Wicker Park - Chicago, IL Area Guide

In 1868, as the area became a growing neighborhood, the city expressed an interest in building a park. Local businessman Charles Wicker saw an opportunity, and with his brother, he purchased 80 acres of land along Milwaukee Avenue, donating four acres to become Wicker Park. The Great Fire of 1871 left many wealthy immigrants homeless, and families flocked to buy Wicker's remaining parceled lots, where they built imposing homes of brick and stone to withstand disaster. Wealthy brewery owners settled in elaborate mansions on Hoyne Street, earning it the nickname "Beer Baron Row."

By the 1980s, artists and musicians trickled into the area. Many famous musicians made their home in Wicker Park during this time, including Liz Phair, who wrote "Exile in Guyville" in the early 1990s while residing in the area. By 2001, Wicker Park was deemed hip enough for MTV to shoot its 11th season of the television show "The Real World" in this location.

Wicker Park continues to value the arts and quirky individualism. In the Flat Iron Arts Building, artists open their studios to the public every month, letting visitors explore the maze-like hallways and chat with the creators about their work. Every September, the annual Renegade Craft Fair fills the grounds of Wicker Park with handmade items ranging from wood block jewelry to owl-print guitar straps and argyle-patterned stuffed animals. Several galleries and theaters dot the area, including the House Theater of Chicago, known for its original plays with a focus on storytelling and flamboyance. Though Wicker Park has no museums, the Ukrainian National Museum in nearby Ukrainian Village gives a taste of its Eastern European roots.

Wicker Park's restaurants cater to diverse tastes and budgets, with modern bistros standing beside affordable Mexican and Middle Eastern restaurants. Good choices for Italian abound, as do Indian, Japanese, and upscale burgers along the eatery-crowded Milwaukee Avenue.

The music of Wicker Park lives on in the small venues and bars that line Milwaukee Avenue. Down the street at Subterranean, music lovers head upstairs for the best balcony spots overlooking the main stage of this 100 year old-building. The venue prides itself on giving fans an intimate music experience, be it reggae, indie rock or metal, along with strong drinks and decent bar food.

If you prefer quiet conversation over drinks, the Violet Hour delivers with artful cocktails shaken by bar tenders in Prohibition-era uniforms. A posted list of rules gives the first clue that this bar is serious about maintaining its posh, relaxing ambiance, including a special request that you not bring any friend whom you wouldn't invite to Mom's Sunday dinner.

Residents of Wicker Park take advantage of the excellent public transit and run errands on foot among the active street life. L-train riders can catch the Blue line from the Damen station at the corner of North Avenue and ride just four stops to the Clark/Lake station for a free transfer to the orange, pink, green, purple and brown lines. Local buses add more options, with bus routes 70 and 72 providing east-west service and routes 9, 50 and 49 running north-south. Most locals feel safe walking at night, but if you prefer a cab, call car service instead of trying to hail one down, since cabs don't pass by regularly. Uber also services the area.

Drivers get around town easily thanks to the convergence of major thoroughfares North Avenue and Milwaukee Avenue. Just east of the neighborhood, I-90 offers a fast route out of the city. However, parking gets tricky after rush hour and on Saturdays, when the free street parking and even the metered street parking get snatched up.

Wicker Park's bike lanes are the envy of other neighborhoods, with dedicated lanes for cyclists running up Damen Avenue and Division Street, allowing for easy access throughout the area. The lanes also provide a safe route to nearby Humboldt Park, where a maze of bike trails offers endless options for riding.

Green spaces abound on every corner of the neighborhood. In addition to the playgrounds and green plazas that dot Milwaukee Avenue, historic Wicker Park invites visitors to relax and escape the city. A large ornamental water fountain serves as an elegant greeting to visitors, and the park welcomes kids and furry friends with a playground and an off-leash dog area. During the warm months, get in a free workout at the baseball diamond, soccer field or basketball courts. Though modest in size, the four-acre grounds feels large, with grassy lawns, lush gardens and old growth shade trees. In the summer, visitors pack picnics to enjoy while watching free film screenings or listening to the Symphony Sounds String Quartet concerts, both regularly held here.

Renters living in Wicker Park pay an average of $2,665/month to rent an apartment, compared to the Chicago city average of $2,239. City dwellers exploring houses for rent in Wicker Park can expect to pay around $2,715/month. For those looking to buy, the average house is valued at $600,000, compared to the city average of $340,000.

The small shops in Wicker Park cater to locals who prefer hunting for one-of-a-kind items over national brands, and the sheer variety of choices can keep you browsing for hours along Milwaukee and North avenues. The clothing boutiques are typically curated vintage and small label designers, along with imported Japanese sneakers, raw and heritage denim, and handmade jewelry by local artists. Zines are still alive at Quimby's Bookstore, a neighborhood favorite that specializes in small press books, comics, toys and magazines with an eye towards the strange and eclectic. Reckless Records was there at the beginning of Wicker Park's music scene and remains a national destination music shop. The collection of vinyl is large enough to get lost in for hours, with both new and used albums organized and inventoried for those in a hurry.

Wicker Park has limited options for large grocery stores, though just north of the neighborhood, a Jewel-Osco stocks all the grocery staples, dairy, meats and produce for the weekly shop. Residents also rely on the numerous small grocers and markets, such as Plenty Grocery and Deli, which offers organic brands, fresh produce, bulk grains, cheese and a deli, along with in-house prepared foods and soups that regulars swear by. On Sundays during the warm months, locals catch up in Wicker Park while shopping at the farmer's market for quality fruits and vegetables.