“Bueno. Bonito. Bacano.”

Every good storefront needs a dose of neon. Step into our Armitage studio and you'll be greeted by our version of "creative chaos" - a rush of color, freehand sketches on every wall, odd mementos from past and current projects ... and probably Bomba Estereo playing in the background. Just how we like it. The large work table was crafted from old-growth lumber salvaged during our renovation of Marz Community Brewing. A translucent wall - built from greenhouse roofing panels - addresses the need for dedicated meeting room, while ensuring no daylight was sacrificed in this tight space. The kitchen uses cost-effective IKEA cabinetry enhanced with colorful custom panels from Plykea, and is illuminated with custom, self-built light fixtures assembled from Color Cord Co. parts. Throwback "cobblestone" tiles cover the floor, and are one of the only interior elements that remain - they were simply too ugly/cool to remove. The vibe is a far cry from the corporate atmosphere of many downtown firms, but is unmistakably on-brand for our international team of designers.

Originally constructed in 1903, the stone building sits along the border of Logan Square and Humboldt Park. This buzzy stretch of Armitage Avenue personifies the diverse character of the area - flanked by a metalworking shop and trendy cocktail bars, storefront churches and taquerias, and so, so many Puerto Rican flags. The structure has gone thru many lives - from a dry cleaners in the 1970s, to a barbershop in the early 2000s - and the jumbled interior reflected decades of DIY renovations, followed by slow neglect from an out-of-state property owner. The office furnace was confusingly located on the uninsulated rear porch, a tree grew into the basement thru a window well, and all ground floor windows (except the storefront itself) had been boarded up & infilled with mirrors during the barbershop era. The list of critical improvements was daunting, and necessitated a scrappy, DIY ethos over the first two years. In 2022 Via Chicago was awarded a grant thru the Small Business Improvement Fund, which provides funding assistance for permanent building improvements and repairs along Chicago's neighborhood commercial corridors. This SBIF funding supercharged the slow-moving renovation, allowing VMR Remodeling to include high-importance / low-visibility upgrades such as masonry tuckpointing, new storefront glazing (no more indoor rain!), a basement sump pump (no more spring floods!), and the partial removal of an enclosed porch to recover two original windows facing south onto the patio. This old building is ready for another 100 years.

Architecture & Interiors: Via Chicago
MEP Engineer: STREAM Engineering
General Contractor: VMR Remodeling Inc.
Photography: Konrad Wazny

Storefront Windows: Star-Tech Glass
Table & Vanity: 1840 Creative
Electrical: ADA Volts Electric
Masonry: Ruby's Construction