CHICAGO LAWN & WEST LAWN Compiled by Gisela Orozco, Neighborhood Captain
K BUENA SUPERMARKET PHOTO BY ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL
I
t may be described as a “melting pot” of cultures, but in these two neighborhoods Mexicans are thriving in the city. Chicago Lawn and West Lawn are linked by a commercial street that serves as their main artery: 63rd St. Although not everything is within walking distance, both are close to Midway Airport, public schools, two parks with family and extracurricular activities and, of course, Mexican food from various places and of various specialties. The history of the Mexican community in West Lawn and Chicago Lawn is not new. Their arrival is recorded dating back to the 70s. Previously, these neighborhoods were inhabited by European immigrants of Polish and Lithuanian descent. Proof of this is the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, located at 6500 S. Pulaski Rd., and the Lithuanian Catholic Press Society, at 4545 S. 63rd St. However, in the last two decades the Mexican community has grown. In West Lawn, for example, recent figures highlight that eighty percent of the population is of Latinx origin, the majority being of Mexican descent. This is notable along 63rd St., and on its storefronts, the use of the Spanish language and a variety of Mexican customs and traditions are clearly present. In these parts of the city, unlike Pilsen and La Villita, there is not a museum or a robust commercial network, but West Lawn and Chicago Lawn have something going for them and are a mix of big and small family-owned businesses that, additionally, have easy access to public transportation. That’s why you can find places here that make you feel like you’re in a Mexican city and a community-based environment. At the business level, many try their luck, but some stores remain operating through the years without having a marketing strategy or even social media. Their clientele is dependent on the original social network that never fails: the word of mouth, and customers who, without being "influencers", pass along their recommendations. People 30 SOUTH SIDE WEEKLY
¬ SEPTEMBER 16, 2021
are treated like family. Last year the 60629 zip code, which encompasses Chicago Lawn and West Lawn, was one of the most affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s where a large number of cases of the virus and deaths were registered. However, in this zip code, one never stops eating or dancing. Perhaps because of that very Mexican philosophy attached to sayings such as “las penas con pan son buenas” or “a falta de amor, unos tacos al pastor.” (Gisela Orozco) Neighborhood captain Gisela Orozco is a Mexican immigrant with a degree in communication sciences who has resided in Chicago since 2002. For ten years she was the entertainment editor of the now-defunct Hoy newspaper, the Spanish-language publication of the Chicago Tribune. Previously, from 2002 to 2009, she was a reporter and entertainment editor for the weekly La Raza. She is currently a copy editor and contributes articles for La Voz Chicago (Sun-Times) and translates articles for South Side Weekly and the Institute for Nonprofit News. This section was originally written in Spanish and has been translated by Jacqueline Serrato.
BEST SUPERMARKET
La K-Buena Supermarket
For five years, La K-Buena Supermarket has also been known as the site of the “Juanga” mural. It is the store where you can see the face of the late Juan Gabriel (1950-2016),
