OT: Anyone from Chicago?

S

Sharri

Joined
May 24, 2002
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135
Gentlemen, I need your help. My friend goes to Chicago next week and will be back before Christmas (hopefully with a nice khuk for me in his backpack :)). But the question I wanted to ask is: do you know any good army surplus stores, military collector's shops or any military related shops in Chicago or close suburbs? I searched the net and found just one: Army Navy Sales (which seems good btw). The point is, he's planning to buy some lightly used military clothes and equipment to use in reenacting games. They're getting more and more popular here, are often related to airsoft or paintball. I know some folks who play the Vietnam war (in Poland, can you imagine that? :eek: ). Anyhow, if you know any good places to recommend, share them, please. I'll appreciate any help from your part.
 
One thing to try is to check a phone book for surplus stores when he gets to the hotel.
 
Heh, I told him so :D . But he's one of those "got-it-all-planned-before-I-leave-my-house" types.
 
Sharri - you should post this in the Community Center Forum. It will get good visibility there.
 
There WAS a military collectors' store on the south side of Belmont just east of Western Avenue on the north side. But it seemed to be more of the "formal" collector ware...badges, medallions, etc.

Just south of Wrigley Field (Cub's Park)...about two blocks on the west side of Clark Street is a youth-oriented used clothing store with a bit of everything in it...from leather biker jackets to 50's clothing...and some military-style stuff.(The kids behind the counter have tatoos that start at their fingers and disappear up to their neck.--that kind of store)

The places, or area I knew of have been gentrified by yuppies, (that is, upwardly mobile too-much sudden money no-kids couples)and all the neat stores have had to move...but there was one store, again on the south side of Belmont Avenue...about three blocks west of Clark Street, just before the Elevated Train (The "L") that carried a lot of military surplus...again, as fashion, not utility.

Guns can not be sold in Chicago, but just outside the city limits is a "cop shop", on...Dempster or Main...called (damn this memory thing!)..'something' GALLERY...looked like anything but a cop shop...but inside everything from vests to holsters, to a nice array of new and used police and para-military tools and clothing. It is just west of Ridge Avenue, across the street from a tired old mall, in Skokie (I think).

With the movement of cultures and the displacment of stores in Chicago over the last years, I'd really recommend that your friend look in a current phone book.

Also, if he's Polish in Chicago, he'll go to Milwaukee avenue and eat up and around there. Almost impossible to get a bad meal...authentic Polish cusine. One place I went to regularly ONLY spoke polish. (Chicago has the largest polish population outside of Warsaw, Poland.

Hope he has a good trip, and enjoys the city...none other quite like it.


Kis
:rolleyes:
 
Kis, thank you very much- I'll pass this information to my friend.
Pendentive, thanks for good advice, I'll do it.
Arigato again :p
 
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