Morse Avenue: Another One Bites the Dust

Fragrance Island, a mainstay on Morse Avenue for years, has up and relocated to 79th Street and Western in Chicago, RPB learned today. They have not cleared out everything from their current location at 1440 W. Morse Avenue. Talk on the street is that the business had some "issues" with their current landlord. The good news: Just down the street, Los Taqueria Portales Mexican restaurant is having a grand opening. They are located at 1418 W. Morse Avenue, right next to the infamous Soo Liquors. One of my street sources reports that yesterday, Los Taqueria Portales went through the time-honored initiation for all new businesses on Morse: A drunk passed out and sprawled on the sidewalk right in front, just under the "Now Open" sign. Welcome to the neighborhood. Let's hope they do well. That location has been nothing but bad luck for the several businesses that have occupied it over the past several years. The other good news: Common Cup, now in its second week at 1501 W. Morse Avenue. Their wi-fi, I am happy to report, seems to be just fine now. I spent several hours on it this morning without the problems I previously reported. Oh, and they have air conditioning, which they actually have turned on (unlike Ennui Cafe, another wi-fi coffee cave, at N. Sheridan and Lunt).