Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce

As a long time resident near Lincoln Square, I am disappointed that businesses haven’t spoke up sooner in opposition to the Lawrence Avenue road diet (CDOT reducing traffic by one lane in each direction). Last Friday westbound traffic backed up all the way to Damen avenue. The traffic was so bad it even impacted traffic flow on Damen. I will avoid Lincoln Square in the future during afternoon rush hour.

Super Cute Area for Dining, Shopping, Strolling, and Kids to Run Around (in the Square which is somewhat Small, but Safe and Fun). We usually get Lunch and let the Kids play in the Square for awhile afterwards. Lots of Families, and everyone is Friendly. I just wish it were Bigger, but it’s Small Size is also Charming. Concerts, Fests, and Farmers Markets, during the Summer.

Another brilliant summer afternoon spent people-​watching, reading, sun-​tanning, chilling, in Giddings Plaza, the heart of the Lincoln Square neighborhood, and realizing that this is definitely the best neighborhood in Chicago.
Giddings Plaza is the center of the area. On a beautiful summer day like today, it is filled with parents and babies, children playing, people having lunch, and even someone like me, who uses a day off to enjoy the whole panorama.
Lincoln Square has a diverse population that’s best seen on Thursday evenings when the farmer’s market is operating, and the free concerts take place in the Plaza. It really feels like you’re in a small, friendly town.
The area has restaurants (many, many), an independent bookstore (BookCellar), a fantastic deli (Gene’s Sausage Shop), independent and unique stores (Merz Apothecary, Eclectricity, Gallimaufry Gallery, and more), coffeeshops, a wine shop (Fine Wine Brokers), entertainment (Davis Theatre, Old Town School of Folk Music, free events sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce), a large park district (Welles Park), a big public library (Sulzer Branch) — just too many pluses to list here.
The neighborhood features plenty of housing, without feeling like you’re living in one of those high-​rise caverns alongside Sheridan Road. There are apartments, condos and single family homes. And the neighborhood luckily escaped the worst of the housing boom — there are a few McMansions around here, those hulking monsters that fill up their lots with not enough land left to place a flower pot — but not nearly as many as in other neighborhoods or suburbs. It still maintains the old Chicago ‘hood character.
The one thing that may develop into a problem is parking. Thursday night is already challenging in the area, since the Market fills a parking lot. Now that Lincoln Square Athletic Club has opened, there will be a lot more people coming into the area with their cars.
On the nights when Old Town School has a big concert, parking is already an issue. Old Town School is expanding into a much larger, new building across the street from its current location, and you can be sure that will add stress to the parking issues.
But for me, I love it. Nights on our block are quiet and peaceful. But when we want action, summer or winter, we can find whatever we want in Lincoln Square.

Out of all of Chicago’s 77 unique neighborhoods, Lincoln Square is truly my favorite. This is also probably why I chose to live here. It’s far enough north from much of the city congestion, has a true neighborhood feel amongst an urban surrounding, and still manages to maintain a good amount of it’s German culture. It’s truly «A village in a city.» Several German businesses are still alive and booming with pride: Chicago Brahaus, Merz Apothecary, Lutz Continental Café, Huttenbar, the Chicago branches of DANK HAUS (The German American Cultural Center) and the Niedersachsen German Club, to name a few. The Chamber of Commerce does a lovely job in making sure the neighborhood maintain’s this «life» with many festivals and events like the SpringRavenswood Run, May Fest, Fold & Roots Festival, Apple Fest, German Fest, and the Christkindl Market. I love exploring the neighborhood whether it is sitting in a lovely café reading a book, strolling past the many shops or watching the kids play by the fountain Square.