Wicker Park Bucktown Pipeline 5.10.201
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Thank you to the following "We're in the Neighborhood" Printed Booklet Participants!
If you've booked and paid for your display ad, EMAIL IT TO US ASAP. Thanks!
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SPRING INTO
A HEALTHY SMILE
William DeJean, DDS
1363 N. Ashland
Ph: 773-384-3885
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 | Meghan, left, and Mary |
 | Nick Drnaso, right, author of It's a Wonderful Strife comic book, scored a free comic for his own pleasure this past Saturday at Quimby's, where manager Liz Mason said it felt like Halloween. Then she added, "Or maybe Geekaween."
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Meghan and Mary were leaving The Southern's Kentucky Derby party this past Saturday, post-mint juleps, when we asked where they got their stylish hats. Meghan revealed the source of her white hat--our local K-Mart, near Ashland/Divison, while Mary reported that her hat came from DSW. The derby occurs every year on the first Saturday in May, along with, of course, Free Comic Book Day.
 |
Remey, with furry friends Cooper and Bogey
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Up the street from The Southern, we popped by Broken Cherry Boutique and its new brother store, the DC Speed Shop, to give its owner, Remey, her long-overdue copy of Oldest Chicago. Remey won the book, courtesy of Lake Claremont Press, a month or so ago. (Thanks to everyone who replied with "Super Dawg." You were all correct, though Remey got her guess in first!)
 | Alicia of The Children's Learning Place is participating in We're in the Neighborhood.
Alicia's interesting and inspiring path from swimming instructor to business owner will be chronicled in the upcoming booklet!
| In 2007, Remey, a former Roller Derby Girl, used a broken leg as an opportunity to leave the rink and launch a custom apparel, embroidery, screen-printing, stickers, buttons, patches, and accessories business. Remey and other local entrepreneurs, like Alicia, right, will be participating in the upcoming booklet.
 |
Thanks to everyone for giving us the 'green light'--we can't wait to move ahead into the future, just like this local man who was spotted moving ahead--literally!
| Thanks to everyone who is taking part in this e-newsletter's first printed effort! Your participation inspires us to continue 'walking the streets' and sharing what we see. In related news, the We're in the Neighborhood booklet 'launch party' was planned for June 30, but it turns out that the Conan Writers Show is Sat., July 30, and not Thurs., June 30.
If you sent us an email last week, we've got you down on the list and hope you can join us on a Saturday night in July instead of a Thursday in June. We're still planning to give out the booklets and mystery-grab-bag swag in the lobby of the historic indie theater from 6:30-8 PM. Many thanks to Eddie of the Congress for giving us the opportunity to combine two things we love--comedy and community--on the very same night. Send us an email with subject header of "Conan" to be added to the list.
 |
If anyone nukes fish in the microwave next to my day job's cubicle again tomorrow, I will ask to touch it and then go run my hands under water with this stainless soap to see what happens!
| Please get in touch if you would like to include coupons or tchotkes in the mystery-grab-bags. Do you have a difficult time with surprises, too? OK. Well, just this one time we'll divulge one thing that might end up in your grab bag if you're lucky. Check out this stainless steel soap, right, courtesy of Dina of Littlerock Remodeling Consultants. The "soap," per these instructions, helps to eliminate odors on your hands if you cook with a lot of garlic, onions, and other odorous edibles.
 |
Click on the photo to see images inside Yuca Cafe, 2257 W. North
| We met with Dina this past Saturday at Yuca Cafe, a new booklet participant (check out images of Yuca here), where we discussed, among other things, the ancient art of 'Spacelifting' and how to create flow in your living space. Though it's been more than a year now since we won a Spacelifting session with Dina in a silent auction hosted by photographer Jennifer Bisbing's Wicker Women blog, we are still benefiting from Dina's expert rearranging prowess.
 | Looking for an event that combines art and fashion this weekend? These frames, above, by frame-maker Theo of Belgium are just one-half of the festivities at Eye Want's Saturday doubleheader. | We are curious if any Pipeline reader would like to get a one-room complimentary Spacelifting by Dina and report on your experience. Brave souls only should email us now. The first to reply gets the chance to experience your home in a new way, just by rearranging the things you already own! Sometimes what you already have is all you need--speaking of which, we've closed out participation in the printed booklet, so that Pat, Nandika, and myself can get down to the business of writing all about the 90+ businesses, community groups, schools, and events who are part of this unique project. We would not be here without you, and we could not do it without you, either. Thank you!!!
 |
Congrats to Elijah Malik of Your Shoe Repair Shop, who was featured in Today's Machining World, an industry trade publication, and thanks to Lauren, a Pipeline reader who became a new customer today at Elijah's shop as a result of seeing Elijah in a past Pipeline. We didn't hear it from Lauren, but from Elijah, who stopped us as we were walking home to tell us the neat news.
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RESIDENTIAL SPACES is Made Possible by Eva Bergant, @properties Realtor
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 |
Eva
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Can you believe it's May? The good news is that both the weather and the housing market are improving, according to these facts. Economists also expect housing sales to increase monthly for the next three months across the Chicago region. Additional research from the National Association of REALTORS indicates that the numbers of distressed sales are starting to go down, too!
 |
A 2-bedroom/2-bath condo sold in this building, 1525 N. Claremont, for $238,000/Photo by Alisa who used yesterday's beautiful weather as an excuse to go on a deadline-night-photo-field-trip!
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Here in Wicker Park, and Bucktown, there were 19 closings over the past two weeks! Eleven of the 19 sales were attached properties and nine were single family homes. Two of the closings were foreclosures; one was a short sale. Get the details HERE.
In other news, say "HI!" if you see me driving around Chicago in my new green Nissan Cube, with an @ on the back! The good news was that I found out my credit score was great for buying a car, with the only downside being that I have not had a car payment in more than two years, until now. I'm having fun and getting 30 mpg... and I'm never too busy to say "hello!"
Do you have a topic you'd like to see explored or a real estate question? Send it in. If you'd like more information on properties currently on the market or are thinking of selling your home, just drop me a note. Eva Bergant is a Bucktown resident and local Realtor with a community driven style. In addition to being the president of the Bucktown Community Organization (BCO), Eva has served as chair for the annual Bucktown Garden Walk for the past three years. You can reach Eva by email or at 312-543-6819.
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 | A squirrel enjoys Mother's Day brunch in a high branch, courtesy of a local trash can. Keep it covered! |
We are taking a break from publishing this e-newsletter next week (MAY 17), and returning to your in-box on the 24th of May. Rest assured your Pipeline team will be hard at work on the printed booklet's editorial content! Nandika is on the beat, interviewing a few peeps, along with Pat, who will be getting up close with at least one local 'celebrity' we tracked down in another neighborhood... If any "breaking news" occurs between now and the 24th, we'll post it on Streets of Wicker, or @thelocalfeed.
 | Thanks for your patience as we take a break from this e-newsletter, so that the printed booklet will be cool n' crisp, unlike these truffles, above, which I gave to my mom for Mother's Day and promptly melted in the car while we were eating lunch. The good news is that I learned from the best, and we were both able to experience a truffle minutes before lunch! Dessert First! |
We would like to thank artist/illustrator Rick Liebenow for designing the booklet cover, as well as redesigning the Pipeline's ad, below (click to enlarge/make it less fuzzy). If you are wondering who the guy is with his hands covering his face in exasperation or frustration, that is Joe Rubin of Odd Obsession DVD and Movie Rental. Joe is designing the booklet and requesting that ALL CREATIVE get in as soon as possible. Usually the best way to get Joe's hands off of his face are for me to bribe him with NY cherry or peach milkshakes, but at this point Joe needs more than milkshakes. He needs your advertisements, submitted as jpegs, 120dpi, size 4.75x7.25 full page and 4.75x3.6 half pagel. Drop-dead-deadline for ALL ADS is Friday, May 27. Payments and ads (including $10 listings) not received by this date will not be included in the printed booklet. Don't miss your chance to be part of New-Media-e-Newsletter-to-Print-hyperlocal history! Email me or call 773-960-3997 if you have any questions. - AH
|  
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Linkypoos is Made Possible By
Cat & Mouse Game Store
2212 W. Armitage
Tues.: 10 AM-10 PM, Wed-Sat.:10 AM-7 PM; Sunday 11 AM-5 PM
What does it take to get into the Guinness Book of World Records? For James Buffington, founder of the Chicago Yo-Yo Club, it will take an architect, a photographer, a videographer, witnesses of good standing in the toy community, and one yo-yo with a very long string.
On Saturday, May 21, James will attempt to smash the record for the world's longest usable yo-yo, which currently stands at 35 feet 2 inches. From the heights of the roof deck above Cat & Mouse Game Store, where the Chicago Yo-Yo Club meets monthly, James will throw a yo-yo with a 40+ foot string and attempt to have it come back up to his hand. And just in case you're wondering, a normal yo-yo string is 3 to 4 feet long. Read more HERE, and stay tuned for coverage of this possibly historic event in the next Pipeline (May 24).
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 | "Pena slaps five with Soto after hitting a home run," per Phlash who says the Pipeline needs more sports coverage and noted that his son, Marty, is in the background of this picture and caught a ball/ Photo by Philin Phlash who has his own blog here. |
Local residents against the city's parking meter deal rallied in Wicker Park last Sunday, according to this CBS article. Parking along Milwaukee Avenue has recently risen from $1.25 an hour to $1.50 an hour, angering the neighborhood's many shoppers and workers.
Red Eye's Ruthie Kott speaks with District 14 Sergeant Julio Velgara, who is retiring this year after 34 years with the CPD. Velgara discusses gentrification, Humboldt Park, his four years as Mayor Harold Washington's personal bodyguard, and his hopes for Rahm and new police superintendent Garry McCarthy.
The Feast's Kate Bernot visits Bucktown's new BYOB spot, Sublime Sushi, 2009 N. Damen, which she says is a good bet when the line at Coast overflows.
Chicago Mag digs into the drama behind the naming of Bar Bar Black Sheep, whose owner, David Stearns, had to have a pow-wow with the owners of the Black Sheep over naming rights.
Check out this Bucktown home at 1738 N. Winchester, which just went back on the market for $325,000 less than it was last year. According to this Chicago Curbed article, the house won a Most Hideous award for its super creepy dungeon, but the upper floors are "modern, minimal and deeeluxe."
Chicago Bulls point guard C.J. Watson is hosting a benefit event at the Fifty/50, 2047 W. Division Street, on Friday, May 13, from 7to 9 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, according to this article.
Join the Fun Run, every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., in front of On Your Mark Training, 1753 N. Damen Ave. Organizer Mark Beier says, "The runs will be approximately 45-minutes long and are meant to be more of a recovery run." All levels are welcome.
Blue Sky Bakery & Cafe, 3720 N. Lincoln, is looking for volunteers to work the booth at the Wicker Park and Printers Row farmers markets. Check out the details here at the Center Square Journal. Speaking of the Wicker Park farmers market, this Sun-Times article has got the dates and times for all of the farmers markets in the Chicago area.
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First Communion/ Photo by Philin Phlash
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Experimental Chicago rock band Maps and Atlases, who have played Wicker Park fest, will be performing at the Raue Center in downtown Crystal Lake this Friday, May 13. Read more about them in this interview with the Crystal Lake Patch.
Though slightly out of our 'coverage area,' we were sad to hear of two buildings on the 800 block of North Wood that are slated for demolition. They're described as "an iconic East Village four-flat, the other a unique Empire-style structure," by writer Scott Rappe in this blog post.
-Nandika Doobay
Got a link to share? Email it to Nandika!
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Community News
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 |
Doug Wood
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A fun time was had by all at the Wicker Park Garden Club's annual Plant Sale Fundraiser this past weekend. According to organizer Doug Wood, sales were up 10-20% over last year's event, with an estimated 2,000 shoppers collectively purchasing over 3,000 plants, vegetables and herbs! Bestselling items included mint, basil, tomatoes, exotic plants like elephant ears, and brugmansia and dahlias, which were propagated by veteran gardener Richard Tilley, who is a very prolific gardener and maintains this garden blog on Our Urban Times.
Customers at the sale ranged from beginning gardeners like this e-
newsletter writer, who walked away with three coleus plants, after volunteer Deborah Curren assured me that the plants would do well indoors, to advanced/seasoned gardeners, like Stephanie, right. Doug reported that about half of the sale-goers were younger than age 30. In  | Stephanie, with lots of plants! |
addition to the sale portion of the festivities, the workshops on container planting were well attended. "We consulted with hundreds of people about how to grow tomatoes in five gallon containers, types of soil, and vegetable and plant combinations," Doug wrote via email. "Many people were interested in volunteering on group garden days and interested in our seven week home landscape design class and the monthly lecture."
In other news, here is the latest and greatest from Friends of Holstein Park, including an upcoming fundraiser this weekend.
Learnapalooza, a neighborhood wide festival of learning and sharing, is back for its second year! We're super excited and have the date- June 25- saved on our calendar. If you are interested in volunteering to teach or host a class, send an email to organizer Maggie, per this blog post.  | A small portion of a new permanent brioge mosaic at LaSalle II Magnet School/ Photo by Philin Phlash |
In school news, Friends of Pulaski International School are hosting meeting on Wed. May 25 at 7PM to lay out vision, mission, and plans for the upcoming school year, per a tweet from @peacelovegoat, the BCO's news feed and one of our favorites to follow on Twitter along with the @WickerParkBuck, which tweets lots of local newsbits.
There is a new mosaic coming soon at LaSalle II Magnet School, created by the GreenStar Movement with support from the Special Service Area #33. The permanent public art installation will hold a ribbon button ceremony on Thurs. May 26. Read the press release here.
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 |
Organic display silhouettes
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MishMosh
is Made Possible By
Symmetry Organic Silhouettes
Are you a local retailer? Symmetry offers natural organic displays perfect for your store as well as residential powder rooms. Symmetry's busts and hands, comprised of paper mache wrapped with natural fibers, can be found inside Division Street's Greenheart Shop and Beadnik's. Get a bust HERE. |
 | Martha Brammer |
There was a packed house this past Friday at the Jackson Junge Gallery, 1389 N. Milw. The occasion was a 'Real-Time' installation of a new time machine, crafted by artist Jason Brammer! Onlookers watched Brammer work while checking out finished pieces by Brammer and other artists on the walls of the gallery. The Pipeline happened to be standing next to Jason's parents, Martha and Howard, who reported that they get a kick of of assisting their son with scouring flea markets and countrysides to find 'found objects' to inform his work. They pointed to some fuses inside a wooden box, found in southeast Ohio, where Howard once served as a pastor of a congregation, perhaps influencing this piece, "Measuring the Golden Rule." Click here for a few images from the opening.
An artist herself, Martha is returning to her craft after a four year sabbatical (we just received some images of Martha's work, and will post them to our blog soon). Martha paints on tiles, as well as ink, and recently moved into an artist's studio space in downtown Indianapolis. Perhaps a mother-son show is in the Brammer's 'pipeline?' Future Obscura runs through July 3.
 | Artist Deva Suckerman paints on wood that is "raw, weathered or flawed in some way," per her website | In other local art news, a fun time was had by all at the Flat Iron Artists Association's Annual Gilda's Club Fundraiser this past Saturday night. The Pipeline, which covered the fundraiser last year, in our May 10, 2010 issue, was en route home after a long day on the street when we ran into a few familiar faces, namely artists Kelly D. Pelka and her friend, Deva, who were headed to set up their stations in the building's hallway, coincidentally next to the studio of yet another familiar local, Lisa Carter, who welcomed us to her couch where we enjoyed punch and staring at her new paintings!
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Florian
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And, because no visit to the Flat Iron is complete without popping in on Florian Retkowski's studio, we checked out Florian's new Beauty and Guns piece as well as a mold for a horse, before purchasing a piece for our mom which did not melt in the car!
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RETAILSPACES
is Sponsored by
THE UPS STORE #3173
1658 N. Milw. |
 | John Park, one-half of the Park Shreck Gallery |
The Park Shreck Gallery, at 1747 W. North Ave, is owned by John Park and his business partner, Dan Schreck, who are both exhibiting artists at their joint gallery along with many emerging artists. Per John, the gallery's prices range from $200-$4,000. After 25 years of selling all different kinds of insurance, John said that the impetus for launching a gallery involved the fact he was ready for a career shift and Wicker Park seemed like the perfect place to make it happen. If Park's pieces look familiar, it is because they used to be at White Attic, which was formerly on Damen. White Attic relocated to Andersonville around this same time last year, per this sign.
 |
What's next for the Marvin Envelope building at 2040 W. North? Your guess is as good as ours!
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Do you have news to share regarding an up-and-coming space? Would you like to follow up on your own lead and provide the scoop to us (and Pipeline readers)? You will receive byline and photo credit and oodles of thanks! Need an assignment to get you started? Currently we're wondering about various spaces, beginning with the 'Marvin Envelope' building, which a source who wished to remain anonymous told us was finally sold, for over two million. The last we knew, the space was slated to become a Bucktown outpost of the Lincoln Park Athletic Club chain, though another source wrote in yesterday indicating that because LPAC was not able to build a swimming pool on the property, the deal did not go through, though another fitness chain is rumored to have stepped in to build a club on the property. If any reader would like to follow up with 32nd Ward Alderman Scott Waguespack's office, for the purposes of reporting on the story here, send us your news. In lighter news, we noticed this rare and green and large lot for sale, by owner, just behind the shopping plaza at 1508 N. Damen, across from Wicker Park's park. ....There's a new boutique, May & March, at 2016 N. Western featuring $82 scarves in its windows... ...The former Galleria 1712 space, at 1712 W. North, has brown paper in the windows, indicating a possible new tenant on the horizon. ... Urban Grower, a hydrophonic and organic grower is coming soon, per this sign, to the vacated Michelin muffler space on North, just east of the expressway. Maybe a reader has more energy and time than we do these days to report back on any of the said spaces? It takes a community to cover a community... thanks!
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 The Week Ahead is sponsored by Jackson Junge Gallery and Framing
1389 N. Milw. P: 773-227-7900; Tues-Sa. 11AM-8PM; Sun. Noon-5PM | Wed. May 11, 7PM Reading: Chester Brown 'Paying for It' (Quimby's)
Thurs. May 12:
7:30PM: Art/Performance "Outbursts: Zsofia Otvos" (Kevin Lahvic Studio #222, Flat Iron Bldg)
Sat. May 14 8AM-4PM: Rummage Sale Fundraiser (LaSalle II School) Noon-3PM: Book & Toy Swap (Little Beans Cafe, 1809 W. Webster)
 |
"Easy Money," a collage by Teresa Peterson, best viewed in 'RealSpace' at the Eyeporium Gallery this Sat. May 14
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Noon-5PM: Art Opening: Teresa Peterson: "They Call me Mellow Jello" AND Theo Frames Trunk Show (Eyeporium Gallery and Eye Want Eyewear) 12:30-3:30PM: Fundraiser: Listen, Eat, Donate (Holstein Park, 2200 N. Oakley)
6-9PM: Art Opening: Gabrielle Specter: Repeat Offender (Pawn Works) Sun. May 15 11AM-3PM, Empty Bottle Farmer's Market
Wed. May 18 9:30PM: Gleeks & Freaks: A Glee Burlesque Musical (Gorilla Tango Theatre)
Thurs, May 19 7PM: CAPS Meeting (Holstein Park)
Friday May 20 4-8PM: Anne Sportun Trunk Sale/Reception (Virtu, RSVP required)
Sat. May 21: 4PM: Guinness Book of World Records Yo-Yo Attempt (Cat & Mouse Game Store)
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The beginnings of a new mural at LaSalle II Magnet School/ Photo by Philin Phlash
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Thus. May 26 2PM: Ribbon Cutting: Mosaic Installation: LaSalle II Magnet School (1148 N. Honore) 6-10PM: Grand Opening: violette shoe salon 6-10PM: Atomic Sketch (Green Eye Lounge)
Fri. May 27
7 to 11PM: Art Opening: Full Clip: Artistic Expressions from 2000-10 (The Silver Room)
ART GALLERY WATCH*:
Just extended: Side Effects: Bruce Riley (Eyeporium Gallery) A Year in Humboldt Park (on the walls of Birchwood Kitchen) Closing May 3: Anthony Difatta (Howard Finster Vision House) Closing May 14: Rinus Van de Velde (Monique Meloche) Closing May 28: Matthew Ryan Sharp: All Dressed Up... (OhNo!Doom Gallery) Closing July 3: Future Obscura: The Timeless Art of Jason Brammer (Jackson Junge Gallery) PERFORMANCE BEAT*: Through May 21, Sketchbook Reverb (Flat Iron Bldg) Through June 23, Madness in Miniature (Chopin Theatre)  | Dinah Dentata as The Elf, in Fellowship of the Boobs, a new Burlesque show opening June 2 at Gorilla Tango/ poster by
K. Leo
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* There's always a myriad of awesome performances in the 'hood, but we've chosen to feature art over performance here. If there were more hours in the day, we'd make room for theatre, as well as literary readings, and music, since we love all three, and in fact have fantasies about calling-it-quits, so we can enjoy all three more often, but for now, we're encouraging you to visit the websites of Pipeline printed booklet basic listing participants Gorilla Tango Theatre and The Den Theatre, as well as Chopin Theatre, Trap Door Theatre, Adventure Stage, and Collaboraction for all the latest listings! Be sure to check out listings on "hyper-local" sites like Our Urban Times and Wicker Park Bucktown 'Insider's Guide', both included in The Pipeline's Local Links section.
For a few upcoming Quimby's Bookstore readings, check out the latest Quimby's e-newsletter (5/7/11), hot off the lovely Liz Mason's 'send' button. And, if you'd like to review a local show, or reading, by all means let us know. We'll do our best to arrange tickets for you and a guest provided you can submit a review for inclusion here. SAVE THE DATE(s): SAT. 6/25: LEARNAPALOOZA SUN. 6/26: Chicago's Best Friend All City Dog Show SAT/SUN: 7/9-10: BCO Annual Garden Walk SAT/SUN: 7/23-24, WP Fest/Sidewalk Sales SAT: 7/30: Conan Writer's Show/Print Booklet Pre-Show HobNob (Congress Theatre) SAT/SUN: 8/27-28: Bucktown Arts Fest *Do you have an event to share? Let us know! |
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The Wormhole Coffee Shop
1462 N. Milw. p 773 661 2468
Coffee Edibles Internets Good-Times-Now
M-F: 7AM-midnight
S-S: 9AM- midnight
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