Learning about Logan Square
I don’t live in Logan Square any more. Gentrification had been growing slowly but surely when I arrived in 2009, but the area has definitely gone through a lot since then. The Mega Mall has been replaced with pricey apartments and a city Target (I saw one 1-bedroom listed for $3500). Restaurants have come and gone. Many condos have gone up, likely including the greystone I lived in for over 8 years. There still isn’t a centrally-located grocery store.
And yet, Logan Square remains a popular landing place for many students, creatives and younger families, so I don’t think the neighborhood’s Hipster designation has lessened. It may help to look at some hard stats:
51% white, almost 20% more than the city of Chicago’s average percentage of 33%. It is also 34.5% Latinx, over 5% more than the city average and Logan Square’s second largest group
39% of residents are between the ages of 20-34
Over 75% have at least been to college, with over 79% of them completing a bachelors’ degree or above
Median household income is over $90,000. This is more than $25,000 over the median for the entire city
Over 70% of households are only one or two people, and 60% of all households rent their homes
With this information, we have a sense of the general demographic of the area. Additionally, let’s look at what the current cafe landscape is like in the area around where Playground would be:
While there’s no shortage of typical cafes in the neighborhood (unlike 2009 where there was none besides Starbucks until New Wave Coffee opened in 2010), there’s a bit of a hole around Playground’s proposed location. The area is mainly residential, with not a lot on Armitage between Kimball and California. This could be a good destination spot for coffee/food/design aficionados, and also a transitional spot for commuters and non-residents who are in the neighborhood for other reasons (visiting friends, getting brunch, etc).
Personas or nah?
If you were a UX person, maybe this would prompt you to create a Persona for a typical Logan Square resident:
Let’s call him Justin.
Justin is white, 29, works in tech as an mid-level account manager. Grew up in Ohio, came to Chicago after undergrad. Considering getting an MBA if work pays for it. He’s a renter, paying $1900 monthly for a 1 bedroom condo around Richmond and Dickens. He likes taking advantage of what Logan Square has to offer in terms of bars and restaurants. He works a hybrid schedule, but likes being near the Blue Line for an easier commute to Fulton Market. He keeps up with trends and has friends in the neighborhood who keep him connected to the neighborhood’s creative scene, but also follows local and college sports.
However, is Justin our target cafe demographic?
It depends on our goals for Playground Coffee.
Are we looking to cater to this persona? Are there multiple personas to consider, like a mid-tier income Chicago native, or a student doing part time work while they’re in school? Or can we explore this in a more nuanced way?
Instead of building the brand/features for the demographic, can we flip that?
In the next post, let’s explore how we can outline Playground Coffee’s key goals and mission, and how we can add value for the neighborhood in a more inclusive way.