I'm getting upset again.

First, there's the disregard for name recognition of not only a landmark of a store, but of the quality that it invokes of the chain - Marshall Field's. Thank you so much, Federated, for shoving the Macy's name down our civic throats. Macy's is New York name - get it the hell away from here. Field's is what belongs. And you idiots just don't have a clue.

Now, it's a restaurant - Berghoff's. The owners - the third generation owners - are retiring. Can't blame them. they're leasing the building to their daughter, who's in the catering business. OK, not so bad. She's going to reopen the bar in spring - changing the name to 17 West at The Berghoff. Hmmm... OK. But she's taking the restaurant, closing it, and reserving it for private catered events (she's the owner of Artistic Events by Carlyn Berghoff Catering Inc.)

Now, that's the part I don't like. The bar opened in 1898. The original owner - Herman Joseph Berghoff' - wanted to showcase his Dortmunder-style beer in his bar for a nickle a mug and free sandwiches. It got Liquor License No. 1 after Prohibition ended in 1933. The place expanded to add a full restaurant in 1936. You know - they had an actual Men-Only bar until 1969? In the restaurant, the waiters (and there are only male waiters) wear black jackets and white aprons. And what a great German restaurant it is with what I think are reasonable prices.

This place was around for generations. The daughter is in the "food" business - find a way to keep the restaurant open!

The Tribune is running a poll for Which Berghoff item will you miss the most?

Sauerbraten
Wiener Schnitzel
Schweins Filet
Geshnetzeltes
Bratwurst & Knockwurst
Creamed Herring
Creamed spinach
Berghoff Beer
Schlact-Platte
Sauerkraut

What's not on there is their great Root Beer.

Hey, all you people out there! Quit screwin' with city landmarks!

Think I'm nuts? Here are businesses that have disappeared from Chicago that may not have been headquartered here at all, but they were all well known by the people here. (A lot just folded-up or disappeared in a merger somewhere, and quite frankly, most were no where close to being "landmarks") They all had a spot in our lives, though not as deeply rooted as Berghoff's and Field's, which we feel were ours. (BTW, a lot of these names are from Eric Zorn's blog at the Tribune)

Polk Bros.
Montgomery Ward
Kroch's and Brentano's
Goldblatt's
Wieboldt's.
McDade's
Handy Andy
Builder's Square
Morrie Mages
Kohl's Food stores
Rose Records
Playback-back-back-back (the electronic playground!)
Flip Side
Musicraft
Stereo Studio
Venture (they replaced Turn-Style)
Bonwit Teller
E.J. Korvette
Phar-Mor
Zayre (bought by Ames Dept. Stores)
Crown Books
I. Magnin
Woolworth's
Kresge's
Ben Franklin
Sportmart
Baskins
Madigans
Bigsby & Kruthers
Bargain Town (Bargain Town! Bargain Town! Bargain Town!)
Chas. A. Stevens
Elek-Tek
Community Discount Stores
Musicland
Just Pants
Pepper's Waterbeds
Golden Bear Restaurants
Wag's Restaurants (missing Golden Bear - Wag's, not so much)
F&M
Plywood Minnesota (I did 10 commercials for them!)
Minnesota Fabrics
Service Merchandise
Egghead Software
Bonanza Steakhouse
Sizzler Steakhouse
Cattle Company
FAO Schwarz
Galyan's (Gee, they were hardly here in Chicago before Dick's bought them out)
John M. Smyth's Homemakers
Fotomat
Robert Hall
Magikist
Boushelle (HUdson 3-2700!)
Wimpy's Hamburgers (another not missed so much)
Ground Round
Chicken Unlimited
Cock Robin
Arthur Treacher Fish 'n Chips
Lockwood Castle
Zum Deutchen Eck (Now, there's great German food... or was...)
Come Back Inn (great burgers and you had to sit by the fireplace with the back-end of the moose!)
Slicker Sam's
Lumm's (Hotdogs - especially in Old Town)
Shakey's Pizza (not around here)
Victoria Station
Stop & Shop
Hillman's grocery store
Rusty Scupper
Fritz That's It!
Lawrence of Oregano
Sally's Stage
Chicago Claim Company
Swiss Colony
Nelson Brothers ("Nelson Brothers loves me ... and they'll love you too!")
Karoll's Red Hanger Shops ("When you think of Christmas, think of Karoll's!")
County Seat
Puppy Palace
Jack in the Box (I still miss the place - I visit them in any town that still has them - gotta get me some tacos!)
Olson Electronics
Shutan Camera
Biasco Music
5-7-9
United Audio (now Tweeter's - liked them better before)
The Axle Roller Rink
Frank's Nursery and Crafts. ("Beautiful things begin at Frank's")
The Thirsty Whale
Poplar Creek Music Theater
The Buffalo (NOT the same since it moved from Irving & Pulaski to Buffalo Grove)
Waccamaw
Siebens Brewery
Hippos in Schaumburg
Is Par King still around?
Old Chicago Amusement Park
The Playboy Club
The Millionaires' Club - Golf Mill
Andy Frain ushers
JoJo's restaurants (big fishtank up front?)
Saxon Paint
Wanzer Dairies, "Wanzer on Milk is like Sterling on Silver."
Farrells Ice cream parlour
Skrudland (photo/camera store on Diversey and in Palatine)
Shoppers World on Fullerton and Narragansett.
Lechter's kitchen store.
Candlelight Dinner Playhouse / In-The-Round Dinner Playhouse
Wait... is Kiddieland still alive?

(Here's something that's gone now that I'm still pissed about - Meigs Field!)