Openings & Closings

The restaurant sells homemade empanadas and other Puerto Rican specialties along with Dark Matter coffee and a range of Caribbean rums.

The store closed in early 2020 under previous ownership. Yellow Banana, which owns and operates several Save A Lot stores, broke ground on a "complete transformation" of the building last week, owners said.

Five Squared Pizza, which moved its operations from East Garfield Park, sells pies by the slice ranging from classic pepperoni to tie-dye.

The new owners kept some of Boiler Room's original details, but the reimagined restaurant has a different signature pizza and StopAlong staples, arcade games and colorful decor.

The new Black-owned restaurant will be a "marriage" of regional Southern dishes from Mississippi and Tennessee, the co-owners said.

Paper & Pencil is owned by Andersonville couple Eric Campbell and Tyler McCall. The shop sells writing utensils, stationery and more from women-owned and LGBTQ+ brands.

The founders of Goals Not Dreams, a new powerlifting gym in the West Loop, want everyone to feel comfortable in the gym to reach their full potential.

The women-owned cafe's first location was a takeout window in Chinatown’s square plaza. Now, it's expanding with a larger North Center location.

Owners Eve Studnicka and Alexis Thomas-Rice are hosting a "disco ball" fundraiser with food and cocktails, drag performances, a silent auction and more.

The Milwaukee Avenue store, run by 25-year-old gamer Cullen Clancy, focuses on games with underrepresented stories and characters, like "Thirsty Sword Lesbians" and "Spirit Island."

The cake shop is the third national dessert chain to expand into Andersonville, following Jeni's Ice Cream and Kilwins ice cream and chocolate shop.

Chef and co-owner Wahid Tanha grew up cooking alongside his father in Kabul. His goal is to introduce people to new flavors.

Co-owner Michael Nance did not commit to reopening the Washington Park store. Customers are being directed to a new Englewood Save A Lot that's drawn pushback from neighbors.

Jason Melamed and Andrew Silaghi want their cafe to be a place where people can put "down the laptop" and enjoy well-made coffee, pastries and pop-up dinners from local chefs.

Tin Roof, a bar that combines live music with food and drinks, aims to open in the Addison & Clark building.

State law bars Zen Leaf from opening near Clark and Howard because it's too close to a dispensary on the Evanston side of the border. The company has tried twice to relocate its Rogers Avenue dispensary.

Co-owner Marco Alt wants the shop to have the relaxed spirit of a traditional Italian cafe. A grand opening is planned for Sunday.

The pop-up inspired by '70s Malibu California, Barbie colors and retro glam will run June 7-Sept. 15.

Angelica Varela will host a pop-up Friday at the WNDR Museum's After Dark event. Attendees will be able to create and take home their own flower arrangement.