{"id":115425,"date":"2021-05-26T00:35:04","date_gmt":"2021-05-26T07:35:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/?p=115425"},"modified":"2026-02-11T23:57:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T07:57:07","slug":"west-loop-industrial-chic-meets-foodie-heaven","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/local-resources\/west-loop-industrial-chic-meets-foodie-heaven\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicago’s West Loop: Where Industrial Chic Meets Foodie Heaven"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s hard to think of a Chicago neighborhood that has seen such a transformation as the West Loop. Bustling produce markets and meatpacking plants have given way to Fortune 500 companies, converted warehouses, boutique stores and a strip known as \u201cRestaurant Row,\u201d where Michelin-starred restaurants cozy up to quirky bars and eclectic eateries of all kinds.<\/p>\n

Truth be told, calling the West Loop \u201ca neighborhood\u201d is something of a misnomer: it\u2019s more a collection of micro neighborhoods that include Fulton Market, the Fulton River District and Greektown.<\/p>\n

Where is the West Loop?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"Chicago's<\/p>\n

As its name suggests, the neighborhood is west of The Loop, Chicago\u2019s business district and the heart of downtown.<\/p>\n

The West Loop is bounded on the north by Grand Avenue, on the west by Ashland Avenue, on the south by I290 (known to locals as the Eisenhower) and the Chicago River to the East.<\/p>\n

From almost anywhere you are in the West Loop, you can see stunning views of the iconic Chicago skyline, including world-famous Willis Tower (known to locals as the Sears Tower).<\/p>\n

History<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The West Loop has been a hive of activity and a commercial mecca almost as long as Chicago has been a city. But it was the 1850s railroad boom, when Chicago became the nation\u2019s transportation hub, that this area roared into life.<\/p>\n

Fulton Market became the center of the city\u2019s meatpacking industry while nearby Randolph Street housed wholesale produce markets, drawing people from all over the world adding to the area\u2019s diverse population. Many of the buildings that are still standing in the neighborhood date from this period and were at one time warehouses and other buildings associated with the produce and meatpacking industries. It is interesting that food has been at the heart of this area, in one form or another, ever since.<\/p>\n

Like many U.S. urban neighborhoods, the West Loop saw its fortunes decline in the mid-20th<\/sup> century. In fact, it was home to Chicago\u2019s \u201cSkid Row\u201d during the 1960s and 1970s. But in 1988, a certain TV host ignited a renaissance in the area that is still on-going today. The TV host was Oprah, of course, and her Harpo Studios was housed in a converted warehouse, more used to cold meats than warm chats. Fun fact: Harpo is not a nod to the Marx Brothers, but simple Oprah\u2019s name spelled backwards.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by United Center (@unitedcenter)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n