Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Forgotten Chicago Forum Remembers The H.I.P.

Read here for an interesting two page thread at Forgotten Chicago's user forum where you will be able to read memories of some people from the early days of the Harlem Irving Plaza.That is all for today, as the HIP-Blogger is battling illness at the moment. Hope to be back soon! 



Sunday, January 27, 2013

HIP Blog To Profile New Businesses Coming To The HIP As Part of HIP Expansion

X-Sport Fitness, Sports Authority, Chipotle, Panera, and Red Robin are coming to the HIP in Fall of 2013! The HIP Blog will be providing an individual profile of each of these coming attractions over a period of time as the HIP expansion nears its completion.

The HIP Blogger will be talking to the management of these named attractions as part of the profile to help provide information about how each new attraction will provide something better to the HIP experience, what people can expect from them, and all sorts of other interesting tid - bits.

On opening day, the HIP Blogger will be there to help welcome each new business, observe for a while, and bring you details on exactly how expansion opening day went. Are there questions YOU want asked? What answers are you hoping for? What information do YOU, the community want that hasn't been given so far?

Get in touch with the HIP Blog to give your input!     

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Harlem Irving Plaza Auto Show Ticket Competition Nets Happy Winners


On January 25th, 2012, The staff of the Harlem Irving Plaza held a contest during which they gave away 2 free tickets to the upcoming Chicago Auto Show to the first twenty people who took a photo next to one of the HIP / Chicago Auto Show signs in the mall and post it to face book as a status with the words "Thank You Chicago Auto-Show" and then tag the Harlem Irving Plaza Facebook Page.

The participants had to show the Facebook post to the Customer Service Agent at the desk, and prove that the Facebook account belonged to them (the participant). View the tweets from @HIPCh1c and follow if you have a twitter account. You never know what the HIP might tweet out!!

Congrats to the HIP's lucky twenty!!

Here are the Facebook postings made by the HIP Staff just for fun and illustration.

Great job by the HIP Staff on this contest! Thanks for hosting nice opportunities like this! The HIP Blog would also like to thank the Chicago Auto Show for working with the wonderful people at the HIP on this!

Friday, January 25, 2013

HIP Historical Material Request Update - HIP Blog Seeks Submissions

The Harlem Irving Plaza has indeed changed over time, having grown from an open - air strip mall, to a covered and contained retail experience with reasonable diversity of choice as a sort - of mini-city. As society takes its twists and turns, as we all get older and busier with life, we can sometimes tend to lose our most treasured memories. One of the multiple purposes of documenting the HIP is to capture whatever snapshots of time can be recovered and verified from people.

The HIP Blog is still in talks with the Harlem Irving Companies, which have so far been positive. The important thing about an on-going creative effort like this is to understand that public support is absolutely needed, and that includes the openness to approach those who are in a position to help out, and gain their support. Gaining the enthusiasm and support of those at the ownership and management levels of the HIP does not mean anything said or published here is endorsed by them. Since they already have their own publicly accessible websites for their property management company and the mall itself as a consumer center, it can sometimes be of mutual advantage for them to see the business interest in only working so closely with an outside person or group of people, especially an anonymous writer and creative artist.

At this time, the kind people at the Harlem Irving Companies have given this blog free reign to use the history material at the Official HIP / Official Harlem Irving Companies websites, as well as the displays at Mall Door "D". They are also reviewing the creative ideas had by this writer in regards to how information will be used in both the historical and current events context.

In the near future, the HIP Blog will publicly reveal a solid list of exciting features to be hosted here, as outlined in communications with the Harlem Irving Companies. All of this having been said, the HIP Blog is asking for anyone who has any special memories or photography from the HIP to consider sharing those items with the HIP Blog. If you have anything else HIP related you would like to share, and you think the HIP Blog would be interested: please E-MAIL those items here.    

Moving Forward: HIP Blog Attempts Historical Materal Request From Harlem Irving Companies

Good afternoon, HIP Blog followers!

Today marks a rather wonderful day for the HIP Blog as contact was made with the Harlem Irving Companies in an attempt to ask if they would be so kind as to share any historical photography or other historical data with the HIP Blog. The Harlem Irving Companies is the corporate entity that owns and always has owned the HIP. It is because of them that we all have such a great place to share with our families.

Many of you out here can remember the old days at the HIP, and may even recall your grandparents talking about what was also once a small amusement park on or near the HIP grounds.

Until this blog hears back from the kind people at Harlem Irving Companies, other creative and fun work will be happening in the background to make the HIP Blog your place for history, fun, news & current events, and other HIP related things.
   

Thursday, January 24, 2013

The HIP Blog is Finally Here!

Welcome one and all to the unofficial Harlem Irving Plaza (HIP) Blog! This blog / publication / forum has been created for information, education, and entertainment purposes only. The whole idea behind the "HIP Blog" is to present the long history of the Harlem Irving Plaza, show appreciation for the HIP, enjoy HIP related nostalgia, and discuss the quality of life in the HIP mall community past tense and present.

The HIP Blog will go above and beyond within reason to bring you current news & events at the HIP, with discussion of all HIP related topics to the best of all possible quality according to available information / details.

See the disclaimer / legal page here for all the usual boring junk that has to be said.

The HIP Blog is a family friendly site that wants to bring everyone the best possible experience when it comes to enjoying the legendary Harlem Irving Plaza. Due to the huge volumes of blog comments, e-mail, and possible media attention that the HIP Blog can expect; HIP-Blogger is anonymous. HIP-Blogger is without race, religion, skin color, gender, or political preference/identity.

This can also be rooted in the fact that the HIP has always served people across the spans of generations. Early morning walks for senior citizens have been the norm forever at the HIP. Crowds of parents and young people from across the human experience frequent the HIP. You can accurately say that the HIP has become a mix of positive things to the community besides just a local retail giant: A defacto social and activity center, cooling center, warming center, educational partner to local schools, and an overall community safe haven.

Everything a human being could ever need is found at the HIP. That's the way our HIP was designed. Notice the change now between usage of language from "the HIP" to "OUR HIP"? That is because when people are together outside the mall and are heading that way to enjoy their day, they have always said "Let's go to the HIP!!" Once HIP guests arrive, it becomes "OUR HIP" because that is where people have traditionally come together. In THAT specific essence, it becomes OUR HIP.

From 1956 to the current day, our HIP has been more than just a local retail giant! Our HIP has become a tradition happily ingrained into the community. Please visit this site often and enjoy it for whatever it offers you. Welcome to the HIP Blog!