Once a sleepy town primarily for Northwestern students, the North Shore rich and those in assisted living (three separate groups, but not always), Evanston has blossomed over the last decade to become a trendy destination. The birthplace of the temperance movement is now home to microbreweries and distilleries like Sketchbook, FEW and, well, Temperance. New Evanston restaurants pop up constantly—in the last year, Boltwold, Lyfe, Bangers & Lace, Ten Mile House, Lao Sze Chuan and more. You can see limited-run indie films in the movie theater, check out art exhibits at the Block and jog along the beach. It's right off the CTA and Metra. There are also a ton of bunnies. All of this is why I live there. Those are also some reasons why Livability.com ranked Evanston in its 2015 Top 10 Downtowns in America. The website also factored in the wealth of new condo and apartment buildings (two large towers, E2 and Central Station, recently opened) and the influx of the "creative class." Also scoring high were regional cities Minneapolis and Indianapolis. Pittsburgh topped the poll.
Now, that's cool and all, and there are many great things about E-town. (As we call locals call it. No? Just me?) However, the piece also cites downtown Evanston's "thriving businesses," which seems overly generous. Since 2006, developers have been trying to make the massive Sherman Plaza shopping center (where the Barnes & Noble is) happen, and it ain't. Some storefronts have remained empty for the entire decade, while larger retailers like Pier 1 flopped. A Pret a Manger across the street, which opened in 2014, just shuttered. Because for years people have been writing things like this and wishing it to happen, without really understanding the entrenched demographics of downtown Evanston, nor the foot traffic. Still, we have a Kung Fu Tea so I'm set for life. (NEVER TAKE THIS AWAY FROM ME.)