2008 Woodie Awards
Maxwell Street Market move signals new beginning
Igor Studenkov
Issue date: 10/6/08 Section: News
Media Credit: Jessica CinottoThe Maxwell Street Market began on the namesake Maxwell Street many years ago; now it is being relocated once again.
The Maxwell Street Market moved to a new location on Sept. 14; it is now located on Desplaines Street, between Roosevelt Road and Harrison. The move was initially supposed to take place last year, but infrastructure and land acquisition issues delayed the process. This marks the second time that the Market changed locations in its 120-year history; for the past 14 years, it was located on Canal Street, between 18th and Taylor. The city government insists that the new site will be permanent. Whether history will actually bear it out remains to be seen.
True to its name, Maxwell Street Market was originally located on Maxwell Street. It was the commercial center of the first Jewish neighborhood in Chicago, a place where anyone could buy virtually anything for bargain prices. The Market was not perfect - many people were justifiably skeptical about the legality of some of the items sold there, police presence was minimal and sanitation was a problem. Ultimately, though, the Market's anarchistic vitality and seemingly boundless choices attracted customers from all over Chicagoland.
In the 1920s, Maxwell Street became a welcome venue for African American musicians, giving them an opportunity to perform to a multi-ethnic, mixed-race crowd without fear of discrimination. The noise level at the market inspired them to experiment with electric amplifiers, which, in turn, led to the development of Chicago Blues. In 1939, Jimmy Stefanovic, a Macedonian immigrant and the Maxwell Street Market vendor, created the Maxwell Polish. The sandwich has since become a staple of Chicago fast food.
In the 1960s, the construction of the Dan Ryan Expressway split Maxwell Street in half. While the construction of the Circle Campus (the current-day UIC East Campus) did not affect the market directly, the relationship between the two was antagonistic from the start. The University viewed Maxwell Street Market as a symptom of urban decay and advised its students to avoid the area altogether. The market vendors, on the other hand, were worried that the University would expand into their neighborhood. Their fears proved to be justified when, in the 1990s, UIC announced its intention to turn the area into South Campus and an upscale residential neighborhood known as University Village. While the public outcry saved Maxwell Street Market from being shut down, it was not enough to prevent the city from moving it to Canal Street.
The new location proved to be a mixed blessing. The city government took a more direct role in market management, creating a more secure market with stricter quality controls. On the other hand, the market was less visible and harder to reach. The city imposed daily fees on the vendors, affectively blocking the Market of its poorest members. And the new design did not account for musicians, so the performances that characterized the original market never quite returned.
In 2005, city spokesman Bill McCaffrey announced his intention to move the market once again. According to the official press release, this was necessary to provide a roomier, better-designed venue. Carolyn Eastwood, author of Near West Side Story and long-time supporter of the Maxwell Street Market, suggested another reason, arguing that the Market ran afoul of the neighborhood redevelopment, which favored big box stores and shopping plazas over established local shops.
Compared to Canal Street, the Desplaines location is noticeably shorter. Vendors are not allowed to park their vehicles near their booths like they were at the previous location, creating logistical problems. However, unlike the previous venue, it has a designated performance area, fixed bathroom facilities and a somewhat more organized layout. The Market is now closer to the Dan Ryan Expressway. While this makes the Market easier to access, it exposes vendors and patrons to the expressway noise and emissions.
For now, the fate of Maxwell Street Market is uncertain. The new location could inspire a revival - or it could make the matters worse. If the Market proves popular, it might expand a block east toward Jefferson Street. The possibility has been discussed without official confirmation. And, given the history of the Market, it is possible that some future redevelopment plan could scuttle its chances of success. Whatever the future may hold, the Market will remain a welcome destination for bargain hunters and adventurous souls, wherever they may be.
Maxwell Street Market operates every Sunday, 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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True to its name, Maxwell Street Market was originally located on Maxwell Street. It was the commercial center of the first Jewish neighborhood in Chicago, a place where anyone could buy virtually anything for bargain prices. The Market was not perfect - many people were justifiably skeptical about the legality of some of the items sold there, police presence was minimal and sanitation was a problem. Ultimately, though, the Market's anarchistic vitality and seemingly boundless choices attracted customers from all over Chicagoland.
In the 1920s, Maxwell Street became a welcome venue for African American musicians, giving them an opportunity to perform to a multi-ethnic, mixed-race crowd without fear of discrimination. The noise level at the market inspired them to experiment with electric amplifiers, which, in turn, led to the development of Chicago Blues. In 1939, Jimmy Stefanovic, a Macedonian immigrant and the Maxwell Street Market vendor, created the Maxwell Polish. The sandwich has since become a staple of Chicago fast food.
In the 1960s, the construction of the Dan Ryan Expressway split Maxwell Street in half. While the construction of the Circle Campus (the current-day UIC East Campus) did not affect the market directly, the relationship between the two was antagonistic from the start. The University viewed Maxwell Street Market as a symptom of urban decay and advised its students to avoid the area altogether. The market vendors, on the other hand, were worried that the University would expand into their neighborhood. Their fears proved to be justified when, in the 1990s, UIC announced its intention to turn the area into South Campus and an upscale residential neighborhood known as University Village. While the public outcry saved Maxwell Street Market from being shut down, it was not enough to prevent the city from moving it to Canal Street.
The new location proved to be a mixed blessing. The city government took a more direct role in market management, creating a more secure market with stricter quality controls. On the other hand, the market was less visible and harder to reach. The city imposed daily fees on the vendors, affectively blocking the Market of its poorest members. And the new design did not account for musicians, so the performances that characterized the original market never quite returned.
In 2005, city spokesman Bill McCaffrey announced his intention to move the market once again. According to the official press release, this was necessary to provide a roomier, better-designed venue. Carolyn Eastwood, author of Near West Side Story and long-time supporter of the Maxwell Street Market, suggested another reason, arguing that the Market ran afoul of the neighborhood redevelopment, which favored big box stores and shopping plazas over established local shops.
Compared to Canal Street, the Desplaines location is noticeably shorter. Vendors are not allowed to park their vehicles near their booths like they were at the previous location, creating logistical problems. However, unlike the previous venue, it has a designated performance area, fixed bathroom facilities and a somewhat more organized layout. The Market is now closer to the Dan Ryan Expressway. While this makes the Market easier to access, it exposes vendors and patrons to the expressway noise and emissions.
For now, the fate of Maxwell Street Market is uncertain. The new location could inspire a revival - or it could make the matters worse. If the Market proves popular, it might expand a block east toward Jefferson Street. The possibility has been discussed without official confirmation. And, given the history of the Market, it is possible that some future redevelopment plan could scuttle its chances of success. Whatever the future may hold, the Market will remain a welcome destination for bargain hunters and adventurous souls, wherever they may be.
Maxwell Street Market operates every Sunday, 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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