Ad-Free Blog
Waiting is DIFFICULT!
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Teresa: I'm here today in front of Vickie's Vintage and Trish's Blue Sprinkling Can Garden Center. Twelve weeks ago, two businesses were interrupted by a cave-in exposing a crime scene almost a century old.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Teresa: Did you get that, Ian, or should we do it again?
Ian: No, that is good, keep going.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Teresa: Here on the Northside a cave-in disrupted two active businesses as their parking lots, basements, and work areas fell into prohibition tunnels which labyrinth under the quiet streets of this near north side neighborhood of Chicago.
At one time this neighborhood had a thriving 'mob' culture with a speak-easy on every corner, illegal liquor distribution, and several gangland shootings. Eyewitness News was here on the spot when these tunnels were first discovered as well as two deceased victims. The history of those victims found in the tunnels is a story in itself.
I'm here with Vickie of Vickie's Vintage which has been closed all this time while the deaths and the tunnels have been investigated and the damage repaired. Vickie, when can you expect your establishment will be able to reopen?
Vickie: This has been quite the experience, my staff and I wish to thank all of our loyal customers for continuing to support us through- out this ordeal. We hope to be able to open by February 1, meanwhile the website is still up and running bringing you as much merchandise as we can possibly list and ship. We do still have some delivery services available.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Teresa: Was it hard to not be open for the holiday season?
Vickie: It was different and interesting, but so many of our customers on-line shopped, we were very busy.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
But in person is always the best way to shop our vintage and new clothing and accessories. So come on down, when we are open.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Vickie: Carly, Zoe, El and myself can't wait to see you all.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Teresa: I'm also here with Trish from Trish's Blue Sprinkling Can and Garden Center. Trish, I'm sure the neighborhood missed your wonderful selection of holiday decorations and Christmas Trees.
Trish: Thanks, Teresa. We still had several locations connected to my family's farm in Chicago. We were lucky enough to find a lot nearby for all the extra trees we weren't able to sell here.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Trish: Like Vickie, we were able to carry-on with special orders, as well as all the weddings, parties, and events we had booked.
Teresa: Well, that's good. What kind of damage did your shop and work area sustain from the cave in?
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Trish: Our delivery van had to be towed out of one of the holes and had some damage and a wall was totally compromised and had to be rebuilt in my workroom. Most of the damage has been to the back of the building and not visible from here.
Teresa: Thanks again, Trish, we will all be ready to shop when you are open. This is Teresa for Eyewitness news Channel 7, Chicago.
If you are interested in this Northside tunnel mystery, visit our website for updates and my special, The Valentine's Day Tunnel Sweethearts, which will be broadcast on February 13th at 8PM.
A few minutes later, Detective Joe greets Teresa.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Teresa: Hi, Detective Joe. Are you finally wrapping up your case? We are so anxious to get in and get some more film for the special. Are you able to take us down tonight? Ian is here, we could do it now?
Joe: Yes, the case is a wrap, and now is good. The tunnels have been repaired and will be sealed up again, tomorrow.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Joe: I'll meet you at home, this shouldn't take too long. Don't you want to come in too?
Vickie: Noooooo! I'm still too creeped out to go down there again, until that wall is sealed off. Good luck, and I can't wait to get back to normal, with the shop open and your overtime hours, cut!
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Joe: Yep, I don't know whose career this case is going to make, mine or Teresa's. But, ya, gotta love the press; good, bad, and well, she's not ugly.
Vickie: No, she's not. Teresa's a sweetie, so behave and be nice!
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Teresa: Ian, we can go into the tunnels tonight. Please check all your gear, and Joe says the work lights are still there, so we don't have to drag any lamps in.
Teresa: Joe, can we just do a few quick questions for the special out here?
Joe: Sure, Teresa. Fire away!
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Teresa: I'm here with Detective Joe who was first on the scene of the tunnel collapse on the near Northside on November 5. Detective, can you describe to me the scene and damage you found last November.
Joe: I was just a block over when we felt the ground shake, and then a call went out to come to this address at Vickie's Vintage. Arriving here, we found the shop as well as the garden center vacated and all the staff and customers standing safely outside. Firetrucks and firemen had been called to the scene to appraise the situation and make sure that there were no gas leaks.
Once the scene was declared safe, we entered the lower level of this brick building and found a wall partially collapsed which exposed a dark space, later assessed to be one of almost a mile of prohibition tunnels.
Teresa: Did you know tunnels from the 1920's were common in this area?
Joe: Not at that time. We knew there were some along the alleys behind Green Bay Road, but not really here.
Teresa: Are you going to be able to show us this tunnel?
Joe: Yes, tonight will be the last time these tunnels in this neighborhood will be accessible. Just follow me.
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
Teresa: So let's follow Detective Joe, and step back in time to 1927 and visit the tunnels of prohibition Chicago, northside mobsters and molls, and step into gangland life from a century ago.
Cut.
Ian: Looks, good Teresa, let me get a few things from the van, and we are ready to go.
(To be Continued)
If you enjoyed this post(s), please join me by email- at FOLLOW IT---in the upper right hand corner of this blog.
I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions or products shown, or from where I shop.
Please Join me at these Fine Blog Parties!
Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi
 |
| barbieoldnewgreenredo |
