Block 37 – Michael Juliano

Bizarre Chicago shopping: 6 reasons why walking through Block 37 feels like stepping into The Twilight Zone

Let’s unload all of the clichés about Block 37 in one sentence: Block 37 is a high-profile project in the middle of the Loop with a long, storied history full of legal and financial roadblocks that have seen major tenants pull out and a transit superstation scrapped. Oh right, and it’s actually a mall. From its quiet opening almost a year ago to its resurfacing lately in the context of an express train line to O’Hare and the outgoing mayor’s failed business initiatives, seemingly none of the news coverage of Block 37 has ever focused on what it’s actually like to shop there and how utterly bizarre of a place it is.

With about 15 stores open now, the mall is still very much a work in progress (the exposed concrete, plastic wrap and power tools in some corners of the building are a dead giveaway), and it’s about to get its most high-profile tenant so far with the opening of a high-tech interactive Disney Store this fall. But for now, walking through Block 37 is a surreal experience that feels pulled right out of The Twilight Zone for six big reasons.