The Elm Street Hair Company, located at 2002 North Elm Street, is now called Denise Coker Barbershop. The shop is at the end of State Street across the street from Brown-Gardiner Drug Store in Irving Park. A few years ago, the barber was killed ‘in cold blood’ while at work. It shook up this neighborhood as it isn’t a high-crime part of town. 

Since so many people are posting American flags as their Facebook profile pictures this weekend, we began searching our archives for a flag photo. We were drawn to this photo because the building, its roof, and the sky echo the colors of the American flag. On the eve of the 10-year-anniversary of the September 11th event, this red, white, and blue scene, reminds us that bad situations are not always understood.  The best we can do is find a way to remember the past, while living in the present and hoping for the future. Here is to a world living in harmony. Here’s to the flag flying high over Elm Street.