LINCOLN PARK — The eternal cycle of death and rebirth is playing out with businesses on Lincoln Avenue, only for them the process is taking multiple years, and the rebirth is marked by the arrival not of crocuses but construction workers.
Businesses along Lincoln Avenue south of the old Children's Memorial Hospital reported early last year that a once-vibrant commercial stretch had gone "dead" with the loss of customers after the hospital closed five years ago.
A return to those businesses found that some have weathered the trough, others have not and still others are moving in in anticipation of the thousands of new residents to arrive in the coming years at Lincoln Common, on the Children's Memorial site, and at the Webster Square development to the south.
"Are you kidding? I can't wait," said Johnny Anastopoulos, owner of Johnny's Beef & Gyros, kitty corner from the old Children's Memorial at 2300 N. Lincoln Ave.
Johnny's Beef launched at the location almost four years ago, so Anastopoulos doesn't remember the area's heyday, but he saw an upturn in business almost a year ago when demolition of the old hospital finally began.
"When the demolition crew was here, we were seeing a good amount of those guys come in for lunch every day," he said. "They told me, when the construction starts again it is going to be way busier, because it's going to take 20 times the amount of people to rebuild."
Mayor Rahm Emanuel helped break ground on Lincoln Common a month ago, but construction has yet to kick into high gear on the project.
"It's going to be two years," Anastopoulos added. "In the meantime, those construction workers, they've got to eat."
Just down the street, the new Tobacco Road, 2249 N. Lincoln, has already seen a benefit both from the Children's Hospital demolition and the ongoing Webster Square development on the site of the old Grant Hospital at Lincoln and Webster Avenue.
"We get a lot of lunch business from the construction guys, which is helping us a lot," owner Kyle Silver said.
It's worth noting, however, that Tobacco Road opened only in the fall during the Cubs' playoff run, and it replaced O'Malley's West, which didn't make it in the same location.
"O'Malley's was definitely a DePaul dive bar, just like a lot of the bars on our block," Silver said. "But we're definitely aimed at an older demographic."
According to Silver, Tobacco Road aimed to make itself a destination for sports aficionados with its Atlantic Coast Conference theme, and that's proved successful during college football and basketball season. At the same time, it's attracted locals with its daily brunch, starting at 9:30 a.m., and in its support for local groups like the Lincoln Central Association and its Spring Zing.
"Business has been good for us," Silver said. "I see good things in the future. We're doing well now, but we'll do even better when the developments come in."
Things are more traditionally seasonal at Insomnia Cookies, 2260 N. Lincoln, which with its late-night delivery service is less dependent on foot traffic. In fact, manager Sean Hardiman said now is the busy season, with DePaul University students taking finals and ordering in some fuel for cramming.
The summer will see something of a lull, especially when it comes to students stopping in after a night at the bars, but "Lincoln Park still tends to keep it going," Hardiman said.
"Honestly, I would say that it doesn't seem too much different than it did before," added Hardiman, who's worked at Insomnia since 2013. But that doesn't mean it wouldn't enjoy a boost from the new residents when they finally move in.
That will be too late for Mr. Smoke, however. The smoke shop at 2250 N. Lincoln has signs up that it's closing and is said to be shuttering by the end of August.
Owner Amit Ahlowalia did not respond to requests for comment, but said last year, "The whole block has really died down."
Mr. Smoke also got hit by the triple whammy of the Children's Hospital development, an increase in tobacco taxes and an increase in the legal smoking age to 21 that took effect last year, cutting off much of its clientele at DePaul University.
"Honestly, I hate to see empty storefronts," Anastopoulos said. "I don't care if a Portillo's goes in across the street, it's going to be better for us.
"Honestly, I hate to see empty storefronts," Johnny Anastopoulos said. (DNAinfo/Ted Cox)
"We've been tested that way at our other location in Joliet," he added. "They put in a Portillo's close by. Naturally, we were worried. And our loyal customers came back and said, 'Guys, we're so happy you're here.'
"We're not afraid of competition because we feel the more people in the area the better. It will attract more people."
Build it, in other words, and they'll come, but they're still building at Lincoln Common, Webster Square and even up the avenue at Elevate Lincoln Park, and until those developments are done, well, businesses in the area thank their lucky stars for construction workers.
