Your neighbors will love it.

Like we need another freakin' Walgreens!

Besides, Rite-Aid will just put up a store on the opposing corner.

zappaisfrank: Like we need another freakin' Walgreens!

And they no longer sell booze!

The thing is in the middle of a parking lot, so I don't see how removing it will help with adding a Walgreens to the mall unless, it is just to free up more parking spots.

Also, not mentioned in the article is that the artist hired to make it intentionally made the tackiest piece of crap he could, knowing that the people of Berwyn are kind of low brow. It worked. That said, I also like it (of course I also like poop threads), but I'm not about to buy it. I only get to see it every few years as I have little reason to go to Harlem and Cermak, but every time I am there I do look at it and will miss it.

BigDumbGuy

I am in that area occasionally so I'll have to check it out while I can.

My point was that it seems like there are Walgreens stores popping up everyplace that two streets intersect! The small town where my in-laws live has an intersection with a Walgreens on the SW corner and a Rite Aid directly across on the SE corner, RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER!

Sheesh, enough already!

zappaisfrank: Sheesh, enough already!

Well, a Blockbuster Video used to be on the SE corner of Harlem and North and another on the NW corner of Harlem and North in Oak Park and Elmwood Park respectively. I found that real silly, but they both made a ton of money before everyone decided to get their movies through the mail. If you want to freak yourself out, go to any large Chinese city. There is a McDonald's and KFC on just about every block.

No hah-way!

When I saw that scene in Wayne's World, I was all "WTF is with the cars?"

I didn't realize it was an art installation.

If I'm not mistaken, isn't there a Walgreens in the strip behind it already?

Walgreens are the Starbucks of pharmacies.

It seems like Walgreens takes special perverse delight in knocking down local landmarks to create unneeded retail outlets. About 14 years ago, there was this restaurant in Columbus called the Kahiki. One of those kitsch Polynesian restaurants with tiki statues, waitresses in bikinis, and incredible girly drinks with pineapple. I liked it!

Today they just sell mediocre frozen egg rolls in the supermarket. And the Walgreens is one of about three on that street.

I'm thinking the tag is more appropriate.

A spindle? I don't even own a car let alone many cars that would necessitate an entire spindle!

"We think it's a great thing. We think it brings a lot of people to the area. [But] it's hard to swallow $300,000."

Disagrees.

Walgreens should build around the spindle... it could be a great tourist draw! Then that Walgreens can sell auto spindle keychains, magnets, snow globes, postcards, etc...

The homogenization of America is almost complete.

JesusKnowsKungFu: A spindle? I don't even own a car let alone many cars that would necessitate an entire spindle!

I lol'ed.

JesusKnowsKungFu: A spindle? I don't even own a car let alone many cars that would necessitate an entire spindle!

Well played sir.

Screw Walgreens. They're flooding this place and will outdo even Starbucks. How many drugstores do you need?

Fabric_Man: It seems like Walgreens takes special perverse delight in knocking down local landmarks to create unneeded retail outlets.

Back in the 90s in DeKalb, IL, Walgreens knocked down the 1906 post office, which had the misfortune to be located at a prime intersection.

Begoggle: Walgreens are the Starbucks of pharmacies.

The perscriptions taste burnt?

At least they aren't messing with the "Car Pelt" on the west end of the parking lot.

So when do suburbanites start to realize that it's tackier to have multiples of the same corporate chains over and over and over than it is to have a sculpture of old cars?

' The eight cars -- from the crowning 1967 red VW Beetle on down -- are pockmarked with rust and pigeon poop. Even if the Walgreens doesn't go through, "We had to take it down.'

My Walgreens is pockmarked with rust and pigeon poop.

JesusKnowsKungFu: A spindle? I don't even own a car let alone many cars that would necessitate an entire spindle!

Excellent.

Damn, I love this thing. It's a sin, a sin I tell you to get rid of it.

Maybe somebody here in Tucson could buy it and put it up behind Paul Bunyan by Don's Hot Rod Shop.

/ BER-WYN?

Espertron - Walgreens should build around the spindle... it could be a great tourist draw! Then that Walgreens can sell auto spindle keychains, magnets, snow globes, postcards, etc...

The homogenization of America is almost complete.


Normally I'd agree with you, but judging by the relative lack of information about the spindle on the web (particularly that doesn't involve "the spindle is is being torn down" stories) suggests to me that nobody really gives a crap about this thing.

And hell, it was built in '89, it's not like it's some long-standing landmark. It's just an ugly piece of kitsch. I don't think it particularly matters much one way or the other.

stonecyffer - Argh, that's a mood dimmer.

We need more wacky art. We don't need more drug stores.

Big drug store chains exist because they overcharge for everything, often charging 10x their cost for generics. They get away with this because the FTC is basically dead. The FTC is dead because Congress is in cahoots with the corporations that run this country. Except there is no more "country", the US is just an area with excessive shopping malls and highways. There is little left of the cohesive nation that won WW2 - that version of the US is now confined to Turner Classic Movies.

If people really gave a shiat, they'd have made it a local landmark through zoning or some homeowners association anyway. Its not that hard- happens all the time.

No Spindle!

Denied!

I'm from Berwyn, so I'm really getting a kick out of these replies.

/fark you, Walgreens!

TheSwissNavy: We need more wacky art. We don't need more drug stores.

I agree. But don't forget- you gotta pay for it. This relatively small, goofy installation would cost $300,000 just to clean/move.

stonecyffer: Fabric_Man: It seems like Walgreens takes special perverse delight in knocking down local landmarks to create unneeded retail outlets.

Back in the 90s in DeKalb, IL, Walgreens knocked down the 1906 post office, which had the misfortune to be located at a prime intersection.

I shiatty tower of cars needs to go. But a 1906 Post office being torn down is pretty bad. Too bad Obama or Hillary couldn't do anything to stop it as they are the campion of post offices in their light Senate records

JesusKnowsKungFu: A spindle? I don't even own a car let alone many cars that would necessitate an entire spindle!

Best thing I've read in a long time.

generaltimmy: Too bad Obama or Hillary couldn't do anything to stop it as they are the campion of post offices in their light Senate records

Too bad neither of them were in office in the 90s.

Fabric_Man: It seems like Walgreens takes special perverse delight in knocking down local landmarks to create unneeded retail outlets. About 14 years ago, there was this restaurant in Columbus called the Kahiki. One of those kitsch Polynesian restaurants with tiki statues, waitresses in bikinis, and incredible girly drinks with pineapple. I liked it!

Today they just sell mediocre frozen egg rolls in the supermarket. And the Walgreens is one of about three on that street.

This building nearly suffered the same fate. Tens of thousands of signatures, the threat of the Alderwoman losing her job, and a promised boycott of all Walgreens in the area prevented it. Now it's upscale condominiums, and there's a four-star restaurant going in the old bank vault.

Berwyn is one of the trashiest suburbs. Literally... there's junk art everywhere, it's so ugly.

And the Rich Koz reference is awesome. Berwyn?!

scothand: If I'm not mistaken, isn't there a Walgreens in the strip behind it already?

Yep right by the previously posted car pelt.

I for one enjoy the plaza with the tacky art. I thought it was the coolest place when I was a kid. Die Walgreens, DIE.

zappaisfrank: Like we need another freakin' Walgreens!

Besides, Rite-Aid will just put up a store on the opposing corner.

I'm assuming the Walgreens down the block is overwhelmed with business.

Just kidding. Walgreens is notorious for opening up across the street from, and taking away the business of, their primary competitors.

hey, subby

it's

Uh, technically it's just a kabob. Shish is lamb.

That said, I'd buy it. Then move to a HOA neighborhood and put it on my lawn.

I'd give my right eye for that Spindle.

zappaisfrank: Like we need another freakin' Walgreens!

Besides, Rite-Aid will just put up a store on the opposing corner.

If not a Rite-Aid, a CVS Pharmacy drug store will be built.

Victoly: upload.wikimedia.org

I was hoping someone would mention Son of Svenguli. Berrrrrwyn.

I grew up not far from the spindle, and always liked it. The strip mall it's at actually had a bunch of stuff put in back in the early/mid 80s.

Dupa: At least they aren't messing with the "Car Pelt" on the west end of the parking lot.

hehe I love that too.

Hmmmm did like half of us here in the thread cross paths at North Riverside Mall in the 80's or something?

In Stafford, VA, we have a 7-11 across the street from a 7-11 (they just tore one down, but it was like that for 4 years), a McDonalds across the street from a McDonalds in a Wal*Mart, and a Starbucks across the parking lot from a Starbucks inside a Target... all within a quarter mile from one another on the same road.

Dupa: At least they aren't messing with the "Car Pelt" on the west end of the parking lot.

I don't even know if they're still there, but I used to be able to spend hours playing in the little playground right on the other side of that building - with the spiderweb and whatnot - and later, watching the Good Times clock with all the pinball paths. When it was working, anyway.

stonecyffer: Back in the 90s in DeKalb, IL, Walgreens knocked down the 1906 post office, which had the misfortune to be located at a prime intersection.

Namely, First and Lincoln Hwy.

I was working in the building kitty-corner from there (at Zack's) while all that was going on. It was pretty crappy business, although it certainly didn't seem to stop people from going to that Walgreen's once it materialized.

CheekyMunky: I don't even know if they're still there, but I used to be able to spend hours playing in the little playground right on the other side of that building - with the spiderweb and whatnot - and later, watching the Good Times clock with all the pinball paths. When it was working, anyway.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. They still have a few of those art thingies there, but not as many.

Remember that thing that was basically a video screen and a camera? It would take your picture and then distort it in all kinds of crazy ways.

scothand: If I'm not mistaken, isn't there a Walgreens in the strip behind it already?

Yup. Perhaps they are looking to expand.

I work for Walgreen's so I'm getting a kick out of these replies.

(ok, actually, a specialty pharmacy that was acquired by walgreens, but still)

According to the corporate propaganda machine, we're a distant second to CVS in the sheer number of stores department. Still, it does seem like rite-aid, CVS, and Walgreens are playing corner-pharmacy-chicken with each other. First one to build themselves out of business, loses.

CheekyMunky: watching the Good Times clock with all the pinball paths

I looooved the Good Times clock.

Don't be fooled by the price! The bulk of it was probably thrown into the shipping cost.