News across Greater Chicago
NU debuts new Ryan Field with packed house, big ceremony
Editor’s note: This story will be updated with new information as the evening progresses. One hundred years to the day after its predecessor opened, the new Ryan Field football stadium officially debuted Friday night as Northwestern University hosted Penn State before a sold-out…
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…
New Ryan Field ready for its close-up
The New Ryan Field officially opens for business Friday, Oct. 2. Northwestern kicks off New Ryan Field in its Big Ten home opener against Penn State at 7 p.m. The game will be televised across the country as part of Fox College Football Friday and the matchup is sold out. Gates…
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…
ETHS golf: Golfers score wet win at IHSA regional
Evanston’s golf team has fallen short of winning an Illinois High School Associationstate championship by the slimmest of margins for two years in a row. But there can’t be any doubt about the current squad’s mental toughness even ifthey don’t go all the way in 2026. That mental…
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…
Letter: What does flashy new stadium say about our city?
Northwestern has officially opened its new $870 million Ryan Field. In addition to being a replacement for the 100-year-old football stadium, its role has broadened to be an entertainment venue and a corporate gathering place. The stadium is massive, particularly for the…
Two more candidates to run for District 65 school board
Natika Washington and Danny Orrock are both running for the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 board, they told the RoundTable Friday. The two candidates are not running in affiliation with one another. Washington, an Oakton Elementary School parent, is a U.S. Air Force veteran…
Ready to ride: Oakton Elementary hosts its first ‘bike bus’ event
Dozens of children and parents met at the corner of Madison Street and Elmwood Avenue Friday morning for Oakton Elementary School’s first “bike bus” event, part of Evanston/Skokie District 65’s Walk, Bike and Roll initiative. A “bike bus” is an organized group ride where people…