At Chicagoist we sometimes go by the motto "Why do today what we can do tomorrow?" So while some other blogs told you about free and discounted food and drink you can get on tax day yesterday, celebrating tax day is nothing if not celebrating the spirit of procrastination, right? After all, the post office is open until midnight tonight, and they aren't doing that for all the motivated folks who filed their taxes in... more ›

Best Buy is looking into opening a flagship store in the heart of the downtown shopping area. Chicagobusiness.com has a write-up, including a handy map of many tech-gadgetry stores currently in the area. We are imagining ourselves cruising Michigan Avenue to check out the new and cool toys at the various flagship stores but probably not spending a bundle. At Chicagoist, when we buy tech, we know what we need and where to get it for cheap, and most often that place is the internet. more ›

As many readers are probably aware, Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world, does not generally do business in big cities. At Chicagoist, this fact has for years now provided a nice mental buffer zone to the controversy surrounding Wal-Mart. From racial discrimination, to sucking life out of rural communities, to employing thousands of workers at wages which require them to seek welfare to survive, this company has a long list of less than admirable achievements. You heard right, Wal-Mart is opening it's first store within the boundaries of Chicago today. more ›

At Chicagoist, we have a lot of love in our hearts: for our friends, our colleagues, our readers, and even our critics. It’s not always easy to express our appreciation for everyone who visits our humble little site. more ›

Today is Festivus and we've been reading a lot lately about how all the cool kids are celebrating. It's easy. All you need is an aluminum pole to display unadorned. Local customs sometimes allow decorations, but they must be non-threatening plain decorations, and tinsel is absolutely banned. What? It's distracting! At Chicagoist's Festivus party we would ask everyone invited (all of you!) to contribute to The Human Fund and the money would really go to... more ›

North America's largest vending machine company, Canteen, will be installing hundreds of machines with healthier food choices in 11 cities, including Chicago. Over the next 45 days, expect to see your soda replaced with water; your candy bars replaced with granola bars; your pizza, burgers and hot dogs may become salads and wraps.. and those Cheetos you stop by for every day at 2:00? They're gonna be replaced with nuts and dried fruits. Canteen, who's vending machines are mostly located in workplaces, says that they are being pressed by businesses who are concerned about better nutrition for their employees since they have to bear the brunt for the health costs of obesity. Another reason is pure marketing. Health food is hip now and consumer demand is high. more ›