If you are a liberal or a progressive living in Chicago, you very likely have been to the Heartland Cafe. A veritable lefty oasis smack dab in the middle of Rogers Park.
The Heartland has been a community hub since 1976, when it was founded by partners Michael James and Katy Hogan.
When I was a liberal kid growing up in red-state Nebraska, I dreamed of one day moving to the big city and finding a place like the Heartland. Not only can you eat delicious locally grown food, drink tasty beer, and watch amazing entertainment, the Heartland also has a general store where you can get copies of the Nation, Mother Jones, In These Times, and any other liberal zine you could possibly think of.
Sadly, the Heartland is in serious financial trouble, and is real danger of having it's doors shut forever.
They are holding a couple of fundraisers on Monday October 11th and Tuesday October 12th at 7pm. If you are unable to attend, there are also a variety of ways to donate and help out on their website. We will also be taking donations at Laughing Liberally Chicago, Wednesday October 6th at the No Exit Cafe,
It would be a tragedy for Chicago to lose the Heartland. And what do liberals and progressives do when one of our own is in trouble? We pitch in and help. Let's get this done, people.
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This is the problem with many hippie and so-called "progressive" joints. They're so stuck up and high on their own reputation that they start acting like they're giving you a gift by allowing you to pay them for service.
I hate seeing long established local businesses shut down, but in this case it's a mercy killing.
I will be happy to see it go, or to see a change in management.
It's cool that you visit the Heartland every now and then when you're in town, but maybe you should give some weight to the opinions of people who still live here and were regular costumers in the last half decade, instead of dismissing us off hand based on your nostalgia (although your condescension would be completely in keeping with what I saw there, so maybe you're one of the regs).
For a while I went to the Heartland's open mic night. I've read poetry in a lot of places, and I have never read in a place that was so disinterested and hostile as the Heartland. The various cliques in the crowed only seemed to care about the reading when their friends were at the mic and couldn't care less about anyone else. At first I thought I was just bombing, but then I noticed the same behavior directed towards other people. Who knew a hippie cafe could be so cold and, dare I say, heartless.
In theory, a place like the Heartland (which, customers aside, is a good venue) would be a lose to the city, but with the depraved mix of bitter bohems and self-absorbed flower children that frequent that place, I can't really feel to say it's worth saving.