If you haven't been to the new, expanded Paper & Pencil's storefront in Andersonville, you're missing out. Owners Tyler and Eric recently relocated their popular stationery shop to a larger retail spa...
Have you ever wanted to step back in time? Imagine being surrounded by performers on stilts, musicians playing the hurdy-gurdy, and actors dressed in full medieval costumes. If this sounds fun to you, you...
Did you know there is a family-owned plant store along Clark Street that covers almost two entire blocks? Oh, and it happens to be one of the oldest in the city. Since its opening in 1977, Gethsemane G...
There is a new seamless starting point for cyclists heading toward the city's harbors: Igor's Bike Shack. Located directly on the Lakefront Trail in Lakeview, this shop operates out of a repurposed sha...
Did you know that every time you pay for street parking at a meter in Chicago, the revenue doesn't go to the city but instead goes directly to a private company? This ongoing diversion of funds is the...
While it might sound odd, if you want ice cream at The Sugar Hole, you're not going to order with a human. Instead, you have to place an order with a cowboy, a cow, or a polar bear. The puppet-staffed...
Great burgers and gas stations are two words that usually aren't said in the same sentence—until now. Operating out of the back of a Shell gas station on West Devon Avenue is Burger Bite, a full-servic...
Just north of Chicago is a towering 19th-century lighthouse that overlooks the crashing waves of Lake Michigan, and it feels entirely unexpected for the Midwest. While the Grosse Point Lighthouse is no...
Chicago's sidewalks are lined with storefronts, but one stands out for its heavy ironwork, which seems out of place for a big-box retailer. Locally referred to as the "goth" Target, the location at 1 S...
Stepping off the 22 bus line in Rogers Park, the aroma of roasted espresso pulls you into a local shop where there is more than just coffee. As you enter, you'll see a massive poster that dominates the in...