Chicago's disappearing neighborhood drug stores. Chicago Illinois USA. March 2008.

I took this photo one evening, in March of 2008.
This is the R.V. Kunka neighborhood drug store located at South Archer and Loomis Avenue in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood.

In years past, these tile fronted art decco era stores, were a neighborhood institution throughout the city of Chicago Illinois, and other citties throughout North America.

Here, many a morning or evening bus commuter could purchase a newspaper, coffee, cigarettes, or candy enroute to and from their place of employment. Local neighborhood residents could engage in conversations with the owner and local customers discussing local community gossip or news stories. Children could purchase pencils or school supplies, and of course, prescriptions could be filled at the pharmacy counter. The large corporate pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreens have mostly brought this era to a nostalgic close in Chicago's neighborhoods. Although this example looks like it may have closed recently, there are still a handfull of these old neighborhood drug stores in the greater Chicagoland area today. It was a neighborhood place that was often fun to grow up around in Your community in years past.