680 North Lake Shore Drive

Have you ever wondered why a building would change its address, not because it moved, but to escape a bad reputation? This is the story of 680 North Lake Shore Drive. Look at this impressive structure. Standing tall for almost a century, it was once known as the American Furniture Mart. Imagine its grandeur: the largest building in the world at the time of its completion in 1926. It spanned an entire city block between Lake Shore Drive and McClurg Court, and its two halves were designed by different architects. Originally, it was assigned the ominous address of 666 North Lake Shore Drive. However, a series of unfortunate events, including financial woes, led to a change in its name and address. In 1988, the building was renamed 680 North Lake Shore Drive, and it’s been known by this name since then. The change, however, was not without its controversy. Some whisper that the new address was chosen to avoid the stigma of “666,” the number of the beast, while others say it was to attract new tenants like Playboy Enterprises. Despite all these changes, 680 North Lake Shore Drive is a testament to the dynamism and resilience of Chicago. It’s a reminder that within every building, there’s a story waiting to be told.