Arrival Resources

Home , Peapod

Arrival Resources The following lists represent some of the shopping, eating, and practical resources that new international students and scholars have found helpful upon arrival in Chicago. While many businesses in Chicago have fully reopened to visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is advised that you follow a few tips to enjoy a safe and productive experience:

• Complete your self-quarantine, if needed. If you are not fully vaccinated and arrive to Chicago from an international location, you must complete a period of self-quarantine prior to visiting campus. See today.uic.edu/coronavirus-recovery > Campus Travel Quarantine Guidance for more information. • Confirm business hours and services before visiting. Most businesses in Chicago have fully re-opened, but not all. Call ahead or check the business website to confirm hours, mask policy, and the possibility for pick-up or delivery. Many businesses have expanded their online services so you may find that you can accomplish your task without making an in-person visit. • Carry a mask. Mask policies in Chicago have frequently changed as the pandemic has evolved. It is a good idea to always carry a mask or two when exploring Chicago or visiting campus as you may need to wear one in order to enter a building or ride public transportation. Check signs and be prepared to wear a mask when necessary, both in and outdoors. For updates UIC guidance, visit today.uic.edu/coronavirus.

*Please note that the Office of International Services does not endorse or have agreements with any of the businesses listed on this resource sheet.

Shopping & Grocery > stores and neighborhoods for different shopping needs 1101 W. Jackson A Target Clothing, grocery, home goods, school supplies, toiletries, etc. store near campus. Blue Line > Racine The Maxwell & 1000-1100 S. Canal B Southgate Shopping centers near campus with a variety of stores including T.J. Maxx, Verizon, Pier 1 Imports, Burlington, Cost Plus World Market, and more. #12 > Roosevelt/Canal Market Between Jackson & Lake State Street Street with many clothing and shoe stores, including Nordstrom Rack, DSW, Gap, Old Navy, H&M, Macy’s Department Store, and the Block 37 Mall. Red Line > Jackson Between Illinois & Oak Very popular shopping for more upscale stores including Banana Republic, Nike, Apple, Michigan Ave. Red Line > Grand Bloomingdale’s, and luxury boutiques.

Street on the far north side of Chicago. Home to many South Asian stores and Between California & Ridge Devon Ave. restaurants. Blue Line > Red Line > #155 West Neighborhood on near South Side with many restaurants and stores featuring Chinese W. Cermak & S. Archer Chinatown and East Asian products. Red Line > Cermak-Chinatown 40 S. Halsted C Mariano’s Full-service grocery with large selection and to-go meal options. Blue Line > UIC-Halsted 1101 S. Canal D Whole Foods Upscale grocery with organic foods and natural products. Fresh salad bar. #12 > Roosevelt/Canal 1220 S. Ashland E Jewel-Osco Full-service grocery store with budget-friendly options. #12 > Roosevelt/Ashland 711 West Jackson Blvd. F Hmart Grocery store specializing in Korean and East Asian products. Blue Line > UIC-Halsted Select groceries online and schedule an at-home delivery via apps like Instacart, Visit website or download the app Grocery Delivery Mercato, Peapod or Amazon Fresh. from your app store. Order food from local restaurants and have it delivered by calling the restaurant Visit the website or download the Food Delivery directly or ordering through an app like GrubHub, Uber Eats, Postmates, or DoorDash. app from your app store.

Office of International Services University of Illinois at Chicago www.ois.uic.edu 1200 West Harrison Street Phone (312) 996-3121 [email protected] Chicago, IL 60607-7164 Fax (312) 996-9432 Revised 07/2021 Arrival Resources

Restaurants > Places to eat near campus Taylor Street between Taylor St. Street full of restaurants of various prices and cuisines. Many Italian options. Ashland & Morgan Halsted Street between Van Buren Greektown Many Greek restaurants at various price points. & Madison G Giordano’s Chicago deep dish pizza and other classic Italian American options. 815 W. Van Buren

H Fontano Subs Italian sub sandwiches. Fast and budget friendly. 1058 W. Polk

UIC Dining On-campus dining locations and hours of operation at www.dining.uic.edu.

Banks > Financial institutions near campus I PNC UIC banking partner with office located in Student Center East (SCE). SCE, 750 S. Halsted, 2nd Floor 1130 W. Taylor J Chase Bank Nationwide bank with ATMs located all around Chicago. Corner of Taylor & May Street

Cell Phones > Mobile phone providers near campus If you have an unlocked phone from home, you may be able to simply purchase a SIM card and service plan from a U.S. provider. If you do not have an unlocked phone, you will need to purchase one in the store. The provider may ask for U.S. Social Security Number (SSN) to finance a phone purchase or justify a post-pay service contract. But do not worry, you can still get a pre-paid service plan without an SSN. Each provider has multiple locations throughout the city in addition to the ones near campus listed below. 524 W. Roosevelt K AT&T Nationwide wireless provider. Also sells home internet service. #12 > Roosevelt/Canal 606 W. Roosevelt L T-Mobile Nationwide wireless provider. Serves Sprint customers as well. #12 > Roosevelt/Canal 301 W. Washington M Verizon Nationwide wireless provider. Blue Line > Washington Smaller cell phone providers such as Boost, Mint, Cricket, Metro or others may offer less expensive service plans. Be sure to confirm that plan

features and coverage meet your needs before signing a contract.

Transportation > Ways to get around campus and Chicago Visit the links below to explore options and locate bus and train trackers. Masks are likely required on all UIC shuttle busses and CTA busses and trains. Campus Parking, Bus Shuttle, CTA trains & buses www.uic.edu/uic/about/visit/parking-bus.shtml CTA Trackers (train & bus tracking apps) www.transitchicago.com/tracker Divvy (blue bike share system) www.divvybikes.com Uber (car ride sharing system) www.uber.com/cities/chicago Lyft (car ride sharing system) www.lyft.com

Online Resources > Websites and apps to help you explore Chicago Yelp.com (ratings and recommendations) www.yelp.com/chicago CTA Trackers (train & bus tracking apps) www.transitchicago.com/tracker Time Out Chicago (Current events & activities) www.timeout.com/chicago Chicago Reader (News, politics, reviews & events) www.chicagoreader.com Block Club Chicago (Chicago news by neighborhood) https://blockclubchicago.org/ Choose Chicago (Chicago’s official tourism site) www.choosechicago.com

MICHIGAN AVENUE MICHIGAN

Devon Ave.

(North)

STATESTREET

GREEK TOWN GREEK

TAYLOR STREET

Pilsen and Chinatown

Neighborhoods (South)