- Credibility:
ROGERS PARK — The Far North Side’s small business community is starting to reopen — cautiously and with new safety procedures — after being closed for months due to the coronavirus.
Chicago entered Phase 3 of its reopening plan on Wednesday, which allowed non-essential retail and restaurants with outdoor seating to open to the public. That means a number of businesses are opening to customers for the first time since mid-March.
One such business opening for the first time in 8 weeks is Third Coast Comics at 6443 N. Sheridan Rd. in Rogers Park. Terry Gant, owner of the comic book store, is glad to be open, as long as it doesn’t contribute to the pandemic.
“As long as we have a flat curve, I’m fine with reopening,” Gant said. “Public health is more important than my selling funny books.”
Third Coast Comics was able to do mail orders and curbside pickup while the store was closed to the public, Gant said. Still, the business lost money during the closure, he said.
Now, Third Coast will have a two-person or one-family maximum capacity in the 250-square-foot shop. After being open for one day, Gant said traffic into the store has been steady, and some customers still prefer to mail order or pickup.
“People are still doing social distancing while also wanting to support their local businesses, but couldn’t earlier,” he said.
Neighborhood stores might look different for the time being, but here is a list of shops that are reopening. (This list will be updated as new openings are announced. The list does not include restaurants and essential retailers that have been open during the pandemic.)
Rogers Park
- Third Coast Comics
- Athena Board Game Cafe
- Hairz R Us
- Curls & Company
- Finally Here Salon
- Handsome Bastard Barber Shop
- ChiTown Magpie
- R Public House (patio open)
Uptown
- Afrikiko Hair and Fashion Boutique
- Alchemia Art of Hair
- All Strength Training
- Bodi Shak
- City Grange
- First Sip Cafe
- Foursided
- Gold Cuts
- Human Citizen Workplace
- Kenny Mac’s Barbershop
- Provisions Uptown
- Qideas
- Rocket Tattoo
- Royal Flesh Tattoo and Piercing
- Salon M on Argyle
- Spoil Me Hair Salon & Spa
- The Public Barber
- Uptown Ave Hardware
- Everybody’s Coffee (sidewalk cafe opening soon)
- Fat Cat (sidewalk cafe)
- Fiesta Mexicana (sidewalk cafe opening soon)
- Immm Rice & Beyond (sidewalk cafe)
- Kal’ish (sidewalk cafe opening soon)
- Klein’s Bakery and Cafe (sidewalk cafe)
- Michaels Original Pizzeria and Tavern (sidewalk cafe)
- Pho Xe Lua (sidewalk cafe)
- Sam & Gertie’s (sidewalk cafe opening soon)
- The Bar On Buena (sidewalk cafe)
- The Reservoir (sidewalk cafe)
- Tweet Let’s Eat (sidewalk cafe)
Edgewater
- Moody’s Pub (patio seating)
- Edge of Sweetness
- Patio Beef
- Uncommon Ground (beer garden)
- Rewired Cafe (sidewalk cafe)
- Mama K’s Cafe
- Burke’s Public House (patio seating)
- Pasteur
- Little Vietnam
- Herb Thai
Andersonville
- Candyality
- Kanela Breakfast Club (sidewalk cafe)
- Hopleaf (sidewalk cafe opening soon)
- George’s Ice Cream and Sweets
- Scout
- Brownstone Antiques
- Mercantile M
- Rober Jeffrey Andersonville
- Shy Hair Studio
- Andersonville Cryotherapy (opening Saturday)
- Sir SPA
- Cheetah Gym
- Foursided
- Cassona Home Furnishings
- Chicatolia (opens Friday)
- Chicago Dance Supply
- Honore Storage
- SkinQ Chicago
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