Aardvark Cinematheque

As a teenager just out of high school, I remember driving down to Piper’s Alley and loving the Pizza! Walking through Pipers Alley was an education in itself and you could get a discount into the Aardvark if you had a student ID. I had a 1955 cream Volvo way before foreign cars were the norm in the US. I had spare parts for it the back seat along with a spray can to get it started in cold weather. Tie Dye tees were IN along with bell bottoms and I had a pair of bell bottom jeans that I had embroidered with my “sign.” The Fireplace Inn had the best ribs and the Earl of Old Town had some top Folk Singers of the 60’s. There were also dark Coffee Houses where you would go in to listen to folk music or comedy and you could be under 21. There was one up north on Sheridan Road where you sat on pillows on the floor and one in Glen Ellyn, Grendel’s Den? There was also Dirty Harolds Book Store south of North Ave on the east side of Wells that had a number of “unidentifiable' items with the heavy set proprietor behind the counter willing to explain them all to you. My sister ended up living on Hudson just a few blocks west of Old Town and I kept going down there for years even as things changed. But I wish I could go back to Pipers Alley again!