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Wicker Ice Rink Planners, Book Shop Sisters Ask You To Weigh In (SURVEYS)

By Alisa Hauser | March 26, 2015 9:31am

WICKER PARK — A group of volunteers hoping to bring an ice skating rink to the neighborhood's namesake park and two sisters opening a new bookstore along Milwaukee Avenue have published online surveys asking for Wicker Parkers to weigh in.

The ice rink planners — a grassroots group of hockey dads and park volunteers — have created an online survey to poll users of the attraction.

If approved, the rink, open from November through March, would be the Chicago Park District's ninth outdoor rink. 

Take the Ice Rink Survey.

The next rink planning meeting, open to the public, is set for 7 p.m. April 14 in the park's field house, 1425 N. Damen Ave. 

The park outfield, a proposed spot for the rink:

 

Around the corner from the park, a new bookstore, Volumes Bookcafe, is taking over the former Recycle clothing store, 1474 N. Milwaukee Ave., which closed last year.

Sisters Kimberly and Rebecca George, Ukrainian Village residents, are planning to open Volumes Bookcafe in June.

Kimberly (l.) and Rebecca George; future home of Volumes Bookcafe:

Rebecca George, a former educator with retail and publishing experience, said that she knew Wicker Park was the perfect location for a book store specializing in new titles. 

The shop will also offer coffee, pastries and sandwiches. If a liquor license is obtained, readers will be able to enjoy beer and  wine, too, similar to The Book Cellar in Lincoln Square.

Children's and young adult books will make up about one-fifth of the titles and there will be lots of  "comfy couches" encouraging readers to hang out, George said.

Once open, Volumes Bookcafe will join Myopic Books, a used book shop at 1564 N. Milwaukee Ave.;  Quimby's, 1854 W. North Ave.; Revolution Books, 1103 N. Ashland Ave. and The Occult Bookstore, Milwaukee Ave.

"What we are providing can only help the literary community that is already here. If anything, we will complement each other. We also wanted a great deal more events than any of the nearest stores can provide. Especially the focus on children's events, which is definitely a big part of what we want to bring to the community," George said.

She added, "My hope is that we can all work together at some point, and maybe even make our 'hood a literary destination."

To stock the store, the Georges are polling future shoppers on the kinds of books they like to read and events they would participate in, such as reader clubs and Scrabble meet-ups.

Take the Volumes Bookcafe Survey.

For updates on Volumes Bookcafe, visit the shop's Facebook page or follow the store's progress on Twitter, @volumesbooks.

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