Obama haunts proclaim: ‘He’s one of us’
Connections to president spark pride as well as local economy
By Supriya Sinhababu
CHICAGO — Of the more than 30 people watching Barack Obama’s inaugural address from Hyde Park Hair Salon on the morning of Inauguration Day, only two or three were customers.
Most people crowding the barbershop now famous for its service to the 44th president represented organizations such as CLTV, WGN Radio, the Associated Press, and the Wall Street Journal. In a neighborhood where all the local businesses seem to have an Obama story to tell, Inauguration Day gave journalists, out-of-towners, and even residents the chance to revel in the people and places of Obama’s pre-presidential days.
Like many haunts steeped with Obama connections, Hyde Park Hair Salon was prepared: Two flat-screen TVs showed the view from the Capitol, and a table laden with donuts and drinks welcomed the unusual number of guests.
While Obama’s barber Zariff took in the inauguration from the National Mall, Tony Coye tended to the shop’s customers between media interviews. Coye says an average of two or three people per day come in asking for the same cut Obama gets.
“I have a client coming in today—her hair is down to her butt,” Coye said. “She’s getting an Obama cut.”
With seven television stations in attendance, Valois Cafeteria, a favorite Obama breakfast spot, celebrated the inauguration with specials and gave away Obama mugs to the first 500 customers. The morning after Obama’s election victory, Valois served 2,000 customers for free.
Valois owner Sam Argiris, who remembers Obama’s first visits in the early ’80s, has grown used to his restaurant being a part of history.
“I believe this is the place Senator Moseley Braun started,” he said, motioning toward a table behind him. “And she was the first black woman to become senator. So after that, I believe everything.”
Valois, which was prepared to serve up to 3,000 meals on Tuesday morning, is one of many local fixtures benefiting from an Obama connection.
Dashrath Patel has owned the newsstand at East 53rd Street and South Lake Park Avenue for 17 years. He buys 300 papers on a typical day, but for the day after the inauguration, he had 10,000 copies on order.
“Obama was my customer too,” Patel said. “Every day he bought five newspapers.”
Obama’s spotlight has shone brightly on 57th Street Books, which has been awash with requests to host author talks and signings for the latest Obama-related tomes.
On Inauguration Day, the store that coordinated a signing and public appearance for Obama’s book, The Audacity of Hope, in 2006 celebrated by accepting donations to the Hyde Park and Kenwood Hunger Programs.
“It’s a hard time economically for a lot of people, and these programs do a really good job of helping out members of the community that are in a bit of a bind,” said Tom Flynn, the store’s special events coordinator. “We also thought it would be appropriate, given what now-President Obama’s call to action has been.”
While Hyde Park Hair Salon was one of the hubs of neighborhood hoopla, Coye felt that the day’s glory did not belong to Hyde Park in particular.
“I’m happy that he’s there, that he’s having this experience for the rest of us—and not just for Chicago,” Coye said of the shop’s most famous client. “He’s an ordinary guy, not raised into politics … He’s one of us, and he became president.”
