The Block Club Chicago Podcast

How The West Side's 'Shine King' Keeps Going Even As Shoe Shining Disappears


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The Austin shop carries on the legacy of its founder, James Cole, who died in 2022. But these days, employees are as likely to fix up Jordans and Uggs as they are leather dress shoes, said his son and current owner Vernon Cole.

Host - Iridian Fierro

Reporter - Michael Liptrot

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Who we are

Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, relevant and nonpartisan coverage of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods. We believe all neighborhoods deserve to be covered in a meaningful way.

We amplify positive stories, cover development and local school council meetings and serve as watchdogs in neighborhoods often ostracized by traditional news media.

Ground-level coverage

Our neighborhood-based reporters don't parachute in once to cover a story. They are in the neighborhoods they cover every day building relationships over time with neighbors. We believe this  ground-level approach not only builds community but leads to a more accurate portrayal of a  neighborhood.

Stories that matter to you — every day

Since our launch seven years ago, we've published more than 30,000 stories from the neighborhoods, covered hundreds of community meetings and send daily and neighborhood newsletters to more than 150,000 Chicagoans. 

We've built this loyalty by proving to folks we are not only covering their neighborhoods, we are a part of them. 

Some of us have internalized the national media's narrative of a broken Chicago. We aim to change that by celebrating our neighborhoods and chronicling the resilience of the people who fight every day to make Chicago a better place for all.

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The Block Club Chicago PodcastBy Block Club Chicago

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