Compiled byFrancisco Ramírez Pinedo Neighborhood Captain
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ullman is a neighborhood undergoing a transformation. What began as an acclaimed planned town built by George Pullman has become an acclaimed model for redevelopment for other neighborhoods. Pullman was praised for establishing a vertically integrated town where many of his workers, who doubled as residents, were in want of nothing. For more than a decade, they weren’t, but changes in the U.S. economy that took place during the Gilded Age brought infamy and a watershed moment in American and labor history: the 1894 Pullman Railway Strike. What followed were a series of antitrust measures that separated Pullman’s railcar operations from its residential holdings. The company managed to operate until it was gradually dissolved by the late 1980s. Like many neighborhoods in the Far South Side, the closure of Pullman’s famed railcar company coincided with the closure of nearby steel mills and was indicative of a broader industrial breakdown that initiated rapid demographic changes and economic deterioration. That is, until reinvestment was initiated by US Bank and Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, starting in 2009. Since this period of reinvestment began, a litany of big brands —a Whole Foods distribution center, a Walmart, and even Wisconsin’s famous Culver’s—have posted up in the iconic neighborhood, causing giddiness and criticism among people on the South Side. There’s even been a move toward green industries with the opening of the Method Soap Factory and its rooftop farm tenant Gotham Greens, the largest rooftop farm in the nation. The most recent big-name ribbon cutting was for an Amazon Distribution Center; the October 28 ceremony was attended by 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale and Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Though Pullman’s recovery is by no means complete, and we wait to see what these promising changes will bring to the neighborhood over time, it’s worthwhile to look back at just a couple of enterprises whose staying power continues to be a source of pride for residents of this iconic company town and beyond. (Francisco Ramírez Pinedo) Francisco Ramírez Pinedo is a freelance web developer and contributing editor for the Weekly based in South Chicago covering labor, tech/cybersecurity, politics, immigration, arts, and design
BEST LOCAL ICE CREAM, MADE WITH LOVE
Richard’s Super Premium Ice Cream
PULLMAN OSCAR SANCHEZ
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, you could order a wide array of items at Richard’s Super Premium Ice Cream. From hot dogs and sandwiches, to sundaes and kernel popcorn that could give Garrett’s a run for their money. However, this Pullman mainstay of over twenty years, as its name suggests, is popular for ice cream. Housed in an unassuming warehouse across the street from the University of Chicago Press distribution center, one could be forgiven for driving past this factory that houses a neighborhood pillar. Most of the current ice cream selection, just in time for the holidays, is reminiscent of a familial Thanksgiving dinner: Black Walnut, Sweet Potato Pie, Peach Cobbler, Pineapple Vodka (flavored with Ciroc). Its most popular flavor is Banana Pudding, which has real chunks of Nilla wafers, and is proof positive of the care that goes into hand-making these one-of-a-kind sweets. Due to the pandemic, Richard’s, like every other restaurant in the city, has had to implement stricter rules in dealing with customers. No one is allowed inside, but staff will gladly take your order curbside, maintaining social distancing precautions. As with NOVEMBER 25, 2020 ¬ SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY 67