Westtown Cowboy

This cowboy on Chicago Ave. is a beacon to shoppers looking to buy authentic western clothing and accessories at the iconic Alcala's Western Wear, a true family business and neighborhood institution for 37 years. He is seen here rearing up on his horse atop the "Alcala's Parking" sign across the street from the retail store, right next to one of the recently posted "WESTtown" neighborhood banners on a lamppost. The fiberglass horse and rider have been suspended in this "lone-ranger" state of rearing and waving for years, while the red and yellow banner is a relatively new marker of a neighborhood in transition. Alcala's claims to be a little bit of the lonestar state in the heart of the midwest. The storefront of the business across the street boasts another horse (sans rider) on the sign, one on the sidewalk, and a smaller, mechanized one inside the store, available for visitors to ride for a quarter. Ironically, the "Westtown" sign, which seen pointing at the cowboy here seems to indicate that this neighborhood is "western," actually points to the fact that real estate interests have gentrified this neighborhood as a southern extension to the inexorable condo and boutique progression from lincoln park to bucktown to wicker park and now to westtown. In fact, there are many fewer gentlemen strolling this neighborhood in the western garb sold at Alcala's than there were 5 years ago. There are more hipsters and yuppies to be sure, though, on their way to the brand new Dominick's down the street, or to any number of new bars and boutique shops along Chicago Ave. Alcala's is still there, as are some of the cheap clothing and furniture stores that have populated this strip for years. The cowboy on Chicago still rides high, though his neon outline is out of gas. He may be too before too long.