Help Clark Street Become 'The Best Main Street In America' And Win $25K

By Austin Brown in News on Apr 5, 2016 2:32PM

How much do you love Clark Street? The iconic North-South running street has been nominated in a contest to choose the best main street in America, among a list of more than a hundred main streets in cities across the nation.

Aviva Plummer, the owner of the historic Clark-Devon Hardware Store, nominated the street, saying "This is the real deal. You will hear more than 37 languages spoken here. You will find Ethiopian, Peruvian, Cuban & Caribbean plus Korean and Chinese eateries. You will also find some of the best food carts in the city for tamales, elotes, chicharones, and fresh fruit salads made to order."

Plummer and the Devon Hardware Store are both located on a far north stretch of Clark Street, in Rogers Park, but there's plenty along the long, winding, twelve-mile street to justify itself. Most notably, Wrigley Field lies right on Clark, serving as the center of Wrigleyville. But Clark Street also acts as the center of gravity for other neighborhoods like Andersonville and Lakeview, and intersects even further down south with the Lincoln Park zoo, serving as a good reference point for countless landmarks and famous spots in Chicago.

The contest isn't just about bragging rights, either. The winner of the America's Main Streets contest will receive $25,000 and "related prizes to help revitalize that Main Street"—something that Plummer and her Rogers Park neighbors say they will use to bolster community events and street fests.

"With your vote," their application says, "people, businesses and groups like the Rogers Park Business Alliance can continue working hard to create new programs and build on the success of annual events like Celebrate Clark Street Festival [a renowned world music festival in Rogers Park] and the annual Taco Crawl."

Those interested in voting for the street can do so here, once every day until the end of the contest on April 24.

[H/T DNAinfo]