Growing up on the northside of Chicago, Ruben Ontañon was “recruited” into the family business as a teenager. At the time it meant he “no longer had an excuse to sleep in on the weekends.” But later he would take over the company his father started in the ’80s, Winchester Window Cleaning, and still runs that business today.

The high cost of housing where he and his wife, Susan, were living and the desire for good schools for their future kids led them to Norwood Park five years ago. Ruben says they weren’t really familiar with the area before but were attracted to the affordable housing, great school system and the ease of access to surrounding areas.  

Now they can’t imagine living anywhere else. As Ruben describes it, “There are lots of shops, mini malls, restaurants, pretty much anything you want.” He likes that you get a lot of “bang for your buck” without everything being so overcrowded.  

He loves the Old Norwood area and says it’s like “being in a little town in Wisconsin! It’s very picturesque, large churches, winding roads. You’re not in Chicago anymore!”

The community is definitely friendly. Ruben describes one of their earliest days in their new home as a perfect example. The doorbell rang and he and his wife couldn’t imagine who it could be, they didn’t know anyone in Norwood Park. When they answered the door, they were met by a man holding a pizza. Haven’t not ordered any pizza they were confused until the man said, “Hi, I’m your neighbor.” He went on to say that he thought they would be too busy settling in to worry about cooking, so he brought them dinner. He also added that if they called the pizza place in the future, they could get a “two for one deal” but you had to say “two for one deal” to get it. That’s a good neighbor!

It wasn’t just that neighbor, they’ve found the community to be friendly and welcoming. Their neighborhood is made up of families with kids of all ages.  Ruben has been surprised how all the kids play together, no matter their ages.   That, and the fact that the kids are playing outside!  

These days Ruben finds himself involved in the community, but he says it’s more like “the community got involved with me!” When the parish school was looking for help from someone “who works with high ladders” to help with some decorating, Ruben was the obvious choice. Today, he’s on the board, he’s a block captain of the neighborhood organization, and a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

As a family they enjoy Oriole Park. It has two play areas for their daughter, Grace along with basketball courts, tennis courts, ball diamonds, a fun sandbox and an interactive spray pool. It’s also conveniently next to the library so they check out a few books before heading home.   

With a 3-year-old, the family prefers dining at family-friendly restaurants. Some of their favorites are Dino’s, Moretti’s, Iron Horse and Highway House. Ruben’s recommendation for where a newcomer would feel like a “true local” would definitely be Dino’s. A Norwood Park fixture since the ’60s, Dino’s is where they feel at home.

For newcomers wanting to learn about Norwood Park’s history, Ruben recommends they visit the Norwood-Seymour-Crippen House, the oldest house in Chicago. It serves as a museum and home to the Norwood Park Historical Society.  

Ruben says he’s happy they stayed on the north side of Chicago. They look forward to raising their daughter in Norwood Park and were pleasantly surprised that the school she will eventually attend is one of the top schools in the area.  He considers Norwood Park to be a “well-kept secret.”  

Fun Fact: Norwood Park has the 2nd largest St. Patrick’s Day parade in Chicagoland! - Ruben Ontañon