Buzz in the News
Harrison Street in Oak Park
By David Jakubiak
February 4, 2005
Just off the Austin Street exit of the Eisenhower Expy., and just a short walk north from the Lombard ramp of the Blue Line's Austin stop, sits Oak Park's Harrison Street. An integrated neighborhood of apartment complexes, art galleries, studios, and the home of El Fogon (Mexican sword-skewered meats) that seems miles away from the polished bustle of downtown Oak Park.
Known for the last decade as a haven for arts and artists, Harrison Street is gaining a retail edge as well. In addition to specialty shops that include a bead retailer and a catch-and-release carp tackle shop, Harrison now has a Brown Elephant resale shop (217 Harrison), where shoppers can pick up anything ranging from an armoire to a tea kettle while supporting the Howard Brown Health Center.
If you're in search of Ulta or Abercrombie, Harrison Street isn't for you. But if you want to spend a few hours poking in galleries, learning about a different kind of fishing or just sipping on a killer margarita, it's worth checking out.
- VOODOO ART AND MORE
- Ridge Art
- 21 Harrison
- (708) 848-4062
- www.ridgeart.com
A small gallery just a block west of Austin Boulevard, Ridge Art is the place to go if you're searching for Caribbean or West African art. From Cuban sculptures of mermaids and saints painstakingly hammered out of oil barrels, to vibrant paintings of Haitian marketplaces called "brouhahas," there is something here to liven up any room. Be sure to call ahead as the gallery's owner, Laurie Beasley, is sometimes traveling the world in search of new treasures.
Hours: 1-6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; noon to 5 p.m. Saturday; 1-4 p.m. Sunday.
- SOMETHING TO CARP ABOUT
- Wacker Bait and Tackle
- 343 Harrison
- (708) 660-0866
- www.wackerbaits.com
Carp fishing, says owner Paul Pezalla, is a rapidly growing hobby. Luckily for Chicagoans hooked on carp, America's only tackle shop dedicated exclusively to the catch and release of carp is in Oak Park. Wacker is filled with things like Mealies (a South African bait that comes in flavors like strawberry, almond supreme and glowing cheese) and Bollies (a British bait that comes in many more flavors, including tooty-fruity).
Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; noon to 4 p.m. Saturday.
- BLOWN AWAY
- Roaring Belly Glass Werks
- 334 Harrison
- (708) 524-0860
- www.roaringbellyglasswerks.com
Owned by artist David King, whose fantastic blown-glass fish can be purchased here, Roaring Belly is a gallery for those who believe glass is for more than holding Fresca. Filled with beautiful blown-glass vases, plates and glass jewelry, Roaring Belly is home to the stunningly kaleidoscopic work of glass artists including Rebeccah Byer and Matthew Kwilas.
Hours: Noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.
- A REAL JEWEL
- Bead in Hand
- 145 Harrison
- (708) 848-1761
- www.beadinhand.com
Constantly stirring with bead artists, those interested in beading and parents who bring their children to gaze at the beautiful beads, Bead in Hand has been anchored on Harrison for more than a decade. The store is about beads and beading, from supplies to classes to birthday parties.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; 1-5 p.m Sunday.
- JOE PUBLIC
- The Buzz Cafe
- 905 S. Lombard
- (708) 524-2899
- www.thebuzzcafe.com
This is a coffee shop in the real neighborhood coffee-shop sense. It's about taking the time to peruse the locally produced art that fills the walls (and is for sale). It's about enjoying a breakfast burrito in the morning, a garlic-grilled mushroom pita in the afternoon or an inexpensive family dinner. It's about live music on the weekends and flyers that let you know what's popping in the neighborhood.
Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday- Friday; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
- TORTA REFORM
- La Majada Restaurant
- 226 Harrison
- (708) 848-8838
Since 1976, La Majada has meant delicious Mexican food and a darn good margarita. It's the kind of restaurant you get cravings for after trying their classics like chilies rellenos or enchiladas suizas. But be prepared to be hooked once you dabble with El Fogon. A registered trademark of the restaurant, El Fogon is a fire pit over which sword-skewered meats are seared to perfection.
Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
