinnick’s Pub | 1938 | Sidetrack | 1982 | Simon’s Tavern | 1934 | Skyway Bowl | 1950s | Superdawg | 1948 | Svea Restaurant | 1934 | Tastee Freeze | 1950 | The Burwood Tap |
| The Fish Keg | 1951 | The Hideout | 1934 | The Spice House | 1957 | The Walnut Room | 1907 | Timber Lanes bowling alley | ??? | Top Notch | 1942 | Topo Gigio | c. |
| 1995 | Town Hall Pub | 1960 | Tufanos | 1930s | Unabridged Bookstore | 1980 | V&V Supremo Foods | 1964 | Valois | 1921 | West Irving Shoe repair | 1918 | Western Automatic Music | 1937 | Whirlaway Lounge | 1980 | Wolfy’s | 1967 | Wonderburger | 1954 | Phil’s Pizza | 1960 | Fontano’s Subs | 1960 | Carm’s Italian Beef | 1929 | Conte Di Savoia | 1948 | Pompei | 1909 | Al’s Italian Beef | 1938 | Scafuri | 1904 | Miller’s Pub | 1935 | Barry-Regent Cleaners | 1950 | Pride Cleaners | 1959 | Hollander Moving & Storage | 1888 | Pickens-Kane | 1914 | Gordon’s Ace Hardware | 1950 | Tenenbaum True Value Hardware | 1923 | Southport Lanes | 1922 | Burhop’s Seafood | 1926 |
| Chicago Theater | 1921 | Vic Theater | 1912 | Park West | 1916 | Metro | 1980s | Pearl’s Place | 1990s | Serrelli’s Finer Food | 1934 | Medici | 1960s | Powell’s Books | 1970 | Salonica |
| The Cove Lounge | |
| Thai 55 | |
| Rossi’s | |
| Bruno’s Lounge | 1956 | Marshall Pierce & Company | 1928 | Clark-Devon Hardware | 1924 | Vince & Gino’s (barbershop | 1960 | Sky-Ride Tap |