Dr. Andrew Knecht
Knecht Chiropractic Clinic
3444 N. Halsted Street
Northalsted Business Alliance is PROUD to present our Pride Person of the Month. Our goal is to engage our community with local business owners to showcase the amazing businesses that are part of our neighborhood. Our Pride People are chosen by Northalsted Business Alliance for their commitment to our community and positive impact on our neighborhood both in business and charitable contributions.
Q: Thank you for meeting with me Dr. Knecht, tell me about your chiropractic business?
A: I have owned and operated Knecht Chiropractic Clinic on North Halsted Street since July 2000. I joined the Northalsted Business Alliance immediately after to be able to connect with other business owners in the community.
Q: What made you want to join the Northalsted Business Alliance Board of Directors?
A: I joined the Board in 2003. I wanted to be more involved in our community and knew that I could help make Boystown a wonderful environment to work and play.
Q: What made you want to become a chiropractor?
A: When I was 16 years old, I suffered from extreme back pain. My parents took me to go see a chiropractor, and after visiting him, I didn’t have pain any more. I decided then that I wanted to become a chiropractor to help people the way that doctor had helped me!
Q: I know you recently were married, how long have you and your partner been together? How did you two meet?
A: I met Randy (Randy Shingledecker, Interior Designer extraordinaire) on my 30th birthday through a friend. We’ve been together for 16 years, and decided we wanted to get married. Two weeks after federal marriage equality became the law (we received our marriage license the day of), we invited our family and friends to Saugatuck and actually tied the knot this summer.
Q: What was coming out to your family like?
A: I came from a very strong Catholic family. You have to understand this was a different time than now. I love my family and knew that I had to give them time and space to process. I had already processed it myself, which took some time, so I was ok with them figuring it out for themselves too.
Q: Where is your favorite place you have traveled?
A: I have traveled to many places, but probably the most surprising place I’ve been to is Shanghai. It’s amazing how Westernized and cosmopolitan the city is. The restaurants were fantastic, the shopping was great…you can actually get a custom tailored suit made for less than $100.00. It was a great experience, I’d go back in a second.
Q: What do you see for the future of our community?
A: I really want everyone to coexist. We preach difference, compassion, and understanding and I want every person to feel comfortable when they come here. I would really like to see us join up with other causes in the future so we can all live in harmony.
Q: Where is your favorite place to go in Boystown?
A: My whole life is lived within the bubble of our community, whether it is shopping at Whole Foods or eating lunch at Nookies or DS Tequila. Dinner for me is at Yoshi’s, Wood, or Taverna 750. I work out (maybe not as much as I should) at the Halsted Street Fitness Formula Club. I do my dry cleaning at Soon’s Cleaners, an occasional pedicure at Sapphire Nails, and my haircuts at Robert Jeffrey Salon.
Q: How do you exude PRIDE every day?
A: I exude PRIDE everyday by promoting and fraternizing the businesses in the community. As a doctor, I have treated the people in our community for 16 of my 23 years in practice.
