COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WAY
ORDINANCE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:
SECTION 1. Pursuant to an ordinance heretofore passed by the City Council, which allows the erection of honorary street name signs, the Commissioner of Transportation shall take the necessary action to designate the 1600 and 1700 blocks of North California Avenue as "Francisco "Frank Store" De Leon Way."
SECTION 2. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect upon passage and publication.
Bio for Francisco "Frank Store" De Leon Way
Francisco De Leon arrived in Chicago in 1952 at the age of 15 years old from San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico to seek a better life and to support his family on the island. He left behind, 3 brothers and 3 sisters who all stayed with his parents.
In 1961, he married Felicita Crespo and had three children, Nelly, Nereida, and Francisco Junior and in 1978 he and his wife adopted his son, Richard.
In 1970, he and his wife, after winning $3,000 in a court case and taking the advice from a Priest at St. Aloysius Church, opened up a candy shop on the corner of California Avenue and Wabansia St. People called him Frank instead of Francisco and his store was known to everyone as "Frank's Store". In a couple of years, they purchased the building and expanded his small business to sell groceries, fresh meats, produce and alcoholic beverages.
In 2006, he sold the building to New Life Covenant and in 2009, he was put to rest on June 27, 2009, at the age of 72.
Francisco De Leomwas a Pillar in the community. Spiritual, Community driven, and a True Humanitarian.
He helped everyone that came into his corner store that needed food and water to feed their family. He'd talk to the young and old about ways to becoming a better person in life. The young children and teenagers saw him as a father figure. A father they never had. He kept many of the youth safe and in school that became role models in our society.
Till this day, his daughter Nelly and N...
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