Greetings:

Welcome to November and the holiday season.

November 1 was the opening day for the Chicago Architectural Biennial (CAB). The CAB spotlights Chicago’s most iconic sites. One of the few black-owned landmarks is the South Shore’s historic Regal Theater, visited by hundreds of guests who took a tour inside last month.

The Regal is a favorite destination of Open House Chicago, a signature event of the Chicago Architectural Society and a must-see on the South Shore Tourism tours, although we are mostly viewing from the outside. Thus Open House Chicago provides a high level of excitement and helps highlight the architecture of South Shore we feature in our South Shore Tourism Center tours.

This issue has tremendous personal significance to me.  It completes my third year of publishing South Side Drive and moves into 2024, which will be my 10th year as creator and publisher of hyper local magazines from our South Shore base.

When I launched our first business in 1988, my very first client assignment was at the Regal on 79th Street, walking distance from where I grew up and where I saw movies at the former Avalon Theater. Ironically, I worked with Black Ensemble Theater’s Jackie Taylor, who supports the work of the South Side Drive Magazine with advertising, which this month appears on page (Pam, please fill in the page number.) 

The Regal closed for now and is in the process of once again being restored to our community.  So, this issue is mostly about the Regal—the Regal back then, the Regal now, and the new Avalon-Regal, with plans to open with new partners and investors. 

We hope you’ll be intrigued to read about Captain Bill Pinkney. While I’m saddened about his recent sudden death, I reflect with fondness times on the water (mostly in South Shore) with boating friends and during celebrations focused on his accomplishments. Let’s thank Pam Rice for the salute to this sailing legend.  

To see us live or pick up more copies, please join us for International Men’s Day on November 19, for live entertainment and Friday holiday celebrations in November and December. We also plan to Power Up in South Shore with the South Shore Quality of Life Plan’s Beautification & Stewart Action Team Details will be on social media or our website at www.SouthSideDriveMag.com.

On Thu, Nov 2, 2023 at 6:42 AM Emma Young <emmayoungauthor@gmail.com> wrote: Yvette: