Day 24: A Place by the Water Tower

     In the late 60s, the Mall division of Marshall Field was starting to conceive an idea of putting a mall up in the area of the old Water Tower.  Eventually, the complex was built in 1975.  Water Tower Place consists of a 78-story residential tower and an 8-story mall area containing over 100 different stores. One of the most important legacies of the Mall is that it not only opened up the Magnificent Mile to more middle-class shopping abilities, it also helped to move Chicago's shopping nucleus north from State Street to that particular area of North Michigan Avenue. 

     When you get to the Michigan Avenue entrance to the mall, you come upon an atrium featuring an information desk, and two restaurants.  As you take the escalators up to the mall proper, you pass by a fountain that spans the entire length of the escalator.  The effect is quite cool. At the top of the escalator is a representation of the Water Tower made out of Legos, which is oddly appropriate since the LEGO store is directly across from the escalators on that level.  Another interesting store is one called Marbles that sells all varieties of brain games and exercisers.  One of their products is a brain-themed Rubik's Cube, where instead of matching up colors, you have to match up different sections of brain.  Needless to say, it is more difficult.  After that, one other store of note is called Cubs Clubhouse, and that is exactly what it sounds like.  A Cubs memorabilia shop.  You can buy flags, clocks, wall hangings, steering wheel covers, clothing, and even flasks with the Cubs logo emblazoned upon them.  At this point, we find ourselves going all the way down to the Mezzanine level to find the best part of any mall-the food court.  In this case, the court is separated into several different restaurants for you to choose from.  Going down one level further takes us to the parking entrance for Water Tower place.  And do you know what is directly next to Water Tower Place? The John Hancock building, but that's a destination for another day.  After all of that hullabaloo, there isn't much more to see, just walk out of the mall the same way you came in.