Heart of the Manor Tour

Heart of the Manor:
The Buildings and Shops Surrounding Manor Park

Ravenswood Manor Centennial Tour

A walking tour of Ravenswood Manor’s varied commercial past around the Heart of the Manor, Ravenswood Manor Park. It reveals the histories of the businesses that have occupied the retail spaces adjacent to the Francisco L stop and the courtyard buildings. You’ll be amazed. The tour was written by the volunteers of the Centennial Research and Tour Committee, Ravenswood Manor Improvement Association.
Research was conducted by Jackie Klein (census), Jim Peters (directories, photos), and Adrian Collins (fieldwork). The source for building permits is the Ravenswood Manor National Register Historic District nomination application.
Map included at end of tour, or click the image to preview.

Download the self-guided PDF version of Heart of the Manor by clicking here.

1. 2851 W. Eastwood

Former site of Wm. E. Harmon Real Estate Office; later the Manor Community Center. Built 1909; demolished 1947

2. 4630-36 N. Francisco / 2906-10 W. Eastwood (Apartments)

1915 building permit
1920 census (4632): Residents included: life insurance official, schoolteachers, securities official. (2906-10): Residents included: dentist, druggist, roofing contractor, tailor sales manager and foreman, two salesmen, and schoolteacher.
1930 census (4632-36): Rents $65-$70/mo. Residents included: life insurance official, schoolteachers, and steam railroad officer.
1940 census (2906-10): Rents $40-$43/mo. Owners: John Kahovce and Edmond H. Robinson. Other residents included: appliance salesman, artist, clerk salesman, electrical designer, elevator operator, and tool designer.
Tenants: A) 4630: Corner Drugstore
1928 directory: Eastwood Pharmacy; Isack Goldfine, prop.
1953 and 1957 directories: Black’s Pharmacy (aka “Izzy’s Drugstore”); Izzy Black, prop.; lived at 2954 W. Eastwood
1966 directory: La Pointe’s Studio of Dance Arts
2014: Le Ballet Petit Dance Studio
Tenants: B) 4634: Hansen’s Tailors
1928 directory: Jacob Hansen & Son Tailor
1953 directory: Woman Bowler magazine
1957 directory: Gavzer System (carpet and furniture cleaners); S. Gavzer lived at 2943 Eastwood, a Harmon Model Home
2014: Le Ballet Petit Dance Studio annex
Tenants: C) 4636: Winterson’s Real Estate/Power Petroleum
1928 directory: Winterson & Co. Real Estate
1953 directory: Power Petroleum; Mabel Miller, prop. (who lived at 4637 N. Manor in 1940 census)
1957 and 1966 directories: United Consumers Supply Co.
1964 adv: United Consumers Service & Supply Co. (petroleum)
1960s: Texaco; great Christmas decorations (acc. to oral histories)
1987: video rental store
2014: Narlock Piano Studio

3. 4638 N. Francisco (Triangle Foods/B&D Foods)

1928 building permit
1930 census:  Rents $65/mo. Residents included: insurance stenographer, life insurance agent, and vaudeville actors.
1940 census: Residents included: beauty shop owner, food wholesalers, salesman, and window designer.
1953 directory: E. Schultz
1957 and 1966 directories: Triangle Foods (an IGA food store?)
1964 adv: Triangle Food Shop
Late 1960s and ‘70s: B&D Foods; Ben and Dorothy Kazenow, prop. (acc to neighborhood oral histories); Ben was a butcher.
2014: Le Ballet Petit Dance Studio annex

4. 4640 N. Francisco (Harris Grocery/Johnson’s Locksmith)

1913 building permit
1920 census: Grocers George G. (44; born England) and Catherine (39) Harris; rubber company officer Herbert and Esther (both 24) Dalshman.
1928 directory: Harris Grocery; Catherine Harris, prop.
1930 census: George T. (55) and Catherine (48) Harris; grocers.
1940 census: George (66) and Catherine (56) Harris; grocers.
1957 and 1966 directories: Johnson’s Locksmith Shop (and blade sharpening); family lived upstairs (acc. to oral histories)
2014: SWWB Architects

5. 4648 N. Francisco (“Merle’s”)

c.1993 building permit
1994: Merle’s Coffee Shop
2014: Peterson Garden Project

6. 4650 N. Francisco (“L” Station)

1907 building permit; 2004 rehabilitation
1928-29 directory: Max Sawyer, news director
1960s: Henry Tepper, newsstand (acc. to oral histories)

7. 4664-70 N. Manor (Commercial Building)

1922-23 building permit
Tenants: A) 4664-66: Manor Bakery/Connelly’s Market
1928 directory: Manor Bakery; Arthur Brauneis, prop.
1953 directory: Manor Foods; Harold Matz, prop. (another Matz outlet was located at 5155 W. Belmont)
1950-51 ads; 1957 dir.: Connelly’s Fine Foods/Connelly’s Market
1966 directory: NJD Company
2014: First Slice pie cafe
Tenants: B) 4668: Bernheim Meats
1928 directory: Benjamin M. Bernheim Meats
1953 directory: No one listed
1957 directory: Eva Gelboin
2014: Urban Homes real estate
Tenants: C) 4670: Freedberg Grocery/Chicago Shimpo
1928 directory (4670): Gustave D. Freedberg, grocer
1953 directory: No one listed
1970s: “The Chicago Shimpo,” a Japanese newspaper (acc. to oral histories)
2013: “The Chicago Shimpo”
2014: TUTA Theater Chicago

8. 4672-80 N. Manor / 2913-17 W. Leland (Apartments)

1925 building permit
2000, converted to Manor Condominiums
1930 census: Rents $55-67/mo. Residents included: clerk, insurance clerk, lawyer, printer, private dressmaker, and radio station manager.
1940 census: Rents $40-$45/mo. Residents included: barber, two chefs, two comptometer operators, foreman, janitor, six stenographers, teller, traffic cleark, and x-ray technician.
1966 directory (4674): H. Tepper residence (neighborhood tailor)
Tenants: A) 4676: Elaine Shop
1928 directory: Elaine Shop (ladies ready-to-wear; regional chain?)
1953, 57, and 66 directories: No one listed
Tenants: B) 4678: Sperling Barber Shop
1928 directory: Frank A. Sperling Barber
1953, 57, and 66 directories: No one listed
Tenants: C) 4680: Ruth Furs
1928 directory: Arthur W. Ruth furs; Marie Ruth, prop.
1953, 57, and 66 directories: No one listed

9. 4671-75 N. Manor / 2757-67 W. Leland (Apartments)

1924 building permit
1930 census: Rents $45-55/mo. 14 units. Residents included: artist, bookkeeper, grocer, printer, retiree, and salesmen.
1940 census: Rents $32-43/mo. 20 units. Residents included: auditor, three business owners, building manager, cashier, clothes buyer, draftsman, dress machine operator, insect exterminator, insurance underwriter, laundry manager, three maids, sales clerk, ship’s captain, five stenographers, and a teacher.

10. 4663-69 N. Manor (Commercial Building/Apartments)

1916-17 building permit
1920 census: Residents included: chauffeur, clerk, department store investigator and manager, electrician, nurse, painters, shoemaker (Sam Shedlowsky), and tailor (Hassel).
1930 census: Residents included: building contractor, department store investigator, electrician, insurance salesman, office clerk, two painters, shoemaker, and tailor.
1940 census: Rents $40-$50/mo. Residents included: bookkeeper, three business owners, clerk, driver, laborer, machine operator, presser, telephone operator. (Sarah Field (b.Russia), owned tailor shop; Bertha Neuling (50; b.Germany), owned deli; Isack Beack (55) owned?)
Tenants: A) 4669: A&P Grocery
1923 advertisement: A&P Grocery
1928 directory: Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (A&P) Grocer
1953, 57, 66 directories: No business listed
2014: Law Offices
Tenants: B) 4667: Neuling Delicatessen
1928 directory: Max and Bertha Neuling Deli (reside above store)
(In 1930, the Neulings lived at 4661 Manor; in 1937, Max was murdered off site; in 1940, his widow, Bertha, 50, and sons resided at 4665 N. Manor)
1953 directory: Manor Radio Service
1957 directory: Hot Food-a-matic Inc.
1966 directory: Stamford Rubber Supply Co. and O’Connor & Co.
(Acc to oral histories, this was location of Dixie Brand Pine Tar; Maurice O’Connor, prop.; wife Marilyn, sons Joe and Kevin.)
2014: chiropractor/massage therapist
Tenants: C) 4665: Isler Shoe Repair
1928 directory: Herman Isler Shoe Repair (he and wife, Irene, lived above store)
1957 directory: J&J Screw Nut and Bolt Service
2014: Supreme Beauty Parlor
Tenants: D) 4663: Barkowsky Laundry/Tepper’s Tailors
1928 directory: Harry I. Barkowsky Laundry (he and wife, Gertrude, live above store)
1940s: Louis Saperstein Tailors (acc. to Abe Saperstein daughter)
1957 and 1966 directories: Tepper’s Tailor/Dry Cleaners. (Acc. to oral histories, Henry Tepper also operated the newsstand in “L” station
2014: Manor Cleaners

11. 4651-61 N. Manor (Solon Manor Apartments)
  
1927-28 building permit
1930 census: Rents $50-60/mo. 19 units. Residents included: three bank employees, two radio, two retail, and a stone cutter.
1940 census: Residents included: auditor, three beauticians, building manager, elevator operator, foreman, insurance broker, nurse, painter, policeman, salesman, two stenographers, two switchboard operators, and truck driver.
Tenants: A) 4661: Norton Florist / Puso’s Barber Shop
1928 directory: Mary Norton Florist
1957 and 1966 directories: No business shown
1960s: Dominic Puso Barber Shop (acc. to oral histories)
Tenants: B) 4659: Manor Beauty Shop
1928 directory: Manor Beauty Shop; Clara Lawson, prop.
1957 and 1966 directories: No business shown

12. 4643-49 N. Manor / 2850-56 W. Eastwood (Apartments)

1927-28 building permit
1930 census: Residents included: bank clerk and tellers, building supply salesman, knife factory worker, and stone cutter.
1940 census: Rents $40-$53/mo. Residents included: brokerage bookkeeper, church minister, foreman, owner of Cotter Novelties, registrar at Armor Institute, salesman, secretary, and two stenographer

13. 4637 N. Manor / 2839 W. Eastwood (“Manor House”)

1922 building permit
1930 census (2839): Nathan (47) and Sophie (39) Flyer; sons Allen (16) and Cecil (14); Sophie’s mother Hattie Dresser (68). Nathan is a residential contractor. $40k house value.
1932 article: A.W. Greenbaum’s (son) family residing there
1933 article: Harry Kanter family residing there; dau Ruth Elaine
1940 census: Adam J. (50) and Mabel (46) Miller; son Adam J. (19); dau Joan C. (7); Mabel’s bro Irving Hanson (42); maids Julia Carvonen (21) and Anna Vogel (23; b.Germany); lodger William Rudolph (48). Adam is part owner of several filling stations; Irving is a radio installer; William is a gas station manager. (According to the 1953 directory, Mabel Miller was proprietor of Power Petroleum, whose offices were at 4636 N. Francisco. 10 filling stations in 1949.)
1950 article: Carole Burkhardt’s (dau) family residing there
1966 and 68 articles: Ralph Read family residing there; Rory Read is son/dau
1976: Diakonian Society religious order
2014: private residence

Heart of Manor Tour Map