Artist Turns Passion, Hobby into a Business
When Nora Nieves was a 13-year-old girl in Puerto Rico, she started making handmade jewelry with seeds. As she grew older, even though she continued to make necklaces, she considered her passion for...
View ArticleBridgeport: ‘Chicago’s last original neighborhood’
From behind the bar, Steve Badauskas looks at the front door and buzzes in another customer. At Halsted and 32nd streets, Bernice’s Tavern has been buzzing in patrons for years. According to Badauskas,...
View ArticleCongress Theater owner evicts Portage Theater tenants, legal struggle continues
For more than six months, The Congress Theater has been battling city authorities over claims of unsafe conditions. Now, the theater’s owner, Eddie Carranza, is involved in more litigation as he moves...
View ArticleZAMRIE does fashion for (storm) relief
The cute ivory skirt with a blue, red, and gold plaid print and tempting “on sale” tag, could be dressed up or down, and Ashley Zygmunt, the creative mind behind the maker of the skirt, Chicago label...
View ArticleFamily-owned pharmacy in South Loop provides personalized care
In Hindi, “Kushal” means well and “Bhavi” means future, which is why Kushal and Bhavi Patel chose to name their South Loop business the Well Future Pharmacy. In July 2012, the husband and wife...
View ArticleIndependent resale shop works for greener South Loop
As Mari Ann Weiss-Cater sat behind the desk in her resale shop Urban Remix Consignments, she looked through the photographs of her chocolate Labrador Dexter on her phone, his bed sitting behind her,...
View ArticleRavenswood Station project could transform neighborhood
The Ravenswood Station project, which started construction in November, will completely transform the stretch of Lawrence Avenue between Ashland and Western Avenues, according to area Ald. Ameya Pawar...
View ArticleThe Cat’s Meow Purrs Despite ‘Rough Neighborhood’
It may seem like the prefix to a joke, but it isn’t. Two black women, sisters at that, own a sex store in Chicago. But don’t call it a “sex store.” “We are the Cat’s Meow, a ‘Pamper Me’ boutique,” said...
View ArticleCalling all zinesters, readers, and writers to Chicago Zinefest 2013
Chicago Zinefest starts on Friday. According to the Zinesters at Chicago Zinefest, ”A zine (an abbreviation of the word fanzine, or magazine; pronounced “zeen”) is most commonly a small circulation...
View ArticleChicago Small Business Center to help entrepreneurs open up shop
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the opening of City Hall’s new Small Business Center last week to provide a “one-stop shop” for novice entrepreneurs looking to establish small businesses in...
View ArticleLatin American restaurants let Chicagoans travel globe in less than three miles
Since its founding in 1833, Chicago has been a final destination for “American dream” seekers from all over the world, and thanks to that, today locals can find themselves crossing international...
View ArticleBuilding a barbecue community in West Ridge
Harry Belafonte is playing on the turntable and the smell of smoked barbecue invades the room. Within moments of walking in, Rub’s Backcountry Smokehouse proves true to its name, and feels more...
View ArticleChicago LGBTQ library set to open soon in new location in Rogers Park
In a move lasting nine months longer than anticipated and raising uncertainties, one of the Midwest’s largest LGBTQ libraries finally transitioned from Andersonville to Rogers Park on April 30. The...
View ArticleLincoln Square’s hidden gem: Rosley’s Rocks
Rosley’s Rocks and Gems is tucked away in Lincoln Square, a seemingly nondescript little shop on a quiet street. A passerby could easily miss the store; with its glass storefront and neon sign, it...
View ArticleLittle Village skate shop gives kids a place to hang out, learn a new sport
Jamie Duran had an epiphany one day at a family gathering: his life needed a purpose. Unemployed, the 35-year-old Duran wanted to offer something new to his community, something that would encourage...
View ArticleRickshaw-style bicycle cabs come to Logan Square
Here’s a unique new job opportunity: get paid for getting in shape. A new business in the Logan Square area, RoadieCab, pays bike riders to ferry passengers around. While peddling, riders work on their...
View ArticlePilsen coffee shop brings neighborhood together
Café Jumping Bean is vibrantly colorful, with art all over its walls, chairs and tables. The smell of freshly brewed coffee – Café Jumping Bean’s own unique blend – lingers in the air. Located on the...
View ArticleYour Sweet Tooth Will Thank You When You Visit Pilsen’s Nuevo Leon
Tourists from all over the country come to visit Panaderia Nuevo Leon, one of Pilsen’s oldest and most beloved bakeries. Since 1973, Nuevo Leon has carried the tradition of a mexican-style bakery where...
View Article“Diamond in the rough” folk art in Pilsen
Walking down the streets of Pilsen, it is common for one to come across many Mexican restaurants and varying trinket stores, each as authentic as the next. On 18th Street, Efrain Loza owns and manages...
View ArticlePolice Keep Licensed Peddlers Moving on 18th Street
Pilsen peddlers say business complaints to police have stopped them from selling on 18th Street. Anastacia Cortez, a licensed peddler for 15 years, said Chicago Police Officers have told her to move...
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