[In search of suburban life?] Chicago to get its first Olive Garden

Thank god someone is thinking about the shortage of suburban style restaurants in the city.

And the lucky neighborhood is:

http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/article/20130326/CRED05/13032...

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Permalink Reply by Erin on March 28, 2013 at 3:26am

There's a lot of stereotyping of suburbs and suburbanites in this thread. Yes, many suburbs are car-dependent but you can still find cyclists in them (myself, Garth Katner, Ed and Jeanette Skelly, Alan Lloyd and many other folks who are probably not known to readers of this post). And chain restaurants aren't limited to the suburbs; Chicago has hundreds, if not thousands, of them. Chicago's suburbs are also more racially and ethnically diverse than many Chicago neighborhoods. My point is that there are pluses and minuses to both and many reasons that someone might choose one or the other. How about a little tolerance, people?

Permalink Reply by David Barish on March 28, 2013 at 3:49am

What started as a tongue in cheek commentary on a generic Italian(ish) chain restaurant has morphed into a discussion of sprawl.  Frankly, that is a more interesting topic.  Sprawl, car dependency and strip mall culture is not solely a suburban phenomenon. Many areas of the city are developing a more homogenized facade. I lived in Wrigleyville in the early 80's and hardly recognize it now.  At the same time, a number of the older, inner burbs such as the ones Doug mentioned, are becoming much more bike centric.  Yesterday's hipsters become today's parents and yesterday's mallrats become urban dwellers.  The fan shouldn't be surprised that some fecal material is rotating.  With that rotation times will change again and we'll all ride to Buffalo Grove for the opening night at the Hideout Too...or maybe not. :-)

Permalink Reply by MagMileMarauder on March 28, 2013 at 3:54am

We should organize a Chicago Tour de Sprawl.

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on March 28, 2013 at 3:59am

that's awesome.

I started a question thread a few years ago about cycling suburbaniteshere.  I thought it was pretty interesting. 

MagMileMarauder said:

We should organize a Chicago Tour de Sprawl.

Permalink Reply by Jared on March 28, 2013 at 4:00am

What do you define as sprawl?

MagMileMarauder said:

We should organize a Chicago Tour de Sprawl.

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on March 28, 2013 at 4:03am

Permalink Reply by David Barish on March 28, 2013 at 4:05am

The problem would be the distance.  By definition, things are sprawling.  This could be a century ride.  I know there is an active club in Schaumburg and they were regulars on an ATA commuter committee I was on a couple years ago.  They would know routes from mall to mall and could perhaps limit thingsto a more localized sprawl.

Jared said:

What do you define as sprawl?

MagMileMarauder said:

We should organize a Chicago Tour de Sprawl.

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on March 28, 2013 at 4:11am

Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on March 28, 2013 at 4:16am

Yoga pants from Lulu Lemon!

Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi said:

What this country needs is more bicycles and fewer chain restaurants.  And more yoga pants.  

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on March 28, 2013 at 4:16am

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on March 28, 2013 at 4:23am

In Soviet Russia yoga pants stretch you!

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 28, 2013 at 4:24am

Skokie is a great example of an in-between suburb. It's got strip malls, but some of those strip malls have amazing little ethnic restaurants (although bike parking requires some creativity).  Most of it is fairly bike friendly, and it definitely has diversity working in its favor in recent years.  Transit-wise it's so-so.

Okay folks, how about some other examples of suburbs you like?  I like Berwyn, Riverside, Forest Park and River Forest for bike friendliness.

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