Gately’s Peoples Store Demolished Following Heartbreaking Fire but Historic Sign to be Saved

“After fire gutted the old Gately’s Peoples Store in Roseland last week, Ald. Anthony A. Beale (9th) said he’s working with members of the Gately family to save the store’s historic neon sign.

“The sign deserves a place in a museum where it can tell our community’s story to present and future generations, and help inspire everyone to work together to make Roseland the thriving and bustling destination it once was,” the neighborhood’s alderman said Monday.

“Beale said he went to the fire Friday and saw Gately family members at the scene. He was already planning to preserve the sign, he said, adding that Gately family members said they would help raise the money to make sure the sign is taken down, preserved and put up at a later date.

“The alderman said he used to shop at the “iconic” store as a kid. It was a one-stop shop, he fondly recalled, calling it an anchor on the Far South Side.

“It’s the history,” Beale said. “We’re preserving history. It’s unfortunate that we had a fire, but we have to make lemonade out of the lemons that we were dealt.” (Boufford, 6/10/19)

Read the full article at Block Club Chicago

Gately’s Peoples Store Neon Sign Will Live On After Fire: ‘Deserves A Place In A Museum,’ Ald. Anthony Beale Says; The alderman said he’s working with the Gately family to remove, preserve and display the old sign, which survived Friday’s devastating fire., Hannah Boufford, Block Club Chicago, 6/10/19

Century-Old Gately’s Peoples Store Demolished After Fire Guts Vacant Roseland Building; No injuries were reported at the historic, but vacant, store, Kelly Bauer, Block Club Chicago, 6/7/19