Boystown is a neighborhood located in Chicago known for being the first officially recognized "gay village" in the United States. It began being considered a separate neighborhood around the time of the first gay pride parade in Chicago in 1970. Today, Boystown hosts Chicago's annual gay pride parade and is characterized by its predominantly LGBTQ+ population and culture. It contains popular destinations like Yoshi's Cafe, known for its Japanese and French inspired cuisine, and Unabridged Bookstore, voted Chicago's best bookstore in 2015 and a premier source for LGBTQ+ literature.

1. BOYSTOWN
Jaz, Jean, Prav, Ela

2. Location
◦ Boystown is located southeast of Wrigleyville
◦ Within walking distance of the Addison and
Belmont CTA stops

3. Accessing Boystown
◦ By CTA:
◦ Take the Red Line to Addison and walk .5 mi to N. Wilton Ave.
◦ CTA portion takes ~ 16 min
◦ Walking takes ~10min
Or:
◦ Take the Red Line to Belmont
◦ Walk east to N Halsted Street

4. History
◦ Boystown was the first officially
recognized “gay village” in the US.
◦ Boystown began being considered a
separate neighborhood around when
the first gay pride parade was held.
◦ Boystown is the host of Chicago’s
annual Gay Pride parade
◦ The first pride parade was held in 1970
◦ In 1998, the City of Chicago
constructed 11 pairs of art-deco style
pillars in order to commemorate the
neighborhood’s LGBTQ+ residents.
◦ It was named the world’s best gay
neighborhood by Out Traveler in 2014.

5. Demographics
Boystown is known for being a predominately LGBTQ+ neighborhood.
◦ Population: 20,201 people
◦ Population Density:
◦ Boystown: 24,380 people/square mile
◦ Chicago: 11,970 people/square mile

6. Yoshi’s Cafe
◦ Japanese and French inspired food
◦ Seafood, grilled meats, and ducks
◦ Restaurant hours
◦ Sunday: 11-2:30 pm & 5-9:30 pm
◦ Tues – Thurs: 5-10:30 pm
◦ Fri – Sat: 5-11 pm
◦ Address: 3257 N. Halsted
◦ Extra Info
◦ Casual Dress Code
◦ Reservations Recommended
◦ No online reservations

7. Unabridged Bookstore
◦ 3251 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL
◦ Opened in 1980
◦ Voted “Best Bookstore in Chicago 2015” by
Chicago Magazine
◦ From their website: “Unabridged has an
unparalleled sale book section, and an
award-winning children's section, an extensive
travel room, and offers a great selection of
fiction and poetry. For 35 years, Unabridged
Bookstore has also been Chicago’s premier
go-to-bookstore for LGBT literature. ”
◦ Hours:
◦ Monday - Friday : 10am - 9pm
◦ Saturday - Sunday : 10am - 7pm

8. Photos!

9. Sources◦ "Ann Sather, Chicago - 909 W Belmont Ave - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews -
TripAdvisor." Ann Sather, Chicago - 909 W Belmont Ave - Menu, Prices & Restaurant
Reviews - TripAdvisor. Trip Advisor. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
◦ "Boys Town." Boys Town. Chicago Historical Society, 2004. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
<http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/160.html>.
◦ "Boystown Named World's Best Gay Neighborhood." NBC Chicago. NBC Chicago, 2
Jan. 2014. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
◦ Gerzina, Daniel. "City Naming Street After Yoshi's Cafe; Catching Up With Patrick Fahy;
More." Chicago Eater. Chicago Eater, 2 Apr. 2014. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
<http://chicago.eater.com/2014/4/2/6250315/city-naming-street-after-yoshis-cafe-
catching-up-with-patrick-fahy>.
◦ Greene, Nick. "How Chicago's Neighborhoods Got Their Names." Mental Floss. Mental
Floss, 7 Mar. 2014. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
◦ "Northalsted (Boys Town) Neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois (IL)." City Data. Web. 12 Oct.
2015.

10. Sources◦ "Store Information." Unabridged Bookstore. Unabridged Bookstore. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
◦ Sullivan, Emmet. "A Brief History of Chicago’s Pride Parade." Politics City Life. Chicago,
24 June 2015. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.
◦ "The Chicago Pride Fest & Boystown." Sexuality in the Classroom. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.