Logan Square toy store thrives despite retail headwinds
By Katherine Hyunjung Lee In a gentrifying neighborhood increasingly attractive to families and children, boutique toy store Play is thriving in an otherwise struggling toy retail industry. The store, owned by toy business consultant Ann Kienzle, has been growing its reputation as a specialty store since first opening on West Logan Boulevard seven years ago. […]
Intrepid pioneer sparks dog-grooming revolution in Pilsen
By Yemeng Yang As the first pet grooming store in the Pilsen neighborhood, Heart of Chicago Grooming takes responsibility to get residents used not only to the price but also the philosophy of pet grooming.
A way back home: Art as recovery for rape victims in Chicago
by Ritu Prasad At first, the photographs seem unremarkable—a pair of well-worn shoes, a flannel shirt, gray sweatpants. Floating on a black background, hung on a clean white wall, these 12 photographs show what 12 rape victims wore at the time of their assault. The series, titled “Well, What Were You Wearing?” by Katherine Cambareri, […]
Taking the Plunge to Support Special Olympics
By Katie Watkins Thousands of Chicagoans jumped into Lake Michigan on Sunday morning for the 17th annual Polar Plunge, bearing the almost-freezing water to raise money for Special Olympics Chicago. The Polar Plunge kicked off at North Avenue beach about 10 a.m. with a small ceremony. Bagpipers from the Shannon Rovers Irish Pipe Band marched […]
Customers go to Pete’s Barber Shop for the haircut, but stay for the atmosphere
By Shen Lu Goofy, silly, friendly. This is how Chicago barber Pete Huels, 40, describes his shop. Pete’s Barber Shop, located in Avondale, offers traditional, low-maintainance men’s haircuts and shaves but with a hipster twist. It has been a staple neighborhood hangout for men since 2011, when Huels opened the place.
Chicago startup Rippleshot helps banks combat fraud
By Wenjing Yang Card transactions have gained, if not surpassed cash, in the 21st century economy. While card use can afford consumers great convenience, the risk of fraud is ever-increasing, bringing headaches to banks and merchants. Rippleshot, a Chicago-based financial technology startup, uses algorithm-based analytics to help reduce these risks with earlier predictions of where […]
14 Food Photos That Show What Diversity Tastes Like
by Ritu Prasad Lakeview restaurant Southport and Irving (SIP) kicked off the first dinner in their Unity and Diversity series on February 23. Inspired by the melting pot of America itself, owner Vivek Sehgal hopes to bring people together over the things we love, universally: our mother’s cooking, our grandmother’s recipes, our family’s traditions. The […]
Smartphones are revolutionizing diagnostics and disease management
By Teresa Manring The cell phone in your pocket may soon help you diagnose and monitor diseases. As mobile phones become more advanced and ubiquitous, researchers are exploring technologies embedded within them to screen for, diagnose and manage health issues between office visits, said researchers at the American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in […]
Opportunities open up for women truckers, but their numbers remain small
By Shen Lu If you ask Cania Eubanks, 32, what it’s like to be one of the few female truck drivers on the road, she doesn’t mince words: “It is a dirty man’s job.” But Eubanks, who lives on Chicago’s South Side when she’s not driving, has adapted. “I’ve found my own world in it. It’s […]
Northwestern football springs into 2017 season
By Katy Winge The Northwestern Football team felt a warm welcome to the 2017 season. The first spring practice was held outdoors in the 60 degree temperatures on February 21. [vimeo 205249063]
