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November 29, 2007
It's part of our national schizophrenia as Americans. Every year we bemoan the exploitation of Christmas, and every year we spend more and more money that we really don't have to buy crap to give to each other "in the spirit of the season." There's a great movie to... [continue]
| November 26, 2007
If you were around the Belmont and Clark epicenter yesterday with a hankering for sticky buns that couldn't be sated because Ann Sather was closed, fear not. 44th Ward Alderman Tom Tunney and his crew are in the process of moving the long-standing restaurant a few storefronts east. In an... [continue]
Thanksgiving came at the perfect time for Topps Beef. Two months after the second-largest beef recall in history (over 21 million pounds), the company filed for bankruptcy protection in New Jersey last week; any other time and the news would have been bigger. In the filing, Topps listed assets and... [continue]
November 20, 2007
Two stories have us thinking about the continuing evolution of the cinematic experience and the differences between going to see a movie and just watching one. First off, "boutique" theater chain Muvico has signed a letter of intent to occupy two floors of the Block 37 development. The proposed multiplex... [continue]
November 19, 2007
Today's Sun-Times has an interesting article on restaurateur and Chicago native LaVan Hawkins, who's opening Nancy's Pizza and Al's Italian Beef franchises even as he's set to go to prison on corruption charges. The biography of Hawkins is a true rags-to-riches, rise-and-fall-and-rise-again story starting with his early years running in... [continue]
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November 14, 2007
There's a wonderful video at Crain's website, under their "Entrepreneurs in Action" section, on Englewood-based organic wholesaler Goodness Greenness. Goodness Greenness provides organic produce to scores of stores and restaurants throughout the area. Goodness Greenness also has a handy feature on their website that makes it easier for those... [continue]
November 13, 2007
In August we wrote about the possibility of Deerfield-based Fortune Brands Inc. losing the marketing rights to Absolut Vodka when the Swedish government eventually puts the state-owned distillery up for sale. At the time, it was a very strong possibility that Fortune Brands would lose the rights to a competitor... [continue]
The Hyde Park Co-operative Market has faced some trying times recently. They closed their 47th Street location in 2005, but are still paying rent on the empty store space due to a lease in which they're locked in until 2023 that's held by Certified Grocers, who also serves as the... [continue]
November 12, 2007
Who gives last rites to the priest? Who installs a new crown in the dentist's mouth? Who buries the gravedigger? Or, more importantly, who gives the eulogy when a funeral home dies? If you're the family that has held sway over Griffin Funeral Home for 60 years, you give it... [continue]
For over three years, artist Kathy Kozan has been keeping tabs on the unruly and often violent last call atmosphere at Chromium nightclub on her website LAKEandHALSTED.com. Her mission to detail the constant fights, shootings, and other misbehavior spilling out onto the street below her residence has attracted the... [continue]
November 11, 2007
We reported on Wednesday sales have been sinking at the flagship State Street store--nostalgic epicenter for Field’s lovers. Meanwhile, Field’s Fans continue to protest. A group of concerned Field's Fans showed up on Saturday to “protest against Macy's business practices here in the Chicago area.” They have scheduled special “leaflet”... [continue]
Mayor Daley and the FAA got in a bit of a pissing match over the weekend, with the FAA cooling their jets after a Tribune article published Saturday cited the FAA as stating a 2004 cap on flights would not be lifted after the new runway opened at O’Hare. Flight... [continue]
November 9, 2007
The Tribune's Phil Vettel wrote on The Stew this morning about the just-released 2K8 AAA Restaurant and Hotel ratings. Chicago leads the way with more five-diamond rated restaurants than any other city. Furthermore, there are no surprises on the list, since it's identical to last year's awardees. Congratulations are in... [continue]
November 8, 2007
Federal authorities must look at Mayor Daley's administration and think he's coated with more teflon than John Gotti with all the aides and "close associates" running afoul of the law. The Feds are investigating eight years of allegations that members of Daley's administration strong-armed Bridgeport property owners into selling their... [continue]
November 6, 2007
In a move sure to send ripples throughout the video game community, Electronic Arts, aka EA, is shuttering its Chicago office effective immediately. In case that leaves you scratching your head, EA is responsible for such gaming franchises as Madden NFL, The Sims, The Orange Box, and the upcoming Rock... [continue]
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November 5, 2007
Well, it's finally happened: the Writer's Guild of America declared a strike early this morning after midnight negotiations stalled. Naturally there's been plenty of finger-pointing, with writers claiming that the producers broke off talks while producers say that the writers were the ones who walked out. Regardless, the strike will... [continue]