This store is right across the bean and it has all your chicago gear wants and needs. The store…read moreisn't very big but you'd be surprise at the amount of items you can find in there. I was looking for a new bear's shirt (yes, I'm a loyal bears fan). This store had so many to choose from that I ended up buying two because I couldn't decide. I love the quality of the shirts I purchased. They are not just your average cheap souvenir type of shirts which I'm thankful for. They should last quite some time. They have all the Chicago major league fan gear. They also have a pretty big clearance section in the back. They are more than just a sports clothing store. They have a variety of Chicago souvenirs inside also. If you need anything Chicago related this is the store to go to.

One of many souvenir shops downtown. They have all the…read moresouvenirs you need. Most of the hoodies or sweatshirts seem to only be available in the smaller sizes. Either they don't carry the normal sizes or they sell out quickly. Pricing was good for hoodies and sweatshirts but other items like magnets and cups were more on the higher end.

Pretty silly not to have a proper exchange program for jerseys ordered online. Bought a jersey for…read morea family member for Christmas that was not quite the right size. But to get the replacement, I have to spend more money to ship the original one back, and now lose out on the Cyber Monday pricing because I have to essentially buy a new jersey at today's price, rather than just being able to exchange size-for-size. This is all so customer-unfriendly in the age of Amazon and year 2024.

Few people know that on a quiet tree-lined stretch of the near south side of Chicago sits the…read more"brain trust", if you can call it that, of United States soccer. Inside these offices sit a man (or maybe a little ogre) named Sunil Gulati - a businessman with no soccer background. And, from his office - I like to picture it as a dungeon, though I'm sure it's a golden palace - he makes bad decision after bad decision on how to build soccer in the United States. Looking for a new coach? Why not hire another MLS/U.S. college retread instead of an internationally respected guy. Have one of the worst calls in the history of the World Cup made against you (when even the BBC says the United States shouldn't have had a goal waived off against Slovenia when their home team is fighting in the same group)? Filing a protest would take too much effort and paperwork. It's much easier just to sit back and hope to get a better referee next time. Pressure MLS to conform better to the international calendar. Why? Because it would help player development to have them available for games. Unnecessary! Get the United States team back into the Copa America? Why test it against the best national teams in South America? They might get intimidated, lose confidence. Yet, somehow, despite Enron/Goldman Sachs/BP level incompetence at the top, a rag-tag band of second-tier European players and MLS all-stars managed to get to the second round of the World Cup and won its group over England in the process. These players with unbreakable hearts came from behind twice and scored in the last couple of minutes of the final group game to do so. They stared elimination in the face twice and laughed! Laughed not out of hubris but out of hope. Maybe that flows from the top, but I doubt it. Anyhow, despite the U.S.S.F., I'm proud of my home country's soccer team. No need to look overseas for a team to support when the United States plays a no-diving (okay, not much, Jozy Altidore does go down a bit easy), offense-minded, soccer that matches the kind of soccer that people in the United States would like to see the whole world play. And the leadership hasn't been all bad. The U.S.S.F. is trying hard to bring the World Cup back to U.S. soil in 2018 or 2022. They finally opened a training center in 2003. And you can't argue with results like a second place in the Confederations Cup and consistent women's team success. Still, if we had a better governing body in the United States, soccer success on the men's side might have come to the United States a long time ago.

Great facility open year around BUT CLOSED FOR SCHOOL…read moreHOLIDAYS! Spa and sauna are super nice. The rec app says there is a Pilates reformer but no classes to sign up. Testing to find out if true.

**UIC Swim Classes: A Budget-Friendly Option for Kids**…read more We enrolled in UIC Swim Classes for our 1.5-year-old and found it to be a solid, budget-friendly option. At $22 per session, the classes offer structured swim lessons at a more affordable rate compared to other local options. There is a chill vibe that works great for a 1st learner, but the level of rigor is lower than Goldfish so we switched there once we got off their wait list. Classes are sold in 5 week packages, and reschedules are not typically allowed. The class structure follows a set sequence of exercises. Instructors are friendly, but engagement is inconsistent. While they guide kids through various activities, the level of encouragement and feedback varies, with some instructors mentally checking out after providing initial directions. The UIC facility itself is quite nice - The water is comfortably warm and there are changing areas. Parking is available but paid for a few dollars. Note that your access is restricted to within 15 minutes of class time, so don't go too early. Though there are fewer opportunities for underwater practice and confidence-building dips, the parent/tot classes are primary about getting your kid comfortable in water. Overall, UIC Swim Classes deliver decent value for the price, though parents seeking a more intensive training that will get kids swimming faster may want to explore Goldfish.