You can't really talk about Chicago without talking about 79th Street. It’s long. It stretches from the lake all the way out to the suburbs, but the heart of it—the part that people mean when they say "79th"—is that gritty, vibrant, sometimes difficult, and always resilient stretch through Chatham and Greater Grand Crossing.
If you're driving down 79th Street in Chicago, you aren't just passing buildings. You're passing history. You're passing the ghost of Johnson Products Company and the very real, very delicious smell of Garrett Popcorn’s corporate kitchen. People think they know 79th from the news, but the news usually gets it wrong because they only show up when something goes sideways. They miss the Sunday morning crowds at New Life Covenant Church or the way the light hits the brick bungalows in Chatham.
The Economic Backbone of Black Chicago
Chatham was once the "jewel" of the South Side. In the 1950s and 60s, it was where the Black middle class dug in their heels and built something massive. 79th Street was the commercial corridor that fed that dream. It wasn’t just a place to buy groceries; it was a place where Black-owned businesses actually thrived without having to ask for permission from downtown.
Honestly, the street has seen better days, but the bones are still there. You've got legacy spots like Lem’s BBQ just a short hop away and the iconic Brown Sugar Bakery near 75th, but 79th itself is anchored by institutions like the Greater 79th Street Renaissance Festival. Every year, thousands of people take over the pavement. It’s not just a party; it’s a statement that the community isn't going anywhere.
Business on 79th is a game of endurance. The Greater Chatham Initiative (GCI), led by Nedra Sims Fears, has been working overtime to revitalize the area. They aren't just painting murals. They're trying to fix the "retail leakage" where residents spend their money outside the neighborhood because they can't find what they need on their own block. It’s a tough fight.
Small businesses here face high insurance costs and the lingering effects of the 2020 unrest, but new life is popping up. Look at the 79th Street Metra station upgrades. Look at the investment in the Mahalia Jackson Court. This isn't just "beautification." It's an attempt to reclaim the public square.
Why the "Renaissance" Matters
People throw the word "renaissance" around a lot. In Chicago, it’s practically a marketing buzzword. But on 79th Street, it’s a specific movement. The Auburn Gresham Healthy Lifestyle Hub is a prime example. This was a massive, $20 million-plus project turning a vacant four-story building into a medical center, a bank, and a restaurant.
Why does a building matter?
Because for years, if you lived on 79th and needed a doctor or a decent salad, you had to leave. Leaving takes time. Time is money. When you bring those services back to the block, you're giving people their time back.
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The Sound of the Street
Walk down 79th near Cottage Grove and just listen.
It’s loud. It’s chaotic. It’s Chicago. You’ll hear the hiss of the 79 bus—one of the busiest routes in the entire CTA system. Seriously, that bus carries millions of people a year. It’s the lifeline for workers heading to the Red Line or the lakefront.
Then there’s the music. Chicago House music wasn’t just born in clubs; it was lived on these streets. You’ll still hear it thumping from car windows. You’ll hear preachers on corners and kids laughing on their way to school.
But we have to be real.
79th Street in Chicago has a reputation for violence that it hasn’t quite been able to shake. It’s a systemic issue, rooted in decades of redlining and disinvestment. When you look at the map of Chicago's "food deserts" or areas with the lowest life expectancy, 79th Street often sits right in the crosshairs. But the people living there? They’re tired of being a statistic. They’re the ones doing the "violence interrupter" work. They’re the ones keeping the lights on at the local barbershops which, let’s be honest, are the real community centers of the South Side.
Architecture and the Bungalow Belt
Chatham is famous for its bungalows. These aren't just houses; they are fortresses of the middle class.
If you turn off 79th into the residential side streets, the vibe changes instantly. It’s quiet. The lawns are manicured. There’s a pride of ownership that contradicts everything the national media says about the South Side. Many of these homes have been in the same families for three generations.
- The "Chatham Look": Brick, offset entrances, stained glass windows.
- The Community Pride: You will get a side-eye if your grass is too long.
- The Resilience: These homes held their value even when the city tried to ignore the neighborhood.
The density of 79th Street is what makes it work. You have apartments above storefronts, creating a "24-hour street" feel that urban planners in the West Loop try to manufacture from scratch. On 79th, it happened naturally over a hundred years.
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The Role of Faith
You can't navigate 79th without bumping into a church. From the massive storefront ministries to the cathedral-style buildings, faith is the social safety net here. When the city fails to provide after-school programs or senior care, the churches on 79th step in.
Pastor Otis Moss III at Trinity United Church of Christ (technically on 95th but a huge influence on the whole area) and the leadership at New Life on 79th are more than just religious figures. They are developers. They are activists. They are the ones holding the city's feet to the fire when TIF funds (Tax Increment Financing) seem to disappear into North Side projects instead of South Side streets.
What Most People Get Wrong About 79th Street
A lot of folks think 79th is a place you avoid. That’s a mistake.
If you avoid 79th, you miss out on some of the best soul food in the country. You miss out on the Dat Donut (okay, that’s 82nd and Cottage, but it’s part of the 79th Street ecosystem). You miss the specialized boutiques and the sheer energy of a neighborhood that refuses to quit.
Is it perfect? No. There are vacant lots that have been empty since the 60s. There’s a "dollar store" saturation that drives locals crazy because they want high-end grocery stores, not more processed snacks.
But there’s a grit here that is uniquely Chicagoan.
The Future: Gentrification or Growth?
This is the big question. With the Obama Presidential Center being built in Jackson Park, the ripples are being felt all the way down 79th Street.
Investors are starting to sniff around. Property flippers are buying up those beautiful bungalows. For long-time residents, it’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, you want your property value to go up. You want the vacant lots filled. On the other hand, you don't want to be priced out of the neighborhood your grandparents built.
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The city’s "Invest South/West" initiative has funneled millions into 79th Street, specifically targeting the intersection at Exchange Avenue. The goal is to create "mixed-use" spaces—apartments over retail—to bring back the foot traffic that made the street famous in the 40s.
It's a delicate balance. If you're looking for the "next" neighborhood, Chatham and the 79th Street corridor are always on the list, but it's a community that protects its own. You don't just move in; you have to become part of the fabric.
How to Experience 79th Street Properly
If you're a visitor or a North Sider who never ventures past Roosevelt, you're missing half the city's soul.
Don't just drive through with your windows up. Stop.
- Eat: Find a local spot. The food on 79th isn't "fusion" or "artisanal." It’s just good.
- Walk: Hit the stretch near the Metra station. See the new developments.
- Talk: Spend five minutes in a barbershop or a beauty salon. You’ll learn more about Chicago politics there than you will from any news site.
- Support: Buy something from a local vendor. The "buy Black" movement isn't a trend here; it's a survival strategy.
79th Street in Chicago is a lesson in persistence. It’s a place that has been told "no" by banks, "no" by the city, and "no" by the media for decades. And yet, the lights are on. The music is playing. The 79 bus is running.
It’s the longest street for a reason. It has a lot of ground to cover and a lot of stories to tell.
Actionable Steps for Supporting the Corridor
If you want to see 79th Street thrive, it takes more than just reading an article.
- Follow the Greater Chatham Initiative: They provide updates on new businesses and community meetings. If you're a business owner, look into their grant programs.
- Use the Metra: Taking the Electric Line to 79th is one of the easiest ways to access the neighborhood without dealing with the nightmare of Dan Ryan traffic.
- Advocate for Equitable Transit: The 79th Street bus is a workhorse. Support policies that prioritize bus rapid transit (BRT) and better shelters for the South Side.
- Invest Locally: If you are looking at real estate, consider the long-term impact. Buy to live, not just to flip. The stability of 79th Street depends on neighbors who actually know each other's names.
The reality is that 79th Street doesn't need "saving." It needs investment, respect, and for the rest of Chicago to recognize that the city’s heart beats just as loud on the South Side as it does in the Loop. Better yet, louder.
Understand that the challenges here aren't accidents. They are the result of specific policy choices made over a century. Changing the trajectory of the street means making different choices—investing in the people who stayed when everyone else left. When 79th Street wins, the whole city wins. It's as simple as that.