Grab a free coffee on us tomorrow at Build Coffee and Books in Woodlawn. And while you’re there, take a walk around the neighborhood to see some of our favorite sights. Including, but not limited to, a certain hometown president’s new library.
While that opening is already changing the neighborhood, we want to highlight other spots to visit while you’re in the area.
You can walk south from the Obama Presidential Center, hitting Build and eventually ending at Stony Island Arts Bank. (Google Maps)
What to Do
If you managed to snag tickets, begin your walk at the Obama Presidential Center. If not, don’t worry — more OPC tickets drop soon. Plus, you can get to Build sooner.
Build is the perfect way to start a morning in Woodlawn. In addition to coffee on us, they’ve got a banging breakfast sandwich and loads of books about social justice and local politics.
Build is part of Experimental Station, a community center that’s also home to Blackstone Bicycle Works, plus rotating events. Coming up: The Portal, led by Sam Thousand’s ChiBrations.
Experimental Station also hosts the 61st Street Farmers Market every Saturday: “The best place to experience diversity in a segregated city,” as our friends at South Side Weekly say.
Continue down Blackstone Avenue, and you’ll hit 62nd Street Community Garden alongside Beehive Park. The perfect spot to sit and read a zine you picked up at Build!
From there, head down Dorchester Avenue till you hit the Metra underpass murals. Here, non-OPC-ticket-holders can enjoy a mosaic of Barack and Michelle.
7323 Chicago Cafe offers good grab-and-go meals. (Jacoby Cochran / City Cast Chicago)
On this route, 7323 Chicago Cafe may seem a little out of the way. But it's absolutely worth a stop for lunch. They’ve got homemade ice cream sandwiches, smoothies, mini cheesecakes, paninis … When you’ve hit the shipping container on Woodlawn Avenue, you’ve made it.
From there, it’s a 15-minute walk east to Stony Island Arts Bank.
A Grand Finale
Technically the Stony Island Arts Bank is not in Woodlawn — it’s just over the border in Greater Grand Crossing. But we’ll take any excuse to plug this one-of-a-kind space.
Artist Theaster Gates turned the century-old abandoned bank into an exhibition space and archive in 2015. Now, after recent renovations, it’s reopened with a conceptual tea salon and cocktail lounge.
Jacoby inside the Stony Island Arts Bank’s Johnson publishing library. (Jacoby Cochran / City Cast Chicago)
