News across Cook County

Café au Lake sets fall hours, will close Oct. 31
Café au Lake, the city-run cafe at Arrington Lagoon in Dawes Park, 1647 Sheridan Road, has announced its fall hours: After Oct. 31, the cafe will close for the fall and winter, except on weekends when ice skating is available at Arrington Lagoon. Regular operations will resume in…

The Fringe now open at the Canal Shores Golf Club patio
A new bar and grill called The Fringe has opened at Canal Shores Golf Club, featuring a seasonal menu managed by Madden Restaurant Concepts ahead of a community Fall Fest scheduled for October 17. The Fringe now open at the Canal Shores Golf Club patio is from Evanston RoundTable…

TechRise competition awards $25,000 to AI police training startup
Judges at the third annual TechRise pitch competition awarded the winning startup, VOYSSES Inc., a $25,000 prize at EnterpriseWorks, the University’s startup incubator Thursday. P33 Chicago’s competition platformed the founders of five early-stage startups with links to the…

Theaster Gates bets on fine china
The famed Chicago-based artist's career is taking a new direction with the purchase of Pickard China, the sole remaining maker of fine china in the United States.

Theaster Gates bets on fine china
The famed, Chicago-based artist's career is taking a new direction with the purchase of Pickard China, the sole remaining maker of fine china in the United States.

Waffle dessert shop Wafflavor to close permanently on Sunday
Korean waffle and frozen yogurt shop Wafflavor at 1596 Sherman Ave. plans to close Sunday, Oct. 4. The shop will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Wafflavor announced the closure on Instagram this week, thanking “everyone who has…

Space to Place market kicks off this weekend in Bookman’s Alley
Retail incubator and pop-up program Space to Place kicks off this weekend, bringing local Evanston businesses that don’t have brick-and-mortar locations to one of downtown Evanston’s vacant storefronts in Bookman’s Alley, 1712 Sherman Ave. “The whole idea is to begin the process…

Two years old and three times the size
Dozens of people fill Animal Records as the store celebrates its second anniversary and grand reopening. The vintage record (and CDs) store moved to a new space at 620 Grove St., which is almost three times its original space next door. “I think people want a place to hang out,…

Mexican restaurant Boca Brava plans to take over half of former Reza’s space
A new Mexican restaurant called Boca Brava, which means “brave mouth” or “fierce mouth” in Spanish, plans to take over part of the former Reza’s Restaurant and Lounge space at 1557 Sherman Ave. Reza’s closed in May 2025. Owner Carlos Arechiga, 31, has signed a lease for the…

Lolo’s Bowls acai and smoothie shop plans to open in early November
A new acai and smoothie shop, Lolo’s Bowls, plans to open in downtown Evanston the first week of November, store manager Kristen Beaudoin said. This will be the fourth location of the growing family-run acai chain. Founder Lauren “Lolo” Schick and her mother, Darlene “Dolly”…

Bookends & Beginnings children’s manager seeks out the unusual in books for kids, young adults
Adrien Sdao manages the children’s section at Bookends & Beginnings, 1620 Orrington Ave., and radiates enthusiasm for books for young people. Sdao has been a bookseller for 12 years and arrived at Bookends a year and a half ago. He said from an early age he found books to be a…

Cooking with heart: A first look at the new Soul & Smoke
When a chef is cooking with their whole heart, you can taste it on the plate. D’Andre Carter cooks like every dish means something personal to him. You can taste his intention; you can taste the history. His food feels truly lived in, not merely inhabited. Listen: Great food…