Will Quam runs Brick of Chicago, a brick-based walking tour company in Chicago, Illinois.

Quam came into his tour business, he says, almost by accident. Formerly a theater teacher, he would travel across the city and suburbs for his job.

“What you start to notice the more time you spend in Chicago is how the building forms repeat,” said Quam. “We build the same bungalow over and over again, or the same two flat, but the brick is what makes each one unique.”

As his interest in architecture and masonry grew, he started developing tours of different neighborhoods in the city. And when the pandemic hit, and his teaching stopped, he turned to his tour business for income.

Today, Quam’s developed 11 different tours and guides anywhere from five to eight tours a week.

To hear more of Quam’s story, click the audio player above.