BEVERLY
BEST FREECYCLE GROUP
Beverly Free Box
What started as a small Facebook group in 2018, inspired by the North Side’s Rockwell Free Box and committed to the four Rs—reduce, reuse, recycle, and renovate—has grown to include more than 3,500 members. Residents created this hyper-local freecycle group not only to keep gently used household items out of landfills but also to build connections with their neighbors. “It’s really become so much more than just a way to get free stuff,” said Sussan Navabi, who lives in Beverly. “I’ve lived here most of my life but I’ve honestly never felt more connected to my community than the past couple years because of Freebox.” Free Box members are required to live in Beverly, and cannot be members of more than two different neighborhood boxes at a time. New members must share an item that they no longer need before they can claim another member’s offer. Cash transactions are prohibited, and if you claim an item, you have to pick it up. So if you live in Beverly and you’ve got an attic full of old Star Wars toys or a shed with too many tools, or if you’re looking for gently used housewares to round out your kitchen makeover, check out the Beverly Free Box. You might find a new treasure...or a new neighbor! ( Jim Daley) Beverly Free Box Facebook group. bit.ly/BevFreeBox
BRIDGEPORT Compiled by Nikki Roberts Neighborhood Captain
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GONZALO GUZMAN
hen I sat down last year to write the introduction to the Bridgeport section of the 2020 Best of the South Side issue, I thought about all the factors that led me to settle there after I moved to Chicago in 2016: its diverse and eccentric residents, its strong sense of neighborhood pride, and the plethora of independent businesses, restaurants and bars that give the neighborhood its gritty charm. I described Bridgeport’s working-class history, its tradition of fighting for workers’ rights, and how this laid the foundation for a community where neighbors help each other through tough times. One year later, I have so many new things to appreciate about this neighborhood—a place that has felt more like home to me than anywhere else I’ve lived. Each time I take a new route on my daily walk to CVS, chat with the women who work at the Suds Factory laundromat, or meet with a friend for before-work coffees at one of the neighborhood’s many independent coffeehouses, I’m convinced that I will never stop discovering (and re-discovering) things to love about Bridgeport. But, don’t just take my word for it—ask Jeremy Kitchen, head librarian at the Richard J. Daley Branch, who is featured in this issue as Bridgeport’s Best Punk Rock Librarian. When sharing what he loves about Bridgeport, Kitchen mentions classic local businesses, bars, and restaurants, like George’s Gyros (“where they still call you ‘hun,’”) or The Stockyard Coffeehouse (“the Mexican Mocha is divine, as is the breakfast sandwich. Also, [there are] no embarrassing ‘trying just a little too hard’ baristas working there. A family business owned by Bridgeport natives”). He also gives a mandatory shout out to the South Side’s very own Chicago White Sox: “Tim, Jose, Eloy, and the boys are killing it this year. The energy in the park is electric, and the bullpen slays. LaRussa has proven his worth after my initial skepticism, with proven competency and wins with injuries galore. The Sox are probably the most affordable pro sports ticket in America, which is good for families.” And, as a librarian and Lumpen Radio host, Kitchen feels compelled to highlight 20 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY
¬ SEPTEMBER 16, 2021
