Goldblatt's Building Reopens as Furniture Store

I don't think I've yet posted about the grand opening of a Famsa furniture store in the first floor of the former Goldblatt's building at 47th and Ashland. The Famsa chain is based in Monterrey, Mexico and has other operations in the U.S.

I first noticed it last week, and stopped in last Saturday night to see what all the fuss was about. It's certainly very pretty. I wonder if it's too pricey for people here in the neighborhood, and whether it will draw people here from other neighborhoods or not. They have appliances, furniture and some electronics--like TV and stereo equipment. They had a few laptops on display but they don't sell printers. Too bad. I would have bought one.

They play music through speakers outside the store. Last week I liked it. I just went by a while back and this time I thought it was too loud. Well, I'm not their target demographic, for sure. Loud or no, I hope the tanking economy doesn't take them under. We'll see.

Back of the Yards Entrepreneurs in Trib

Check out Jesse Iñiguez and Rolando Santoyo's t-shirt business, No Manches, which got a mention in Sunday's Chicago Tribune Style section. To read the story, click here.

You can order their hilarious t-shirts online at their website (linked above) or head over to Pilsen and buy them in real life at OMD, the hip new clothing store on 18th Street. Or, for more virtual reality, check out OMD Chicago's web site, where the home page features Jesse and Rolando (seated, bottom row) with a bunch of other people, showing off the t-shirts.

I got Junior and his brother and their dad some No Manches t-shirts for Christmas. His dad is a landscaper, so of course he got the "Mow Your Own Lawn" shirt. The boys got "Juan Deere" and "The United States of Mexico" with the now U.S. Southwest included. Check them out for yourself!