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Some of the fondest memories of our youth involved Toots Drive Thru as the setting. As adults, whenever we found ourselves in Portage or Jefferson Park (back when the Silent Film Society of Chicago's summer festival was held at the Gateway Theater), we always made it a point to find our way to Toots for a hot dog, a malt, and maybe some mac-and-cheese bites.
Yesterday was Toots' last day of business. The property where Toots stands is now slated for a mini-mall. We saw the same thing happen with the Milford Theater, on Milwaukee and Pulaski, and the Will Rogers Theater, on Belmont, just west of Central. You can never have enough strip malls these days. Time was when Central Avenue -- from Hanson Stadium all the way up to Touhy -- was dotted with hot dog stands, like some meatpacker's version of Heaven. A Sunday afternoon was taking in a movie at the Will Rogers, then heading to Toots, where free fries with all sandwiches was sacrosanct.
Even though Toots' owner Glen Weinberg hopes to re-open at Central and Diversey, it just isn't the same. The old adage is true: change is inevitable. See ya, Toots.
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I guess Toot's is opening up where the Wally's Redhots used to be on Central just off Diversey. Which is good business for them, because they'll get all the Stoshes from Jedenka stumbling over for a re-application of late night onions. Hopefully they'll give out more napkins at their new location.
Wally's was another one. Our Lutheran youth group was banned from Wally's - and the Tastee Freeze around the corner on Diversey - for constantly starting food fights.
Move over Toots welcome starbucks and Mcdonalds! This is the new American dream get used to it!
Toot,
If there wasn't already a Walgreens across the street, that is exactly what would go in. Or a CVS, which has planted itself in three places in the last year in that area. I would collapse if a Starbucks went in there because it just isn't that kind of a corner (if there ever is one). My guess is, a Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins, a Polish florist, and a shady liquor store will go in there. For once, I was hoping a condo would go in there, but C-Davis must have it's standards.