7-11 on South State (533 S. State) Closing ; A Sign of Bigger Challenges in the Loop?

Mr. South Loop posting about a 7-11 closure on South State:

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While one 7-11 closing isn't much news (especially with two other ones in close proximity in the area), it is interesting to see.  Based on the caption it seems like it's a function of lack of business, but also points to a challenging situation on South State further North.  

If you've been North of Ida B. Wells you'll notice numerous storefronts that are empty.  State street was arguably the second biggest "shopping street" downtown behind Michigan Avenue.  While some stores further north are still open the further you go south it gets pretty bleak and desolate.  

This dynamic has always been in place for awhile, but seems like the pandemic has really exacerbated the problem.  The question is - will this bounce back? and if so when?  

There are some major challenges with the loop and how many office workers will return.  It seems like the typical 5 day in-office work experience ain't coming back.  That puts extreme pressure on these retail storefronts.  The value has decayed quickly.

City Makes Final Attempts to Persuade Bears to Stay at Chicago

The super bowl has come and gone.  A major storyline from this years big game was the Los Angeles Rams brand new $5 billion SoFi stadium.  It is a beautiful building no doubt.  Any team would be envious of that palace - especially a local one with a stadium that despite it's history doesn't meet the needs of the team and fans.

With that as a backdrop, it seems like the Mayor Lightfoot and the city are changing their tone and trying to make a final pitch to keep the Bears at Solider Field (via Chicago Tribune):

Mayor Lori Lightfoot plans to present the Chicago Bears with a “compelling financial case” for the team to stay in the city and her administration will “explore” the possibility of placing a roof on Soldier Field, she said in a pair of interviews Friday.

“We’re going to continue to do everything we can to keep the Bears in Chicago,” Lightfoot said on WSCR-AM 670. “We’re working on some plans to present to them that I think will make a very, very compelling financial case as to why it makes an abundance of sense for them to stay in Chicago.”

The city can offer the Bears “a tier-one market, a tier-one audience, fan base, and I don’t think they can get that in Arlington Heights,” Lightfoot said.

Lightfoot did not elaborate on what sort of financial arrangement the city can make that will keep the Bears from building a lucrative new stadium in the suburbs. But some experts have questioned whether anything short of a new building can convince the Bears to stay within the city limits.

Later, in an interview with WMVP-AM 1000, Lightfoot was asked about the possibility of putting a roof on Soldier Field.

“I think that’s something we have to explore. We do,” Lightfoot said. “My bigger thing is, obviously the roof is an issue, but there are other things we can do to really make the amenities more hospitable” for Bears fans.

The talk of a roof is interesting, but seems unlikely.  While that might make the temperature and experience in stadium nicer, there are bigger financial and logistical challenges that likely are more pressing.  Essentially how can the Bears make more money - whether that's increasing capacity or finding new revenue streams (stadium naming rights, ancillary businesses and fan experiences).

There are also the challenges of getting to Soldier Field that seems to be a sticking point.  Interestingly enough, the massive One Central development seems like it could help on that front.  That plan isn't really linked to the Bears, but could the city (and state) use that as an opportunity to sway the Bears to stay?  Not sure if it's feasible, but that seems like it could help.

Should be interesting to see how this plays out.  If we were betting a person we would put our money on the Bears leaving the Sloop.

400 Concrete Truck Line-up on Jan 22nd to Pour for 1000M High-rise

This is a bit old, but we still found it interesting (via Chicago Construction News):

McHugh Concrete has completed a nine-hour continuous concrete pour including nearly 4,000 cu. yds. of concrete for the mat slab foundation for 1000M, a 73-story apartment tower at 1000 S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago’s South Loop.

This construction milestone completes the foundations under the main tower of 1000M, which will be one of the city’s tallest apartment buildings at 788 feet when it delivers in 2025. McHugh Concrete has poured the concrete for eight of Chicago’s 10 tallest concrete buildings, the company’s public relations agency said in a Jan. 24 statement.

One lane of Michigan Avenue alongside the project was closed on Jan. 22 for the more than 400 concrete trucks delivering concrete to the site, which is across from Grant Park. Sweeper and vacuum trucks mitigated dust and dirt around the perimeter, and flaggers were posted alongside the site for pedestrian and vehicular safety.

Prior to the pour, McHugh Concrete installed 685 tons of steel rebar (about the same weight as 15 Boeing 737-800 airplanes), and general contractor McHugh Construction coordinated below-ground preparatory work, including drilling and socketing caissons to bedrock approximately 87 feet below ground to support the tower portion of the skyscraper, perimeter sheeting, waterproofing and piping for utilities.

We were out and about that day and can attest to the crazy amount of cement trucks lined up around the site waiting for their turn.  Seems like this development finally has some solid momentum (pun intended?!?!). 

Decadent Dessert Bar & Bistro to Open at 1355 S. Michigan (former Kurrah Space)

We were sad when Kurrah closed - one of our favorite restaurants at the corner of 14th and Michigan.  But it looks like a new dessert spot is heading to the space:

We did some googling and it looks like Decadent Dessert Bar & Bistro is in fact happening according to this article in What Now Chicago.  Interestingly enough - it appears that is it's a franchise:

Decadent Dessert Bar & Bistro is a franchised chain of restaurants from Buttercream Dreams Hospitality Group. The group also owns Decadent’s sister-concept Smallcakes Cupcakery & Creamery, which has grown to operate over 140 locations in 22 states. “Decadent is the first of its kind—a fast and casual dessert bar that offers the highest quality desserts at a sweet yet affordable price,” shares the company’s website. “Everything on our menu is made fresh daily, all day, every day, using only the finest ingredients.”

Sounds pretty good to us.  Hopefully they open soon.

Car Crashes into Snow Plow and Destroys Fence at Roosevelt and State

 Like many of you we stumbled upon this mess:

According to CBS - looks like a car crashed into a city plow and this is part of the destruction:

A car crashed into a city plow truck in the Loop early Saturday morning, according to police.

Around 12:45 a.m., the driver in the vehicle while traveling westbound on the 1100 block of South State Street and failed to obey a traffic signal, striking a city plow truck traveling southbound on State Street, causing the plow to jump a curb and hit a large fence.

Beer + Wine = Interesting?!?!?! Duneyrr Brewery in Motor Row Experimenting with Some New Concoctions

Interesting....(via ABC7):
Has anyone tried this yet? Doesn't sound that great to us...but we're curious to try it.

X-Pot Gets Some Love from Fox 32

 Not exactly the hardest hitting story here, but Fox32 did a super small segment on X-Pot:

Shedd Aquarium Embarks on $500 Million Renovation Called the "Centennial Commitment"

The Shedd Aquarium is awesome and it looks like it's going to be getting even better (via Chicago Tribune):

The Shedd Aquarium houses a remarkable creature called an archerfish that spits water 3 feet into the air to knock insects off trees into the water for dinner.

Right now, the archerfish swims in an aquarium with a label displaying its name. That’s it.

But soon, visitors will be able to see the fish actually do its thing — spitting at a tree to dislodge crickets for a meal.

Interactive experiences like this inspire the public to care more about the fish and its habitat, according to Bridget Coughlin, president and CEO of the Shedd Aquarium.

This connection between humans experiencing wild animals and being inspired to conserve is the driving force behind the aquarium’s new $500 million project, an eight-year vision called the Centennial Commitment.

Connecting people to nature will involve creating new aquarium galleries along with immersive experiences and programs.

For example, the north gallery, which houses rivers, islands and lakes exhibits, will be renovated into a Caribbean coral reef habitat within a 40-foot glass tunnel. Visitors will feel as if they are part of the reef with sharks, rays and colorful fish.

Renovation and re-imagination of the aquarium galleries and educational facilities will cost roughly half of the $500 million and take four years to complete. Renovations are expected to be finished in 2026, ahead of the organization’s 100th anniversary in 2030.

Here is a rendering of one of the projects - "a Caribbean coral reef habitat that will give guests different perspectives of sharks and rays within the diverse ecosystem":

 

NBC5 Highlights Apolonia's Viral Bread Dish

Apolonia (2201 S. Michigan) - probably the most exciting restaurant to open in the Sloop in the last couple of years - got some viral love for one of their bread dishes (via NBC5):

Gillanders said the restaurant's pastry chef was trying to make a focaccia to capitalize on the trend, but they wanted to make it different.

"The deep fry became this thing. We threw a dough ball into it, it just ballooned up," he said.

The restaurant likened the dish to a "savory black truffle doughnut" and said it has since taken off in a way they never expected.

"A lot of people started to cut them open and fill them like a pita and you'd be shocked what people put into those things," he said.

NBC5 has a good overarching video about what they're doing at the restaurant.  It's early in the morning and I'm hungry for dinner:

Hat tip: ND!

One South Loop Bar Gets Hit With New Indoor Mask Mandate Citation

One South Loop spot gets hit with citation on new indoor mask mandates (via Fox32):

The city of Chicago has cited six businesses for failing to enforce the city's COVID-19 indoor mask mandate.

Investigators from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) conducted 56 investigations over the weekend to see if people were wearing masks and whether there were signs posted about the requirement.

From Thursday through Sunday, the following businesses were each issued two citations for violating both requirements of the mandate, which went into effect on Aug. 20:

• Cortland’s Garage, 1645 W. Cortland St. in Bucktown
• Bassline, 2237 S. Michigan Ave. in South Loop
• Fulton Loft, 2107 W. Fulton St. in West Town
• The Soul Tribe LLC, 1564 N. Damen Ave. in Wicker Park
• The Hidden Palace, 1900 N. Austin Ave. in Galewood
• Vaunt Fitness, 6255 S. Archer Ave. in Garfield Ridge

Are Half Sour and Burger Point Best Burger Spots in the Sloop?

We're not burger experts, but apparently this instagram user does.  They have Acadia as the highest ranked burger spot in the Sloop (obviously they're not aware they've closed).  Beyond that, Half Sour (755 S. Clark) and Burger Point (1900 S. State) are the only other South Loop locations ranked:

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Happy and Healthy 2022 from Sloopin!

 

2021 Business Counter: We have that a net 7 new businesses opened - did we miss any?

We haven't maintained our business tracker very well this year, but that doesn't mean we can't endeavor to get a count on the year.  We've scoured some of our posts as well as other neighborhood resources (Mr. South Loop, Hello South Loop,  Prairie District Neighborhood Alliance) and here is what we got:

Opened in 2021

1. Luxury Medspa (2335 S. Michigan)
2. Naf Naf Grill (1248 S. Canal)
3. GeeFit (2127 S. Wabash)
4. Shangs (1101 S. Wabash)
5. Joffrey Ballet (1920 S. Wabash)
6. The Now Massage (1109 S. Wabash)
7. Williams Inn Pizza (2210 S. Michigan)
8. Mustard Seed (49 E. Cermak)
9. L'afrique Market (2001 S. State)
10. GeeFit (2127 S. Wabash)
11. Dollop Diner, Cafe & Bar (1210 S. Indiana)
12. Smoke Valley (1319 S. Michigan)
13. My Gym (1333 S. Wabash)
14. Duneyrr Fermenta & Moderne Dune (2337 S. Michigan)
15. Tea % (57 E. 11th)
16. Bureau Pizza (719 S. State)
17. Siam Rice (1906 S. State)
18. CBD Kratom (643 W. Roosevelt)
19. UChicago Med (47 W. Polk)
20. Veterinary Emergency Group (1114 S. Clinton)
21. Sweet Bean (1152 S. Wabash)
22. Crab Bucket (2036 S. Michigan)
23. GoGrocer (820 S. Michigan)
24. Chicago Duplicate Bridget (47 W. Polk)
25. Fit Results Chicago (731 S. Plymouth Ct)
26. Mimi's Tacos & French Fries (1155 S. Jefferson)
27. Lao Sze Chuan (616 S. Wabash)
28. Apolonia Restaurant (2201 S. Michigan)
29. Insomnia Cookies (30 E. Balbo)
30. Banfield Pet Hospital (645 W. Roosevelt)
31. JS Blossom Nail and Spa (719 S. State)

Closed in 2021

1. Dearborn Denim (728 S. Dearborn)
2. Cafe Bionda (1924 S. State)
3. Spanglish Kitchen (555 S. State)
4. Burger King (2328 S. Michigan)
5. Acadia (1639 S. Wabash)
6. Harbor (1312 S. Wabash)
7. Kurah (1355 S. Michigan)
8. Chef Luciano's (49 E. Cermak)
9. Shred 451 (1136 S Delano Ct)
10. Quench Wellness (1319 S. Michigan)
11. Mercy Medical Center (47 W. Polk)
12. Mei's Asian Small Plates (1101 S. Wabash)
13. Caribbean Jerk Palace (733 S. Dearborn)
14. Nice and Distressed (723 S. Dearborn)
15. Opart Thai (1906 S. State)
16. Pauly's Pizza (719 S. State)
17. Teriyaki Madness (829 S. Wabash)
18. Illinois Media School (530 S. State)
19. Float Sixty (1143 S. State)
20. Motor Row Brewing (2337 S. Michigan)
21. South Loop Cleaners (1248 S. Canal)
22. Tutto Italiano (501 S. Wells)
23. Urban Grocers (747 S. State)

Sloop's First Dispensary? Company Submits Applications for Cannabis Dispensary at 2114 S. Wabash

We've posted about rumors of a cannabis dispensary in the neighborhood, but not much has materialized.  That said, we recently saw this post on Prairie District Neighborhoods Alliance's Facebook Page and seems pretty legit:

Dear South Loop Neighbor,

On December 16, 2021, Green & Foster, LLC submitted a special use application to establish an adult use cannabis dispensary at 2114 S. Wabash Ave. Per City permitting rules, the applicant is only required to host one community meeting as part of the application process. Additionally, I want to remind you that I am unable to grant or deny the issuance of a special use permit for an adult use cannabis dispensary. I can only advocate on behalf of my residents as part of the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) process.

As your alderman, I am committed to ensuring that residents have their voice heard in the special use application process. I will be hosting my own community meeting in January 2022 to gather feedback from residents on the dispensary proposal. I will also submit an official statement to the Zoning Board of Appeals reflecting the wishes of residents should the application move forward and receive a hearing in the ZBA. And, as I do with all businesses in the neighborhood, I will work directly with the applicant to ensure their business operates in a manner that reflects the character and integrity of the community.

On that final point, I must express my disappointment that the applicant posted their community notice during the holidays when most people are focused on celebrating with their families. This is not the way we operate in the 3rd Ward and that will be made clear to the applicant.

ZBA Process for Cannabis Dispensaries

No special use application may be approved unless the Zoning Board of Appeals finds that the proposed use in its proposed location meets all of the following criteria:

1. complies with all applicable standards of this Zoning Ordinance;

2. is in the interest of the public convenience and will not have a significant adverse impact on the

general welfare of the neighborhood or community;

3. is compatible with the character of the surrounding area in terms of site planning and building scale and project design;

4. is compatible with the character of the surrounding area in terms of operating characteristics, such as hours of operation, outdoor lighting, noise, and traffic generation; and

5. is designed to promote pedestrian safety and comfort.

When the anticipated impacts of a special use are determined to have the potential for adverse impacts on surrounding property, the special use must be denied or conditions must be placed on the approval to ensure that any adverse impacts will be mitigated. The Zoning Administrator may recommend and the Zoning Board of Appeals may impose such conditions upon the site planning, design, location and operation of a special use.

ZBA Contact Information - Public testimony is the preferred method of public comment. Members of the public wishing to speak must join the Zoom meeting at the link provided on the ZBA website at 8:30 a.m. the day of the meeting. Written statements from members of the public will be accepted at ZBA@cityofchicago.org until 5 p.m. the Monday before the meeting.

I look forward to working with you to properly vet this proposed special use application. Please feel free to reach out to me or my office on this, or any other issue, at Ward03@cityofchicago.org or at 773-373-9273.

3rd Ward Alderman Pat Dowell

This appears to be the vacant retail space that once housed Tommy Gun's - the gangster themed tourist restaurant - that closed last year.  

Should be interesting to see how this process plays out.