Coop’s was an oasis for jazz & soul music and a quintessential family business. Ezell Cooper, known and loved by us Mr. Coop, took ownership of the store at 1605 W. 87th in 1986 and it was an important part of the Chicago soul and jazz community for many years to come, also carrying blues, gospel and more.
Shortly after a clothing store vacated the neighboring storefront at 1613 W. 87th in the mid 90s, that space became Coop’s Underground, run by Coop’s son Pierre Cooper, primarily carrying hip hop and house and becoming a strong local proponent of the city’s hip hop scene.
Mr. Coop is a close friend of Dusty Groove and we were even lucky enough to have him work in our Chicago store for a while after he closed his own store. May the legacy of his classic south side hub(s) never be forgotten!
(Color photo courtesy William Krieger. B&W photo via picturingchicago.com.)
