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Search: "Lincoln Square"

Turning Over a New Leaf
By Penny Pollack & Jeff Ruby
Like Hopleaf, But With More Wine
After a long negotiation, Michael Roper of Hopleaf (5148 N. Clark St.; 773-334-9851) has purchased the La Donna (5146 N. Clark St.; 773-561-9400) property next door to his Andersonville beer haven, which he will turn into a charcuterie/wine-oriented spot with a wood-burning grill. “It’s going to be more straightforward grilled fish and meat and... Read more
The Real Pit Boss
By Penny Pollack & Jeff Ruby
Barbecue Alert!
Michael Altenberg (Bistro Campagne, Crust) has found a massive, undisclosed space in Lincoln Square for his “Alabama pit barbecue” concept; now he’s just ironing out details. Plans for the two-story space include slow-cooked barbecue, authentic old-fashioned Southern drinks like Sazeracs and mint juleps, and—believe it or not... Read more
Neality TV
By Josh Schollmeyer
Tapping into nostalgia for classic shows and movies, Neal Sabin has built plucky Weigel Broadcasting—operator of WCIU, Me-TV, and the new This—into a regional TV dynamo  Read more
Three Big Piggies Go to Market
Purple Hearts
Get ready to pig out. Scott Harris (Mia Francesca) and Jimmy Bannos (Heaven on Seven) (plus a third well-known chef who wishes to remain anonymous for now) are at work on The Purple Pig (500 N. Michigan Ave.), a Mediterranean “cheese, wine, and swine” spot. Bannos’s son, Jimmy Bannos, Jr.—a veteran of various Mario Batali places in New York (Esca, Lupa, Del Posto) for the past five years—will be the chef at the 65-seat Mag Mile spot on the ground floor of what some people know as... Read more
Vintage Finds on the Gold Coast
By Bridget Maiellaro
Sofia So Good
After years of working in Los Angeles, Chicago native Ashley Zisook returned home to discover that she was unsatisfied with the city’s vintage shops. So, the veteran vintage sample sale organizer rented out an office space and, within three weeks, opened Sofia Vintage Boutique (1165 N. Clark St., Ste. 400; 312-640-0878). The new Gold Coast shop is named after the Academy Award-winning Italian actress Sophia Loren, who Zisook believes is the “true meaning of class and grace.” The shop carries men and women’s clothing and accessories from the 1920s through 1980s. Co-owning the shop with her sister, Allison Zisook Goldstein, Zisook personally selects every item from resale shops all over the country and will sometimes alter items; for example, she cut at least six inches off the sleeves on 1970s boho brown, pink, and... Read more
Neapolitan Expands to Carry Mens’ Lines
By Bridget Maiellaro
Double Your Pleasure
Nearly six years after opening Neapolitan, the owner Kelly Golden created a male counterpart to her popular suburban women’s designer boutique. Adjacent to the women’s shop, Neapolitan Men (725 Elm St., Winnetka; 847-441-7784, neapolitanonline.com) opened in mid March and carries everything from casual pants and sports coats to ties and wallets. “Clients had been asking for years to carry... Read more
Accessories Galore in Pilsen
By Bridget Maiellaro
Story Time
Last fall, Chicago native AnneMarie Garza wanted to create a boutique centered on the idea that every item should tell a story. So the former real-estate development director purchased retail space, recruited designers via Craigslist and Etsy, and, within months, opened Bella Chica (1253 W. 18th St.; 312-927-3535). The new Pilsen shop sells handmade designs from about 15 Chicago artists, carrying everything from... Read more
SoKo Fashion Escapes Shutter
By Bridget Maiellaro
Stayin' Alive

Like many businesses this past holiday season, SoKo Fashion (1925 W. Chicago Ave.; 773-592-1089, sokofashion.com) took a hit in sales. As a result, owner Sheri Roney had to make a decision: keep going and possibly take on more debt—or close. Going with the latter, Roney announced her plans to shutter her Ukrainian Village boutique in early February. “If something was gonna happen, it was gonna have to happen fast,” she says. Luckily, the change happened in less than two weeks. “Our inventory was bought out [at 40 percent off] and our sales went... Read more