Schneider Deli opened Wednesday, April 1, at 1733 N. Halsted St., at the southeast corner of the intersection with Willow Street. This is the second location for the deli, which also opened a location in the former Ohio House Motel coffee shop space, at 600 N. LaSalle Dr. in River North, in 2023.

The Halsted Street location occupies the former site of Pizza Capri, which closed in May of last year after 30 years in business.

Owners Jake and Ariel Schneider said on their website that their menu features passed-down family recipes that were influenced by Jake's grandmothers, Eunice and Goldalee. The restaurant website notes that Schneider was inspired by his grandmothers' techniques to recreate their cooking with elements of his own creativity.

"He learned to prepare matzo ball soup, ensuring the dumplings were light and fluffy, just as Eunice taught him," the Schneider Deli website says. "Each simmering pot of chicken broth was a homage to her, filling the kitchen with warmth and nostalgia."

Jake Schneider worked previously at Daisies, at 2375 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Logan Square, and Perennial Virant, at 1800 N. Lincoln Ave. in Old Town, according to Eater.

On opening day for the Halsted Street location, Schneider Deli said on Facebook that it received an "incredible welcome to the neighborhood."

Schneider Deli's predecessor in the space, Pizza Capri, still maintains its longstanding location at 1501 E. 53rd St. in Hyde Park.

The new Schneider Deli location is next door to the renowned Boka, 1729 N. Halsted St., which has been in operation since 2003 and has been Michelin-starred since 2010. Boka touts Chef Lee Wolen's seasonal American food.

Before Boka, the 1729 N. Halsted St. space was home to the celebrated Blue Mesa — Phil Marienthal's pioneering Southwestern American restaurant with its kiva fireplace, New Mexico textiles, and chipotle pepper-spiced entrees — which operated from 1983 until 2000.

Just to the south at 1723 N. Halsted St. is the famous, but unsigned Alinea Restaurant, where Grant Achatz's ultramodern cooking style helped define the molecular gastronomy movement.

Two celebrated Italian restaurants are also located steps away — Trattoria Gianni a jog to the south at 1711 N. Halsted St., and Vinci at 1732 N. Halsted St. across the street from Schneider Deli.

The buildings that house Schneider Deli, Boka, Vinci, and Willow Room — at 1800 N. Halsted St. kitty-corner from Schneider Deli — all earned landmark designation in 2021 as part of a district dubbed the Halsted-Willow Group. The buildings all date from the 1880s and were designed in the Italianate and Queen Anne styles.

The Schneiders Deli building was constructed in 1880, the city noted.

All three states have sent cease and desist orders to such companies accusing them of engaging in illegal online gambling under state law. Arizona also filed criminal charges last month against Kalshi for allegedly violating state gambling laws and a law that makes betting on elections illegal.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission contends in court filings that it, not the states, regulates these companies.

"The CFTC will continue to safeguard its exclusive regulatory authority over these markets and defend market participants against overzealous state regulators," CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig said in a written statement. He said Congress "rejected such a fragmented patchwork of state regulations" because it led to increased risk of fraud and poor consumer protection.

Last month, the Trump administration threw its support behind the operators Kalshi and Polymarket in a critical legal battle that could have implications for how sports betting is regulated.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong on Thursday accused the Trump administration of "recycling industry arguments" that have been rejected in district courts across the country.

"These contracts are plainly unlicensed illegal gambling under time-worn state law, and we will aggressively defend Connecticut's commonsense consumer protection laws," he said.

Michael and Helen Cameron have owned and operated Uncommon Ground, at 3800 N. Clark St., since 1991.

"Thirty-five years of laughter, connection, and community have given us more cherished memories than we could ever count. We are forever grateful for each and every one of you — our incredible guests, our dedicated staff, and the neighborhood that has made Uncommon Ground feel like home," the Camerons wrote in a letter to Uncommon Ground friends, fans, and family. "Running a restaurant for 35 years is a true labor of love, and now we look forward to beginning a new chapter. In the meantime, we will continue operating as usual while we work to find the right operator to carry on the Uncommon Ground legacy."

As recounted in a 2001 Chicago Reader profile, the Camerons had been running a coffee kiosk at the Century Mall on Clark Street just north of Diversey Parkway, when one evening in January 1991, they stopped at a Subway sandwich shop then located at Clark and Grace streets and happened to notice a boarded-up storefront across the street.

They rented that storefront at 1214 W. Grace St., and Uncommon Ground opened six months later, the Reader noted.

The business went on to expand to the next storefront to the west on Grace Street, and then the corner storefront at the intersection with Clark Street. Uncommon Ground grew into a full-service farm-to-table restaurant, a celebrated live music venue, and a world-renowned brand that also includes Greenstar Brewing — the first organic brewery in Illinois.

The Camerons also now own the building, which houses six loft-style apartments on the second floor.

The sale of the business, at 3800 N. Clark St. just a block north of Wrigley Field, was described in a news release as a "turn-key" opportunity, in which a new operator can take over the business as a complete product.

Uncommon Ground notes that whoever takes over will acquire an eatery twice named the Greenest Restaurant in America by the Green Restaurant Association, having helped launch the country's first certified organic rooftop farm.

The buyer will also acquire Greenstar Brewing, which has won awards for its craft beers, a renowned intimate concert venue that hosts live music nightly, and a nearly 5,000 square-foot space that includes the brewery, a large sidewalk café, an outdoor beer garden, and two private dining rooms, Uncommon Ground said.

The Camerons would also consider selling the building to the new operator.

"Our first priority is to find a new operator, but I'm sure some people will want to acquire everything, so the building could be for sale as well," Michael Cameron wrote by email.

Michael Cameron said since announcing plans to retire and sell the business this week, there has already been a "tremendous" amount of interest.

The stage at Uncommon Ground has hosted the late Jeff Buckley, who appeared onstage in February 1994 in what the Chicago Tribune's Greg Kot called the best concert of the year. Andrew Bird, Howie Day, David Gray, Glen Hansard, Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles, Josh Ritter, and Train are just a few of the other well-known acts who have taken the stage at Uncommon Ground over the years.

A second Uncommon Ground location, at 1401 W. Devon Ave. in the Edgewater neighborhood close to Loyola University Chicago, closed in 2022 after 15 years. The Devon Avenue building, which sported a rooftop organic farm, has since been torn down.

The announcement from Uncommon Ground comes on the heels of another renowned Chicago live music venue being taken over by a new owner. The owners of The Hideout, at 1354 W. Wabansia Ave., announced last week that they were selling to a new owner, former employee Teri O'Brien.

The Hideout has been around under the same name — legally post-Prohibition, at least — in 1934. Since the mid-1990s, The Hideout has been a destination for live music, particularly indie rock and alternative country — eventually taking over the scene left behind when Lounge Ax closed in 2000.

Former owners Tim and Katie Tuten and Mike and Jim Hinchsliff have owned The Hideout for 30 years. New owner O'Brien said in a news release that the "soul" of The Hideout will remain unchanged.

The public can get involved.

The competition, sponsored by World Business Chicago, is called Horizon Lines: Visions of Chicago 2050. Designers and community leaders are encouraged to submit ideas to help with Chicago's economic growth.

Everything from the Riverwalk to Millennium Park — or if one goes back in history, the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 — started with an ambitious idea. Now, World Business Chicago is banking on architects, artists, and visionaries to step up again for the love of Chicago.

Speaking to CBS News Chicago on Wednesday, World Business Chicago president and chief executive officer Phil Clement said the project is in a phase inspired by Daniel Burnham and the famous statement attributed to him: "Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably will not themselves be realized."

"We're looking for big, bold ideas," Clement said.

Clement said a couple of years ago, Mayor Brandon Johnson tasked him with developing an economic plan for the city. To that end, World Business Chicago convened about 300 business, civic, and other leaders to start talking about how to grow Chicago's economy.

But the project involved both short-term planning and long-term ambitions, and it turned out to be a tall order.

"We found it really hard to do that short-term economic planning and get those big, bold, ambitious ideas in the same conversation," said Clement. "So we split it. So we've completed the first phase, which is the plan, and now we're going back to, hey, let's find those ideas that can transform the city."

World Business Chicago is looking for more ideas that might start from something simple, like Millennium Park. The story is often told that idea for Millennium Park sprang from an occasion in the 1990s when Mayor Richard M. Daley visited his dentist on Michigan Avenue downtown, looked out the window at the eyesore of a railyard across the street, and decided something needed to be done to beautify it.

"It's just something that someone thought of one day. We always forget that, and it became a great discussion and then became implemented," Clement said. "And so we're looking for, what's that next new big idea?"

The big ideas that World Business Chicago has in mind include:

• New architectural icons or landmarks
• Transformative public spaces
• Transit and infrastructure projects
• Housing and neighborhood vitality efforts
• Environmental and climate resiliency efforts
• Cultural districts and economic generators
• Systems to improve safety, connectivity, and equity
• Street-level projects to enhance day-to-day life
• Proposals to challenge assumptions about the city's future

At the end of the contest, an exhibit showcasing the bold ideas will be mounted at the Chicago Cultural Center downtown. They will also be subject to a judging committee that includes members of Chicago's leadership team.

While World Business Chicago is appealing to artists, architects, and visionaries for bold plans, anyone can go on the World Business Chicago website and submit an idea.

"We're hoping that relative that always has the big idea that he's been talking about at the dining room table, encourage them to submit," Clement said. "We're looking for ideas that can transform the city, and they can come from anywhere."

Numerous intriguing ideas have already come in, Clement said.

"We have great ideas around mass transit, how to cover up different eyesores and create new space, you know, everything from how Chicagoans communicate with each other, flying cars come up on occasion," he said, "you know, you can imagine all the visions that are out there for this great city."

Clement said this comes at a time when Chicago's fortunes are improving, with the economy growing again, the safest summer since 1965 last year, and O'Hare International Airport reclaiming the title of the world's busiest.

"We're starting to see Chicago as the gem of a region that is super-attractive globally. When people are looking at how they're going to expand, why not expand into Chicago," Clement said. "If you're in another country thinking about U.S. markets, we're such an easy, safe, fast landing for companies."

The deadline for submissions for Horizon Lines is April 15.

A representative of the restaurant at 909 W. Belmont Ave. confirmed that Ann Sather will be moving from the location sometime in June or July, but a date has not been finalized. The restaurant is still working to pick a new location in the area, the restaurant representative said.

The restaurant representative did not know what would happen to the 909 W. Belmont Ave. building.

Next door to Ann Sather, a new mixed-use building is now under construction. The building, which will feature 46 luxury apartments, replaced a two-story brown brick building nearly architecturally identical to the one that houses Ann Sather.

The building that was torn down housed the American Vapor vape shop, Strings Ramen, BopNgrill Korean fast-food restaurant, The Gallery Bookstore, and Belmont Army Vintage, along with apartments above.

The original plans for the 919 W. Belmont Ave. building now under construction also called for the demolition of the building that houses Ann Sather. But the plan was scaled back, and the Belmont Avenue Ann Sather remains in business.

Ann Sather has been located on the south side of Belmont Avenue between the Chicago Transit Authority 'L' tracks and Clark Street since Ann Sather herself first took over an eatery on the block in 1945, but has moved several times. 

The restaurant moved to the current location at 909 W. Belmont Ave. in 2007. Most recently before that, it had been located at 929 W. Belmont Ave., the current home of Reckless Records and the Clarity Clinic.

Ann Sather also has locations at 3415 N. Broadway in East Lakeview, and 1147 W. Granville Ave. in Edgewater. Other locations have also come and gone over the years — including one each in Andersonville, on Southport Avenue in Lakeview, in Hyde Park, and in Wicker Park.

The iconic Chicago Swedish restaurant chain is owned by former Ald. Tom Tunney (44th). Sather sold the original restaurant to Tunney, then a 24-year-old graduate of the Cornell University School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, in 1981.

The Andersonville Ann Sather location, at 5207 N. Clark St., opened in 1987 and was originally owned and operated by Tunney's sister, Debbie. The Andersonville location closed in 2013.

Tunney's brother, Ed, opened a third Ann Sather location at 1329 E. 57th St. in the Hyde Park neighborhood in 1989, but that location closed five years later.

The restaurant chain is known for its cinnamon rolls, potato sausage and Swedish pancakes, among other specialties.

The western suburb of Chicago put a moratorium on new data center projects six months ago, and the moratorium expires on Tuesday.

But even with the moratorium lifting, data center developers eyeing Aurora could face some of the strictest regulations in the U.S. — depending on how a city council meeting Tuesday night goes.

Aurora city leaders said they spent months researching and writing proposed new rules they said would limit noise, water use, and other concerns.

But some people who live near the city's existing data centers feel Aurora's proposed restrictions won't go far enough.

Aurora is already home to four data centers, with more on the way. The restrictions up for a vote Tuesday night would go into effect almost immediately, but would only impact new projects.

Data center developers interested in building on Aurora land would need to conduct a sound study before construction. Their design would have to comply with certain vibration, energy use, and water consumption standards.

Requirements also include some sort of renewable energy generation, and compliance with biometric data privacy rules.

The mandates would stop after construction equipment powers down. Once any new data centers are open, operators would need to submit water use, energy consumption, and noise reports to the city.

Aurora director of sustainability Alison Lindburg explained how different the process has been up until this point.

"Basically, they're treated like a warehouse, which, as you can imagine, they have very different operational requirements in terms of energy and parking and all kinds of things," said Lindburg.

As Aurora looks to rein in data centers, Joliet is welcoming one with open arms. Last week, despite resident pushback, city council members in the southwest Chicago suburb gave the green light to the largest data center in the state.

Joliet officials estimate the project will create 7,000 to 10,000 construction jobs, and bring in $2 billion in tax revenue.

CBS News Chicago spoke to homeowners in Aurora, who talked about living with a constant hum thanks to existing data centers there. They said they wish more could be done, but Aurora leaders say their hands are tied with projects that are already established.

Aurora leaders said that is why they are voting Tuesday night on future data centers.

The commercial is for Mr. Pibb, a cherry-flavored soda made by The Coca-Cola Company. Mr. Pibb dates back to 1972, but was recently relaunched — and is known as being the runner up to Dr. Pepper.

The commercial plays on "Pipp" likewise having played second fiddle to Jordan.

"When something has been considered second-best for so long, we just blindly accept it as gospel. A decade-long plot built on marketing, social media and multi-part documentaries," Pippen says while seated in a white armchair next to a side table with a can and a glass full of Mr. Pibb, in a room full of houseplants and broad windows showcasing greenery outside.

"Yeah I said it," Pippen says in the commercial. "Pipp is the GOAT."

"It's 'Pibb,'" the voiceover announcer says.

"Don't correct me," Pippen says.

In the documentary "The Last Dance" about the Bulls' run to their sixth NBA championship, Pippen did not sit in a white armchair next to a side table with a drink on it, in a room full of houseplants and broad windows showcasing greenery outside. Jordan did.

Pippen was not happy about his portrayal in "The Last Dance," which centers the Bulls' last 1990s-era championship run, but tells the story around Jordan's career.

Pippen noted that Jordan did not win a championship until Pippen became his teammate. Jordan joined the Bulls as the third overall draft pick in 1984, while Pippen came on three years later. 

The Bulls made the playoffs in Jordan's first, second, and third seasons without Pippen, but lost in the first round each of those seasons. In the first three seasons with Jordan and Pippen both on the team, the Bulls lost the Eastern Conference semifinals or finals to the Detroit Pistons.

The Bulls won their first championship in 1991.

However, Pippen also never won the title without Jordan, who announced his retirement in 1993 and went on a 17-month hiatus during which he played minor league baseball. The 1994 Bulls — with Pippen, but no Jordan — fell short to the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs, while the 1995 Bulls — for which Jordan was back for only the last few months — lost the second round of the playoffs to the Orlando Magic.

Pippen also played with the Bulls during the 2003-2004 season, for which the Bulls did not make the playoffs.

Since midnight Wednesday night, workers have been at the picket lines. They said they are willing to stay out as long as it takes.

The lockout took effect at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, and affects more than 800 workers. Overnight, workers lined entrances to the refinery holding signs, honking horns, and settling in for around-the-clock picketing.

Union leaders say negotiations have stalled for months. They are accusing BP of rejecting their proposals on jobs, pay, and safety.

"A lot of people think that it's just about the money. That's not what it is," said BP worker Rob Wimberly. "You know, they want us to give up our bargaining rights, you know, just basically give up all of our rights as the union, that they can just make decisions and do whatever they want with the employees, and it's just not, it's not fair."

Union president Eric Schultz told CBS News Chicago that BP is demanding they cut 100 jobs and accept pay cuts to nearly all positions, something they won't accept. 

"We felt the entire time that the company had no desire, no intent on moving on the proposals. It kind of felt that this was going to be inevitable. We did everything we could to try to avoid it, but the company just wasn't willing to." Schultz said. "So we've been prepared for it. It's obviously still stressful for everybody — 800-plus families out in the streets without a job, it's a lot of stress on people."

"The company has really refused to move much at all on their massive proposals, refused to acknowledge our proposals," Schultz said.

BP said it has made a comprehensive offer, and plans to continue operating the refinery with trained staff, adding that it does not expect disruptions to production.

Union members said they are prepared to stay out on the picket lines 24/7 until there is movement at the bargaining table.

BP said it was not providing on-camera interviews, but did release a statement Thursday: "We value our employees and respect their right to assemble safely and lawfully. However, we disagree with any statements or signs indicating the lockout is illegal.  We do not expect impacts to our operations or production."

The company accused the union of not meaningfully negotiating company proposals that are critical to BP's long-term prospects. The refinery is now being operated by the other trained employees.

BP said the lockout would not end until the union accepts its proposal issued Tuesday of this week.

The Whiting refinery is BP's largest refinery in the world, producing 440,000 barrels a day. It is located less than 20 miles from downtown Chicago.

The companies flooded the state's Democratic primaries with millions of dollars to promote candidates they believed would have a light touch when it came to regulating technologies that have begun to upend how people do their jobs and manage their finances.

Using super PACs that are allowed to spend unlimited sums of money, they ran television advertising and distributed campaign fliers that only occasionally alluded to their industries. Instead, the messaging focused on promises to combat President Donald Trump's administration and support liberal policies, a strategy used by other organizations like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

But the coy strategy did not stop the AI and crypto industries' interventions from becoming a lightning rod in the rowdy primaries in Illinois, where there was a rare glut of open seats that led to competitive races.

The crypto-backed political action committee Fairshake spent more than $10 million against Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who ultimately won the Democratic nomination to succeed Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.

Fairshake and Protect Progress, which is also tied to the crypto industry, spent millions more to unsuccessfully support Stratton's main rivals, U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Robin Kelly, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.

In Illinois' U.S. House primaries, the tech-backed groups' campaign spending had mixed results.

State Rep. La Shawn Ford, who had supported state legislation regulating the AI and crypto industries, won the Democratic primary to succeed U.S. Rep. Danny Davis. Fairshake spent nearly $2.5 million opposing Ford's candidacy in a race that featured at least four other political groups spending against the progressive lawmaker or for his opponents.

Meanwhile, Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller prevailed in the Democratic primary to succeed Kelly after Fairshake spent more than $800,000 against state Sen. Robert Peters, another progressive who supported legislation to regulate the crypto industry.

That race also saw the AI-backed spending at loggerheads.

The AI-backed Think Big PAC invested more than $1 million to boost the candidacy of Jesse Jackson Jr., a former congressman who pleaded guilty in a fraud scandal in 2013. But Jobs and Democracy PAC, another AI-backed group, also mounted about $1 million in negative campaign spending against Jackson during the race.

Think Big is a subsidiary of Leading the Future, a political group that is funded by major Silicon Valley executives, including the venture capitalist Marc Andreessen. Andreessen opposes federal regulations for AI and has been a staunch backer of the Republican president's AI policies.

Jobs and Democracy PAC, by contrast, is funded by the AI company Anthropic, which favors some safety regulations on AI as the technology develops. Both PACs opposed progressive candidates who called for relatively heavy regulations on the technologies and higher taxes on wealthy Americans.

In a bright spot for the AI industry, former congresswoman Melissa Bean won the nomination to reclaim her old seat after a crowded and intense primary. Bean was supported by about $1 million in funding from AI-backed groups.

"She recognizes that the United States must work toward a national regulatory framework on AI that creates jobs, helps us stay ahead of China, and protects the safety of kids, users, and the community," said Josh Vlasto, a political strategist for Leading the Future, an umbrella organization for AI political groups. "Leading the Future was proud to support her campaign and looks forward to working with leaders who will prioritize innovation over doomerism."

The late-stage infusions of cash into the Illinois races totaled almost $20 million across races and served as a declaration of both industries' political ambitions, raising the stakes in primaries that were already hotly contested.

"Corporate money is being used to paint corporate-backed candidates as fearless progressives," said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a political group that works to elect anti-corporate progressives.

"The question for the Democratic Party is whether we elect people who actually believe in these positions or will we elect milquetoast candidates who give lip service to these values but don't back them in actual policy," Green said.

Campaign finance experts and rank-and-file voters alike are still struggling with what to make of the technology industry's political influence.

"They're so new to the game that public opinion isn't very well formed about them," said Brian Gaines, a political science professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. "You don't get a clear signal for who is the progressive and who is the moderate on AI and crypto policies."

"People are wary of the technology," Gaines said, "but they don't know what to think yet."

___

Maya Sweedler contributed to this report.

Lou's shared a fun video of Malnati family members — Gaby Malnati of the third generation in the family business; her dad, Rick; Rick's older brother, Marc; and their mother, Jean Malnati-Miller — toasting pints of beer to 55 years. But Gaby's dad is quick to point out that he was still changing her diapers about 55 seconds ago.

To celebrate Founder's Day, Lou's has offered a large deep-dish pizza or an extra-large thin-crust cheese pizza for $19.71. The offer was good on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.

To get the special price, visitors should use the code LOU1971 at checkout.

The price references the year Lou's opened — 1971.

In fact, it was March 17, 1971 — St. Patrick's Day, and 55 years ago to the day on Tuesday — that the aforementioned Jean Malnati-Miller and her husband, Lou Malnati himself, opened their first pizzeria in Lincolnwood.

"Lou always thought it was funny that an Italian should open a pizzeria in a Jewish neighborhood on an Irish holiday, but that was just Lou's style," Lou's says on the pizzeria website. "He wanted his restaurant to be a model of hospitality, a place dedicated to family."

The Chicago subreddit has been quick to note that Lou Malnati bore a resemblance to Wayne Knight of "Seinfeld" and "Jurassic Park" fame, and has suggested that Knight should play Malnati if a film about Lou Malnati's is ever made.

That opening day did not exactly go off without a hitch. Lou's notes that a car crashed through the walls of the main dining room at dinner hour.

"Looking back on it, Jean says this incident made for an 'exciting' opening day, but like with all things, the Malnatis bounced back," Lou's writes.

The Malnatis were successful in Lincolnwood, and opened another pizzeria in Elk Grove Village near O'Hare International Airport in November 1971. A road construction project interfered with business, but the Elk Grove Village location proved successful after the 14-month project concluded.

A third pizzeria opened in south suburban Flossmoor in 1977. This one did not work out and ended up closing.

Lou Malnati himself died of cancer in 1978. He was only 47. His son, Marc, joined mother Jean after graduating from college, and the debts from the unsuccessful Flossmoor restaurant were paid off.

Marc joined his mother and brother in 1981, and expansion took off again. A Wilmette location opened that same year, followed by a location in Northbrook in 1981, Schaumburg in 1985, Chicago's River North district in 1986, and Buffalo Grove in 1989. For the last of these, people lined up for hours to get in, Lou's said.

Lou's also established a presence at the Taste of Chicago and other festivals.

Today, Lou Malnati's has 61 locations in Illinois — 60 in the greater Chicago area and one more in Rockford — along with six locations in Arizona, five in Wisconsin, and six in Indiana.

The original Lou Malnati's, at 6649 Lincoln Ave. in Lincolnwood, is still one of those locations.

A 61st Chicago area location will open in the fall in west suburban St. Charles.

Lou's attributes its success to its commitment to quality, with mouthwatering choices of words for its pizza: "Each pizza is handmade from scratch with the finest ingredients—California vine-ripened tomatoes, our exclusive seasoned sausage, and mozzarella from the same small dairy we've partnered with for over 40 years. The family's secret flaky, buttery crust recipe has been passed down for generations, ensuring every bite is made with care."

That pizza can also be shipped anywhere in the country.

But despite the closures, veterans of the plant-based food business pushed back against prophecies of doom and, in one case, argued that, such closures notwithstanding, plant-based eating is only growing.

Kitchen 17 in Avondale was the first Chicago vegan establishment to close on Nov. 25, 2025. Native Foods in the Loop followed on Nov. 28, Chicago Raw in Streeterville on Nov. 30, and then The Chicago Diner announced the closure of its Logan Square location on Dec. 1.

That was four vegetarian or vegan restaurants closing in a mere eight days.

Since then, Bloom Plant Based Kitchen and Cinnaholic, both in Wicker Park, announced their closings. Meanwhile, Liberation Kitchen in West Town closed back in June after 12 years, and Lynn's Chicago Pizza in Woodlawn switched to catering only.

The trend was not limited to Chicago. Articles have documented waves of all-vegan restaurant closures in New York City, Los Angeles, and London, which have rattled customer bases and left some wondering what was going on.

Many analysts noted the restaurant industry as a whole has been struggling, particularly since the height of the COVID pandemic. Alice & Friends' Vegan Kitchen — which remains open in Edgewater and Oak Park — said costly ingredients and food made from scratch make for high costs and low profit margins, and vegan restaurants attract a niche audience.

Other analysts also pointed out that fewer people are seeking out eateries that offer strictly plant-based fare now that vegetarian or vegan options are on the menu at many mainstream restaurants. Others argued that vegan restaurants have stagnated, failing to market themselves on any selling point other than the fact that they were vegan, which made them lose their appeal, particularly given the prices.

"Recently went somewhere and it was basically a rice bowl, with some steamed veggies, a drizzle of soy-based sauce = $30," a Chicago Vegan subreddit user wrote. "The whole time I'm thinking, 'this is tasty, but I could make it at home.'"

Writing about the U.K., The Guardian said there seemed to be "two popular theories" about why vegan restaurants were closing: one being challenges in the restaurant business as a whole, the other concluding that consumers were turning away from veganism.

"Given the volume of chatter about the carnivore diet and the myriad myths concerning plant-based eating — that it is impossible to build muscle as a vegan, that plant milk is always bad for you, that kids should never be fed a vegan diet — the idea that people are forsaking veganism is understandable," Isabel Lewis wrote for The Guardian in September 2025.

Pioneers say the plant-based eating business has come a long way

Speaking to CBS News Chicago in February, Chicago restaurateurs and other local experts agreed with some of those points, not with the claim that plant-based eating is going out of style. Kay Stepkin, an icon in the Chicago vegan world, said just the opposite is the case.

For many years, Stepkin owned the natural foods store The Bread Shop, at 3400 N. Halsted St. in the heart of the Northalsted LGBTQ+ nightlife district. Its successor, the Beantix vintage shop, is far from new these days, but a visitor familiar with The Bread Shop might still recognize the hardwood floor and imagine the smell of wheat germ permeating the space rather than leather.

The Bread Shop was in business from 1971 until 1996. Stepkin noted that when she first opened, she had thought The Bread Shop was the first vegetarian business in Chicago, though she later learned there had been others dating back to the turn of the last century before the trend fell out of favor.

Stepkin also said that when The Bread Shop opened, many did not take her business seriously.

"Back in the 1970s, I actually had one newspaper article — I believe it was in the Sun-Times — about The Bread Shop that actually laughed at us. I don't remember exactly what she said, but she actually was making fun of what we were doing," she said. "You never see that today. You do not see that. And I think that even people who aren't vegan and aren't vegetarian, there's a certain respect for what we're doing that you did not see in the past."

Stepkin said around 20 years after The Bread Shop opened, there were 40 vegan restaurants in Chicago, and today there are 80.

David Lipschutz, a former employee of The Bread Shop, owns the lacto-ovo-vegetarian restaurant Blind Faith Café in Evanston, which he opened with two business partners in 1979. He said back when the Blind Faith opened, and for some time afterward, plant-based eaters had limited options.

"You know, 40 years ago if you were vegetarian, you could get a pasta primavera," he said. "That was your option at the restaurant."

Michael Hornick is president and partner at The Chicago Diner, which has been operating for 42 years at its original location on North Halsted Street. It was founded in 1983 by Hornick's aunt and uncle, Jo Kaucher and Mickey Hornick, who had both worked in the same space when Stepkin ran it as The Bread Shop Kitchen. Kaucher had also worked back at The Bread Shop across the street.

Michael Hornick said that when he started working at The Chicago Diner in 1991, omnivores were inclined to reject the very idea of eating at a plant-based restaurant.

"The challenge was that you could have four people dining out, three of them may be vegetarian, and it was the one person that wasn't that would veto it — 'Nope, can't go to Chicago Diner. There's nothing for me to eat there,' which always kind of made me laugh," he said. "At that time, I was already eating that way, and I was like, what do you mean there's nothing for you to eat? You can eat anything there. It's everybody else that you're dining with that's going to have a challenge somewhere else."

Today, Hornick said, The Chicago Diner appeals broadly to omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans alike.

"When I was cooking, you know, back in the '90s, I could easily say that 20% were omnivorous," he said, "and nowadays, I could easily say that 20% are probably vegan. You know, 40% are probably vegetarian, but we see a much bigger group that just comes in for great food."

More than meets the eye in closures

But if that's the case, why did The Chicago Diner have to close one of its locations? Hornick attributed it to changes in the restaurant industry and problems related to the location, as sidewalks along Milwaukee Avenue have been ripped up and parking has become difficult to find.

"Logan Square was a fantastic place. We met a lot of fantastic people. We have amazing people who have worked with us for, I mean, some people for well longer than that restaurant existed. We brought as many people as we could, but obviously, one restaurant needs fewer people," he said. "And it was hard. It was really, really hard, I mean, to go ahead and have to see something that did thrive as well as it did before the pandemic, to just never recover like that."

But Hornick did agree that focusing only on being a vegan restaurant is not a recipe for success, particularly if it comes across as preachy. He emphasized being inclusive toward all diners, rather than invoking moral authority at the table.

"If I go ahead and keep on slamming — 'We're vegan! We're vegan! We're vegan! You're not! You're wrong!' — who wants to dine like that, right? You know? I mean, we're coming in here to have a good time with our friends. We're coming in here to have a good time with our family. We're having a good time to escape all the nonsense outside of these four walls," he said. "So, yeah, why are we bombarded with what we're doing isn't right, as a guest? So my thought process was, we serve great food. We have great service. We're here for everyone."

Hornick said the restaurant does emphasize that its food is plant-based and is proud to do so, but that doesn't mean being confrontational.

"We don't preach at the tables," he said. "It's a safe space for everyone."

Meanwhile, Lipschultz said that if his restaurant had been a strictly vegan restaurant that primarily identified as such, it would not still be around after 47 years in business. He said the Blind Faith Café has succeeded with its ability to find a specific niche — not only as a vegetarian restaurant that serves dishes with eggs and dairy products, but features a menu that is about 50% vegan — but also as a "polished casual concept" featuring a menu with something for everyone.

"We don't have to be Middle Eastern or Thai or Latin or anything," he said. "We can offer it all, which I do. We have a very eclectic menu. It's all over the world."

Hornick also emphasized the value of broad appeal.

"We're not trying to be a Thai place. We're not trying to be an Indian restaurant. We're not trying to be purely Mexican or Venezuelan or French," he said. "It's something that's really kind of fun as a diner, because that is part of the conversation, and with so many different cultures and people from around the world, living in Chicago and visiting, we get to go ahead and do things that would appease them."

Lipschutz also pointed out that plant-based restaurants don't typically have the luxury of having large-scale funds like Chicago's biggest restaurant groups, and are dependent on the passion of both the owners and the customers. For this reason, he said, it might sting a little bit more — and capture headlines a little bit more easily — when a beloved plant-based restaurant goes out of business.

"When you find that place that your favorite food is, your favorite servers are at, and you feel safe eating there, it changes something," Hornick said. "And when they tell you that they're going to close in there, and it's as if you went ahead and found out that your grandma's not going to cook a holiday meal anymore."

Stepkin went further to say the closure of a few vegan restaurants might not be strictly bad news in the big picture, as more competition means a higher bar for quality and success.

"I think that our movement is really exploding. It's getting stronger and stronger, and back 40 years ago, 50 years ago, if you opened a vegetarian restaurant, it would most likely succeed, because all the vegetarians from all over the city would come to it," she said. "Nowadays, not only because we have gone from one to 80 vegan restaurants, vegetarian restaurants rather in Chicago, you'd better be good to succeed."

A strong tie to culture for some plant-based restaurants

While The Chicago Diner and Blind Faith feature eclectic menus not tied to one specific culture, some of the longest-standing vegan and vegetarian restaurants are deeply rooted in culture.

Annapurna Simply Vegetarian, 2600 W. Devon Ave., has brought South Indian cuisine to Little India since 1982. The restaurant's goal, according to its website, was not only to "deliver exceptional food but also popularize vegetarian cuisine."

Meanwhile, Soul Veg City, 203 E. 75th St., is a staple in Chatham known for its vegan soul food. It is also one of the oldest Black-owned vegan soul food restaurants in the entire country.

In 2022, co-owner Lori Seay told CBS News Chicago's Audrina Sinclair that Soul Veg City was created to "have a place to feed and provide the community with healthy food… to help with some of the diseases — diabetes, high blood pressure, hypertension — just plaguing us over the years."

In 2024, Soul Veg City even expanded, opening Vegan Now 2 Go at 1536 E. 75th St. in South Shore, just under two miles east of the original Soul Veg City location. As the name implies, Vegan Now 2 Go is mostly carryout. 

Both Annapurna and Soul Veg City direct their focus on their food being fresh and healthy, rather than just emphasizing their vegan options. Indian, Ethiopian, Thai, and Lebanese are just some of the cultural cuisines that serve many vegetarian dishes, or diets that traditionally center on vegetables.

A 2016 Pew Research Center study found that as of that time, Black Americans were the fastest-growing group of vegans and vegetarians in the country. The survey, which is now a decade old, found that 8% of Black Americans identified as strict vegan or vegetarian, as compared to 3% of Americans overall.

Researchers at the University of South Florida investigated the lived experiences of Black vegans. The 2022 study found that Black Veganism is more than just a subset of mainstream veganism, but also a "new social movement" rooted in Black culture, history, strengthening community and reconnection with African heritage. 

Meanwhile, a 2024 UIC study found that Black women were more than twice as likely as white men to consider "animal rights, anti-racism and environmental protection" as reasons to embrace veganism. The author noted that these findings could be helpful for vegan organizations and support the argument against the perception that veganism is for white, affluent women.

A 2023 Gallup poll found that low-income adults were actually twice as likely to follow a vegetarian diet. 

The road ahead for vegan restaurants and plant-based eating

On the prospects for an entrepreneur looking to open a new vegan restaurant, Lipschutz was less than sanguine.

"I would have said a year or two ago that I was more hopeful," he said.

Lipschutz said a large part of the issue has to do with the marketplace for restaurants as a whole, which has been battered by the pandemic and inflation. Plant-based restaurants, given their niche market, face additional hurdles.

"I think, honestly, that places that are vegetarian or are vegan, they're going to be niche concepts in very specific markets where there's enough interest and desire and resources to support them," Lipschutz said. "I think any restaurant opening today has got a lot of challenges, they really do, you know? They're opening into a headwind. But I think location is probably the key. It has to be someplace where people will respect and put their money on the table for it. And so I think it can't just be any concept anywhere."

Hornick said a plant-based restaurant won't work without passion and a tough work ethic to go with it. He also said a restaurant owner needs to be realistic about financial realities — something that fans of The Chicago Diner don't always understand.

"I mean, and this is a big thing that a lot of people are always asking, 'Why don't you expand? Why don't you come to Milwaukee? Why don't you come to St. Louis? You do awesome in L.A. Dallas needs somewhere like you. Nashville is needing a place that's completely vegan. Nobody has a diner doing what you're doing,'" he said. "And it's financial backing. It gets really tough."

But Stepkin encouraged thinking outside the box when it comes to measuring the success of the plant-based eating movement, rather than limiting it to restaurants. One effort she pointed out was the Taste of Vegan meetup, organized by Jeff and Pam Olichwier. The group seeks out events at restaurants that will provide vegan and raw options for them, and encourages mainstream restaurants that serve animal products to incorporate plant-based items onto their menus.

Stepkin said the effort is working.

"That's one of the reasons why you find so many vegan and vegetarian options in meat restaurants," she said, "and so I think that's also helping growth."

One issue right now, Stepkin said, is a gender imbalance in the plant-based eating movement, with more than half of the people attending vegan events usually being women. But she said there were some reasons why the movement has taken off with women more easily than men.

"Our movement definitely has more women than men, and I just always wondered about that. Why is that? Why is that? My mind would just go back to it every once in a while. And one day, out of the blue, it occurred to me — it's because we have been in charge of the food for the past 200,000 years," she said. "So I believe that our instincts are just tuned in to the value of food, and so we have to bring more men along to it."

Stepkin also had some specific ideas for how someone opening a new plant-based restaurant could take health-conscious eating to the next level.

"One thing that none of them are doing yet — so I would suggest this for any new restaurant — is having all...whole-grain options. So even going into a vegetarian or vegan restaurant today, you're going to find that every one of them has white pasta. Some of them, a couple of them — two that I know of — serve brown rice as well as white rice. The others, as far as I know, have all white rice," she said. "So to me, that would be a very good thing is to focus on whole foods."

Stepkin said it was the emergence of Whole Foods — the grocery store — that made her decide to close The Bread Shop in the 1990s. But while businesses may come and go, Stepkin said the cultural shift toward plant-based eating isn't slowing down.

"Just the fact that a standard restaurant would work with the Taste of Vegan people, and agree to have some vegan foods, is a cultural shift, and that some of them keep vegan items on their menu after that is a cultural shift, and that meat eaters go into these restaurants and see a V for vegan or vegetarian — it just opens them up," she said. "It's like things are changing all around us."

The two breweries announced the merger in posts on their social media accounts.

"We combine as individually strong, complementary businesses that share similar visions for the future of our industry and city. Together, we'll shape a new era of collaboration and creativity, rooted in the individuality of two of Chicago's most prominent brands. We unite with deep appreciation for our teams, partners, communities, and customers," they wrote.

The merger is expected to close "in the coming weeks."

Half Acre – which makes beers like Daisy Cutter and Green Torch – started in 2007 in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, before opening a retail shop and taproom on Lincoln Avenue in the North Center neighborhood in Chicago in 2008. In 2013, they opened a larger brewery, pub, beer garden, and retail store in Lincoln Square at 2050 W Balmoral Ave, and later closed the Lincoln Avenue taproom in 2021.

Maplewood, which makes beers like Son of Juice and Pulaski Pils – first began brewing beer in Logan Square in 2014, and has since added a taproom and cocktail bar, and expanded to Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Kansas.

Maplewood also makes non-alcoholic seltzer waters, THC-infused seltzers, canned cocktails, whiskey, bourbon, gin, rum, and other liquers.

CSL will expand its current footprint in Illinois with the new manufacturing facility, which will increase production capacity for the company's top immunoglobulin therapies — Privigen and Hizentra, Pritzker's office said.

"This represents one of the largest single life sciences investments in Illinois history," Pritzker said.

The expansion will create at least 300 new full-time jobs, while retaining more than 1,200 existing positions at CSL in Kankakee County, Pritzker said.

"For the first time, CSL's full manufacturing process, from plasma collection through filling and packing, will be entirely in the United States, with Illinois set to supply 100% of their demand for immunoglobulin therapies," Pritzker said.

The Kankakee expansion, set to go online by in 2031, will support CSL's Horizon 2 manufacturing process — a patented technology to enable a significantly greater quantity of immunoglobulin from a base amount of plasma.

CSL chief commercial officer Andy Schmeltz emphasized at a news conference with Pritzker on Monday that many patients rely on immunoglobulin for lifelong care. He also explained the complex manufacturing processes involved in developing plasma-derived therapies, which the new facility will take on.

"Plasma drive therapies are uniquely complex and considerably more costly to produce than traditional medicines," Schmeltz said. "Plasma can't be synthesized. It must be donated by generous individuals, and carefully tested, transported, and processed."

Plasma-derived therapies treat serious and rare diseases by harnessing proteins found in human blood plasma, CSL explained. The plasma is the component of the blood that contains proteins essential to critical bodily functions such as fighting infection and helping blood clot, CSL explained.

Pritzker's office said Illinois has a "thriving life" sciences ecosystem, with more than 15,000 life sciences firms in operation statewide. These include biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and advanced manufacturing firms.

"As part of our continued journey to integrate Discover with Capital One, we announced the difficult decision to eliminate some Discover associate roles across the organization," a Capital One spokesperson said in a statement.

The Virginia-based company said the layoffs include 532 people who work at the Riverwoods facility, 69 Illinois residents who work remotely, and 538 remote workers from outside Illinois who report to the Riverwoods office.

"Our focus right now is on fully supporting our colleagues impacted by this change. We provided at least 60 days of notice to impacted employees and we are providing comprehensive career transition support, including enhanced severance, benefits, and outplacement resources," a spokesperson said.

It's the second wave of layoffs since Capital One's $50 billion acquisition of Discover last year. Last year, nearly 600 workers were laid off.

In 2024, Capital One announced it was acquiring Discover for $35 million, and the purchase was completed last May.

Plans for a new residential high-rise on the site were announced in December. Specific details were revealed last week.

The office of Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th) said the proposed 24-story building at 2800 N. Sheridan Rd., at the northwest corner of the intersection with Diversey Parkway, would house 303 residential units. It would also include about 10,500 square feet of retail space, 150 parking spaces, and 414 bike parking spaces, according to Lawson's office.

A total of 60 units, or 20%, would be designated as affordable housing.

The building would measure 281 feet. As described by Urbanize Chicago, the building would feature three staggered volumes of residential space rising into the air, and beneath them, a masonry "podium" featuring ground-level retail.

The project would also build over a parking lot on Sheridan Road that used to serve the medical building, but is now out of use and closed off.

The new building would be made of bird-friendly glass, according to Lawson's office.

Architectural firm Antunovich Associates, developer Continuum Capital, and Chicago Development Partners are seeking a zoning change so the project can go ahead, according to Lawson's office.

The building now standing at 2800 N. Sheridan Rd. has been home for many years to the Ida and Norman H. Stone Medical Center, housing doctors' offices and other medical facilities. Many of the offices have been associated with nearby Ascension St. Joseph Hospital.

The building is fronted by an atrium that greets those headed to doctor's appointments with lush greenery and curving ramps as they head to the elevator.

Many medical offices that were housed in the building have since relocated to the nine-story Ascencion St. Joseph outpatient building at 2845 N. Sheridan Rd. about a block away. Some offices remain open and active in the Stone Medical Center building, but a spokesperson for developers said it is expected to be vacated by the end of the month.

As recounted by the blog Connecting the Windy City, what became the Stone Medical Center building opened in 1951 as the headquarters for the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America.

The Amalgamated Meat Cutters merged with the Retail Clerks International Union to form the United Food and Commercial Workers in 1979. Chicago Public Art reported that the union headquarters moved to Washington, D.C., that year, and the building was sold to St. Joseph Hospital.

The building in turn stands on the onetime location of a mansion that reports said dated back to the late 19th century. It had been home to banker and real estate operator Rudolph Schloesser, and was later a restaurant called Maisonette Russe—featuring Russian food specialties by former Russian White Army Col. Vladimir Yaschenko, according to a 1931 Chicago dining booklet.

The mansion was last used as the Chicago campaign headquarters for presidential candidate Charles H. Dewey before being cleared to make way for the Amalgamated Meat Cutters/Stone Medical Center building, according to the Connecting the Windy City blog.

By the time it was torn down for the Amalgamated Meat Cutters/Stone Medical Center building, the old mansion was described in published reports as "ramshackle," according to Connecting the Windy City.

Developers bought the Stone Medical Center building from Ascension Health for $17.25 million late last year, according to CoStar.

The Stone Medical Center building is also home to a pair of sculptures called the Brotherhood Monument, which date back to the meat cutters' union days. Sculptor Egon Weiner created two identical bronze statues for the building — one facing Diversey Parkway, the other Sheridan Road.

The Brotherhood Monument sculptures each depict four kneeling figures, two men and two women, in a circle with their hands on each other's shoulders. The figures represent the peoples of Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America, the Chicago Public Art guide reported.

Developers said the Brotherhood Monument will be saved.

"While our design is still being finalized, the sculptures will be preserved and remain accessible to the public," said a spokesperson for Continuum Development.

When asked if developers planned to include the Brotherhood Monument sculptures in the design of the new building or move them elsewhere, the spokesperson said the location is still being determined.

The Aurora Planning and Zoning Commission is seeking more feedback after its meeting last month on proposed data center zoning ordinances. Another meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, at which the public may weigh in further.

The backbone of the digital world, data centers house servers and storage, and they're crucial for rapidly developing artificial intelligence. They're also a major drain on resources. 

Sarah Moskowitz, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board,  told CBS News Chicago in December that data centers are also contributing to rising utility bills.

Of course, the centers aren't going anywhere, but Moskowitz said the way they are regulated, overseen, and billed for energy use are just some examples of issues that need to be addressed sooner rather than later.

Aurora already has four data centers, with several more in the works. One developer, CyrusOne, began construction its second Aurora data center a year ago.

Officials already have confirmed the existing data centers in Aurora have contributed to rising utility costs.

Because of the interest in Aurora, the city set a 180-day pause on any new data center developments. The pause expires Tuesday, March 24.

New regulations for data centers include updates on zoning standards, and a requirement that developers submit a sound study, water consumption report, and energy usage report.

The bookstore was to hold a grand opening at 10 a.m. at its new location in the Westfield Old Orchard shopping center. Author Hayley Gelfuso will cut the ribbon and sign copies of her novel, "The Book of Lost Hours."

The new two-story Barnes & Noble is located in a space formerly occupied by Zara, near Loft and the Cheesecake Factory. It will measure nearly 23,000 square feet.

The store's previous location was just around the corner. It closed last month as part of renovations to the shopping center.

Barnes & Noble has had a location at Westfield Old Orchard since October 1994.

Barnes & Noble said the Skokie location is one of four to open in Illinois this year. A location is also opening next month in the Hyde Park neighborhood, specifically in the Hyde Park Shopping Center at 1524 E. 55th St. It will measure 18,000 square feet and include a café, according to the Hyde Park Herald.

The shopping center was formerly home to the Hyde Park Co-Op Market, which dissolved in 2008, and then Treasure Island Foods, the local grocery chain that went completely out of business in 2018.

Trader Joe's and Vicinity Credit Union now occupy parts of the space.

Hyde Park is known for its independent bookstores, including partner stores Seminary Co-op and 57th Street Books, Powell's Books, and Call & Response Books. Another famous Hyde Park bookstore — O'Gara and Wilson Ltd., cited in published reports as Chicago's oldest bookstore — closed in 2013 and moved to Chesterton, Indiana.

The local shopping initiative CIRCULATE has come out against the Hyde Park Barnes & Noble, and held a "love bomb" event at Call & Response Books this past weekend to protest Barnes & Noble and its "private equity comeback."

Also in Hyde Park, Barnes & Noble also operated the University of Chicago bookstore for 29 years, until the university switched vendors to Follett Higher Education in 2024.

Barnes & Noble stores are also planned for Oak Park, and the former Old Navy space at 150 N. State St., which at one time also housed a Borders Bookstore, according to published reports.

In a news release published Wednesday on GlobeNewswire, Tryst Hospitality announced plans for a new hotel at 3350-3352 N. Halsted St. The site is currently occupied by the former D.S. Tequila, which closed in November 2023 after 14 years in business.

Tryst Hospitality, which has owned the property since 2024, plans to open a five-story, 21-room boutique hotel with a new restaurant and nightclub and an enclosed rooftop with a pool and bar.

Tryst said the boutique gay luxury hotel is "designed to feel intimate, design-forward, and deeply connected to the community." Tryst already operates a hotel in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and recently also opened a beachfront hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Tryst Hotels are also planned for Fire Island in New York State; Provincetown, Massachusetts; Wilton Manors, Florida; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The news release did not specify a projected opening date for the Chicago Tryst Hotel. The release said Tryst Hospitality has submitted plans to the City of Chicago and has launched community meetings — including a publicly hosted Zoom meeting with Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th) and interested neighbors.

"Northalsted is one of the most dynamic queer villages in the world, and it deserves a luxury gay hotel that matches its energy," Tristan Schukraft, founder and chief executive officer of Tryst Hospitality, said in a news release. "We want to give people a reason to stay in the neighborhood, not just pass through it, creating a space that belongs to locals, welcomes travelers, and becomes a new hub for gay culture and nightlife."

Renderings from Tryst Hospitality show the new hotel building nestled between the Roscoe's Tavern building to the north and the newer building that houses Rollapalooza and Elevate Coffee to the south. Both buildings also house residences on their upper floors.

The former D.S. Tequila building also houses apartments on the upper two floors, and features an intricate graystone façade. Based on renderings provided by Tryst Hospitality, the hotel development would involve the demolition of the existing building — as well as a single-story addition with a sloped retractable roof to its north, which was also used by D.S. Tequila.

D.S. Tequila, a popular Tex-Mex restaurant and bar, opened in 2010. It was a project from the owners of Minibar, formerly located across the street, and featured its own brand of tequila.

The Tryst Hotel is one of two hotel developments planned for the Northalsted District, previously popularly known as Boystown. The other project is much farther ahead.

In March of last year, the Chicago City Council approved a project now named the Backbeat Hotel, a 50-room independent boutique hotel to be constructed at 3255 N. Halsted St. and to open in 2028. The name of the hotel honors Chicago's house music legacy.

The Backbeat Hotel will feature a rooftop pool and deck with skyline views, a full-service restaurant, and a luxury lounge, "all designed to flow seamlessly from day into night," according to the development website.

The hotel will be constructed at the southeast corner of Halsted Street and Aldine Avenue on the site building that used to house Yoshi's Café, which has sat vacant since the restaurant closed in December 2021 after nearly 40 years in business.

Demolition of the old Yoshi's building is set to begin this summer, with 18 months of construction to follow, the Windy City Times reported this month.

The developer for the Backbeat Hotel is Allan O'Brien, owner of Men's Room Chicago, a popular fashion store a few hundred feet away on Halsted Street.

But after the Double Door closed, and a little over two years later as a sad viral video showed a crane taking down the neon Double Door Liquors sign — which dated back decades before the rock club opened in 1994 — there was reassurance that the Double Door would return, at a new location in the city's Uptown neighborhood.

Now that is not happening anymore.

On Facebook this past Monday, co-owner Sean Mulroney wrote that the plan to reopen the Double Door at the former Wilson Avenue Theater, at 1050 W. Wilson Ave., is not moving forward.

Mulroney emphasized that this does not mean the spirit of the Double Door is gone for good.

"Staying true to what made Double Door Double Door matters. This isn't an ending — it's a pivot. We're actively exploring other locations and opportunities that better align with our vision. And we think we have found one!" he wrote. "This is all in an effort to keep the heart and soul of music and the Double Door moving forward."

For now, pop-ups and collaborations are in the works. The first step, Mulroney wrote, is a collaboration with Gallery Cabaret, at 2020 N. Oakley Ave. in the Bucktown neighborhood, about seven blocks from the old Double Door location.

"For almost 40 years, Gallery Cabaret has been a haven for artists and musicians looking to showcase their craft in an eclectic neighborhood setting," wrote Mulroney. "We are updating the sound, the music calendar, and the overall vibe that made Double Door the best place to see music, but more importantly, to be part of what makes Chicago's scene the best in the country."

The Gallery Cabaret partnership begins at 5 p.m. Sunday.

The Double Door closed its doors at its legendary space at 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave. in February 2017. A court-ordered eviction was carried out at the venue after a lengthy dispute with the building landlord.

The Double Door building was sold the following year. A Yeti cooler and outdoor gear opened in the space, but itself closed last year.

In December 2018, plans were announced for the Double Door to reopen in the former Wilson Avenue Theater space.

In February 2024, CBS News Chicago's Noel Brennan visited as Mulroney and his owner and business partner and Pete Bruce worked to renovate the Wilson Avenue building, which opened as a vaudeville burlesque theater in 1909 and was converted into a bank in 1919. The building remained a bank all the way up until 2011.

At the time, the Double Door was aiming for a late 2024 or early 2025 reopening.

As noted by the office of Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th), Kiferbaum Development Group, Gold Lion Ventures, and Jonathan Splitt Architects have proposed a zoning change for the construction of the new building at 1040 W. Belmont Ave.

The five-story building would include 20% affordable housing, or six units, as required by ordinance, Lawson's office said in a ward newsletter last week.

The proposal would also include a ground-floor retail space, which would be split into two spaces, according to Lawson's office.

The Giordano's location that currently occupies the site is one of 15 within the city of Chicago alone, but the only one in the Lakeview community. The development proposal did not address the future of Giordano's in the community.

Ald. Bennett's office is collecting feedback on the development proposed for the Giordano's site. The office can be reached at 773-525-6034 or at Ward44@CityofChicago.org.

Several other new residential developments have also been proposed for the area, with some already under construction.

Plans were announced last year for a new mixed-use development with 40 residential units on the upper floors on the site of Stage 773, formerly the Theatre Building, at 1225 W. Belmont Ave. The former stage theater space is slated to be torn down.

Farther east, construction is now under way for a new mixed-use building at 925 W. Belmont Ave. This building is set to feature 46 luxury units.

The new development will replace a two-story building that housed the American Vapor vape shop, Strings Ramen, BopNgrill Korean fast food restaurant, The Gallery Bookstore, and Belmont Army Vintage, along with apartments above. The building was torn down last year.

Originally, plans for the development called for a larger building that also would have required the demolition of the Ann Sather flagship restaurant at 909 W. Belmont Ave. But plans were later scaled back, and the Belmont Avenue Ann Sather remains in business.

Other developments in the area that have drawn controversy over the past year include a plan to redevelop the former Briar Street Theatre, which was vacated by "Blue Man Group" a year ago after nearly three decades. Plans for the site call for a mixed-use development with housing units in a new addition on top, joined by a new building on the footprint of the parking lot.

Meanwhile, some neighbors cried foul over the demolition of three historic buildings on Sheffield Avenue across from Wrigley Field for a new development. 

In March of last year, the building at 3631 N. Sheffield Ave., once famous for the billboard on its roof advertising Torco Oil to Cubs fans in the ballpark across the street, was the first to be demolished. 

Last summer, crews also tore down the former Lakeview Baseball Club next door at 3633 N. Sheffield Ave. The rooftop baseball club was once famous for its sign reading "Eamus Catuli" — a phrase that translates to, "Let's go Cubs," in Latin — and another sign tracking the years since the last Cubs World Series victory, National League championship, and National League Central Division title. 

A third building, at 3627 N. Sheffield Ave., is also now being torn down. This building most recently housed the Outfield Gallery, a sister club to the Lakeview Baseball Club. The seats at the two clubs had been growing emptier and emptier since a massive video board went up over right field at Wrigley in 2015. 

Poised to replace the three buildings is a proposed new building designed by DXU Architects, which will stand five stories tall and contain 29 residential units. The new building is set to feature pickleball courts on its rooftop deck, reports noted.