There’s a spot in East Humboldt Park that pays homage to Chicago’s classic tradition of the department store. Harper’s Studio Vintage is curated and lovingly imagined by Melvin Thompson, a South Side community organizer who has spread his timeless vibe north. In this convo, Kevin unpacks what is fly about Melvin’s mid-century style and why it is so ageless.
City So Real with Kevin Coval
Melvin Thompson
Melvin Thompson
Giving community a vibe
City So Real with Kevin Coval
When you love a place for real, you’ll tout its beauty while shooting straight about its painful truths. City So Real is a series of conversations about life and work in Chicago, right now.
You’ll hear some names you know, but mostly voices you don’t know. Either way, you’ll get stories that contrast beauty and struggle from all walks of existence: laborers and artists, activists and inventors. Host Kevin Coval will introduce you to a lot of folks who do their work under your radar.
Kevin is a writer and filmmaker who emerged in the spoken word and hip hop scene of the ‘90s. He grew up on basketball courts and Chicago’s Red Line, and got hooked on the stories of the folks he met on the train and at his aunt’s seder table.
Join us as we listen to the stories of the people who make this city so real.
When you love a place for real, you’ll tout its beauty while shooting straight about its painful truths. City So Real is a series of conversations about life and work in Chicago, right now.
You’ll hear some names you know, but mostly voices you don’t know. Either way, you’ll get stories that contrast beauty and struggle from all walks of existence: laborers and artists, activists and inventors. Host Kevin Coval will introduce you to a lot of folks who do their work under your radar.
Kevin is a writer and filmmaker who emerged in the spoken word and hip hop scene of the ‘90s. He grew up on basketball courts and Chicago’s Red Line, and got hooked on the stories of the folks he met on the train and at his aunt’s seder table.
Join us as we listen to the stories of the people who make this city so real.
Appears in episode
