Please forgive the following random and dorky introduction: In the DVD commentary track for 1988’s The Naked Gun (told you!), one of the Zucker brothers complains about a director of photography who kept under-lighting the visually dependent comedy. “Is it too much to ask,” Zucker wondered out loud, “to be able to see the jokes?”
Which brings us to Crossroads Collective, the East Side’s wonderful new food hall that occupies the former Oriental Drugs space at 2238 N. Farwell Ave. Ever since it opened last winter, we’ve been huge fans of Crossroads; its initial lineup of vendors was great, and that lineup has only gotten better. We love seeing the iconic East Side location bustling with activity again. We love the food. We love the people. Until recently, we didn’t love the sign.
Here’s what we had to say about the sign this past January:
If there are any quibbles to be had with Crossroads, they’re mainly aesthetic. The outside signage is a bit baffling. An orange obelisk looms over the front entrance, its faces scribbled with bits and pieces of the business name in relatively small type. Squint and you’ll be able to make out “CROSS COLLE” on one side, and “ROADS CTIVE” on the other. As for the restaurants themselves, their names and logos are relegated to upper windows a few doors away from the main entrance. Plus, there needs to be coffee.
Well, the coffee situation has already been addressed. And now, we’re happy to report, so has the signage. Here’s what the Crossroads sign used to look like:
And here’s what it looks like after a recent touch-up:
The full name (well, the “Crossroads” part, at least) on both sides of the sign! A pair of snazzy “Collective Eatery” banners to further let folks know what, exactly, the place is! We’re sure someone could lecture us about how the original sign “invited viewer participation” and how it “activated the historically static sign-viewing experience,” but seriously: Is it too much to ask to be able to read a sign?
So congrats, Crossroads, for finally flying your full name loud and proud. Eat there. It’s great. R.I.P. Cross Colle.