Everybody is a sucker for a good bookstore, at least if they know what’s good for them. By visiting Da Book Joint in Bronzeville, you’ll experience a different type of shop. Located in Boxville, the city’s first shipping container marketplace, Da Book Joint is a mother-daughter operation focused on highlighting Black authors.
The shipping container shop is (expectedly) smaller than your average bookstore, but it adds a cozy feel that is sure to prompt you to curl up with one of your picks. Plants and neon lights make the small space feel energized and open.
Bookshelves with titles from well-known powerhouses such as Michelle Obama’s “Becoming” and Bryan Stevenson’s “Just Mercy” to children’s books like “The Proudest Color” by Sheila Modir and Jeffrey Kadou line the walls.
T-shirts with catchy phrases highlight the store’s mission and commitment to providing access to books in a part of the city its co-founder calls a “book desert.”
Courtney Woods, who owns the business with Verlean Singletary, her mother, explains how they’re tackling their mission and what the South Side means to the pair.
Before heading to Da Book Joint, be sure to check its hours, as they are a bit wonky. Perhaps the best time to go is during a Boxville event when the marketplace is sure to be buzzing.
From your stop at Da Book Joint, walk 20 minutes north — or drive four minutes — on South Indiana Avenue to the Chicago Hip Hop Heritage Museum.
You’ll approach what looks like any classic Chicago apartment, which adds to the charm of this historic venture. Founder Darrell “Artistic” Roberts greets you at the door, and you can already tell from the wealth of information, photos and relics behind them that you’re in for a treat. From the minute you walk in the door, you can glimpse newspaper clippings, concert tickets and photos giving you a sneak peek at what’s to come on the tour.
The museum only offers guided tours, so Roberts and tour guide Dontá “Stylesraw” Williams will walk you through each section in-depth. It’s clear they’ve done their homework on every aspect of the exhibits, which are categorized into dance, rap music, graffiti and DJing sections. Photos, posters and informational plaques line nearly every inch of the walls, and the tour will take you through the significance of nearly every single one.
The tour guides will keep you laughing and engaged, asking if you’ve heard certain songs or are familiar with certain artists. Instead of feeling like a stuffy museum where you’re almost scared to breathe the wrong way, this tour is casual and laid-back, more of a conversation than a monologue.
This guide is strictly no spoilers, but you’ll see some familiar faces and learn about new ones along the way.
It’s a good idea to book your tickets online beforehand. Tours are offered daily and take about an hour and a half. Tickets are $12 per tour and well worth the price tag.
From the museum, you’ll take another 20-minute walk or four-minute drive down 45th Street to Cottage Grove. There, you’ll find Bronzeville Winery.
The name somewhat pigeonholes this lovely spot — you’ll want to enjoy much more than just a glass of wine, so don’t eat before you go.
Open and airy with a funky modern feel, the winery fully debunks the thought that all wineries are stuffy, old and predictable.
Upbeat music bumps through the space from a DJ booth as a few couples, gaggles of women and herds of men sit down for their meals. The wine is flowing and the service is attentive, friendly and helpful. This isn’t a place you’ll want to skip the staff recommendations.
No need to be a wine snob here: Just tell your server what you generally like and let them handle it from there.
As for the food, this place doesn’t miss, to put it simply. A poached pear salad starts the meal off right. Combine that with the winery’s signature burger and mushroom pappardelle, you’ll have a well-rounded meal that threatens to pop the button on your jeans.
