South Shore, Chicago - Definition and Overview

South Shore is a predominately African-American neighborhood on the south side of Chicago. Along with a few nearby neighborhoods, it is a relatively stable and gentrifying neighborhood that has generally been long neglected. It features a balance of middle-class and lower-class African-Americans, is home to Rainbow Beach (one of the more popular beach spots in Chicago), and has one of few retail districts on the south side which, thanks to urban renewal, is in many areas a residential desert.

Recently, a Starbucks has opened up shop on the main drag of South Shore, which has generally been a healthy indicator for an area's future economic development as well as an ominous warning of the eventual gentrification (and theoretical yuppie invasion) of the area.

South Shore has become a more diverse neighborhood with Asians, Jews, and Greeks moving into the area because of it's prime location.