Logan Square Farmers Market + La Boulangerie

I don’t know why but I haven’t been to the Logan Square Farmers Market for probably more than a year. I mean. I know why. Makai has swimming on Sunday mornings and Dallas uses the car to take him. But I could have figured out a way to visit. Nice to be back. Saw several people that I know and made a haul both at the market and “the new” La Boulangerie cafe. 

Walkin’ in Logan

Makai and I saw these things on some recent walks:

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Real Tenochtitlan. Polanco. Candela.

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Hipsters are on to Foto Quetzal. (See also: this and this.)

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The Palmer Squares is a great name for a band!

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La Boulangerie closed at the end of the year. Sad to see the storefront all gutted and graffitied. I’m sure something will move in fast, though. It’s a primo location on Logan Boulevard and Milwaukee Avenue.

Logan Square is on Fire! The Bike Lane, Barbara & Barbara, Boiler Room, Bucket ‘O Blood, Cafe Mustache, Letizia’s, Play, La Boulangerie, Jam, & Wasabi

There have been so many new places that have opened since we moved to Logan Square just under two years ago – The Rocking Horse, Cole’s, Longman & Eagle, Dill Pickle Food Co-op, New Wave Coffee, Revolution Brewery, Logan Square Kitchen, Ciao Napoli Pizzeria, Sparrow, to name a few. It seems that every week I hear about even more new places opening here. It’s an exciting time to be in Logan Square. I love going to new places and I can’t help but think this will be good for the market value of our condo if we choose to sell it one day. Here are a list of even more new things I’ve been hearing about … and all within short walking distance from where I live!

The Bike Lane is a new bike shop in Logan Square on Milwaukee Avenue across the street from the Congress Theater. I noticed it one night while walking home a couple months ago and took a quick photo.

A few weeks ago Dallas and I needed to get a new bike pump so we walked over and bought one at The Bike Lane. The inside of the store had a just-moved-in feeling, but the guy that helped us out was very nice and they had a good selection of what we were looking for.

A few weeks ago we were at Summer Sessions on the Square. Afterwards, Stephanie and I were shopping around at Wolfbait and B-Girls. We noticed that something new opened right next door to the store. We were talking to someone who worked at Wolfbait and she mentioned that a new salon had opened that very day. It’s called Barbara and Barbara and their website says they do a shampoo, cut, blowdry and beer for $20. Perfect hipster combo at the perfect hipster price!

If you’ve been following along here on this fine website, you’ll remember a preview I attended for a new pizza place called Nice Slice. Well, Nice Slice changed its name to Boiler Room and opened last week. I know some of the people involved in this project and was invited to the opening, but I had other plans that night. I hope to visit really soon.

Bucket ‘O Blood Books and Records opened last month on Milwaukee Avenue near the intersection of California. I haven’t been inside yet, but their sign says they specialize in fiction, fantasy, horror, vinyl, and “awesome.” Awesome!

A couple months ago I wrote about Cafe Mustache opening on Milwaukee Avenue near the California Avenue intersection. I noticed this morning that on the Cafe Mustache Facebook page, they announced that they’re opening their doors on Monday, July 19 and having a preview on Sunday night. Yay!

In February I noticed that Letizia’s is opening on California Avenue, just south of Logan Boulevard. I thought it’d be open by now, but everyone’s still waiting eagerly for the work to be completed.

As I noticed last month, Play is a children’s toy and gift store that is slated to open this summer. That’s about all I know about it. Play will be located in the same building as New Wave.

One more that I mentioned previously, La Boulangerie is a bakery coming to Logan Square and will also be located in the same building as New Wave and Play.

Jam is a restaurant in Ukrainian Village that I’ve been hearing some very good things about their brunch. It has been in the back of my head forever that I should try it out and I never have. A couple weeks ago I heard they’re opening a second location in Logan Square on Milwaukee Avenue, nearby New Wave. I don’t know the exact location, but there’s a storefront just to the south of The Rocking Horse that is being renovated and it’s my #1 guess.

Finally, yesterday Grub Street reported that they were walking around Milwaukee Avenue trying to figure out exactly where Jam is going to be when they noticed a storefront with a new awning. Just to the north of The Rocking Horse is going to be Wasabi Japanese restaurant.

There is one new Logan Square business on Milwaukee Avenue at Richmond that I am not that excited for, though:

The new Cash America pawn shop! At least it looks nicer than 99% of the pawn shops I’ve seen.

But mostly, though, I’m so excited for these new developments. Logan Square is the place to be these days!!!

Update 06.19.10: I forgot, there’s also a new coffee shop called Nothin’ Less that opened a few months ago on Milwaukee Avenue just north of the Logan Square blue line stop.

La Boulangerie Coming to Logan Square

Last week I read in Dish that a bakery called La Boulangerie is coming to Logan Square. A few days ago I set out to figure out where exactly it’s going to be. So you know how you can enter New Wave Cafe from both Milwaukee Avenue and Logan Boulevard? La Boulangerie will be right on the corner there, the tip of the triangle building.

The people behind La Boulangerie own Cook Au Vin, where they do cooking classes and bake bread for restaurants, but not for retail. This new business will be a bakery and creperie and they say their goal is to create a traditional, 19th century French bakery. They’re going to do freshly-baked baguettes, croissants, country-style loaves, and French pastries all day long. The crêpes will be both savory and sweet and Black Dog Gelato will be providing them with custom-made gelato flavors as crêpe fillings.

But do not think they are going to be old-fashioned, with the 19th century French goal. La Boulangerie plans on launching a delivery program called Bread-Flix. A Netflix, but for bread. So you will be able to go online and choose days to get bread delivered, 2 orders per week minimum. And the bread will be delivered by bicycle. To start, the program will be available for Logan Square and Bucktown.

I saw on their site that this is what they think the storefront will look like.

So they’re keeping the big sign and changing some awnings.