Chicago111 isn’t about one thing.
That’s kind of the point.
It’s a random look at Chicago—its neighborhoods, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, buildings, weather, sports, businesses, people, oddities, traditions and whatever else catches our attention.
One day we might write about the best pizza on a particular block. The next day it could be property taxes, a neighborhood hardware store, the Bears, a new apartment tower, lakefront weather, an old Chicago sign or a place that makes an unusually good sandwich.
There isn’t going to be much of an editorial calendar.
There is, however, one idea that will show up again and again:
Shop Local.
Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, and neighborhoods are built around local businesses.
The coffee shop where someone knows your order. The restaurant that’s been on the corner for 30 years. The independent bookstore. The neighborhood bar. The dog groomer. The bakery that opens before everyone else is awake. The family business squeezed between two national chains.
Those places are part of what makes Chicago feel like Chicago.
Chicago111 wants to find them, talk about them and send people through their doors.
That doesn’t mean we’re anti-big-business. Chicago111 isn’t interested in lecturing anyone about where they should spend their money. We just think locally owned businesses deserve a little more attention in a world increasingly dominated by enormous platforms, national brands and algorithms.
And sometimes the most interesti
Like a place in this story? Go see them in person. One less Amazon order a week.
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