Hotel Lincoln is Open | Has Coffee Shop and Rooftop Lounge

Mar 7, 2012 by Sandra

The former Lincoln Park Days Inn will reopen March 8 as the Hotel Lincoln, its owners said Monday. A joint venture of Chicago-based hotel investor AJ Capital Partners, Chicago-based developer Centrum Properties and New York-based Angelo Gordon & Co. took control of the 195-room hotel in 2010 after paying $11.4 million for a defaulted loan on the property at 1816 N. Clark St. A rooftop lounge at the hotel will not open until June, according to a press release. Room rates start at $129 during the non-peak season and $179 during peak season, according to the release.   from http://www.chicagobusiness.com/

A coffee shop, Elaine's Coffee Call, will also open on the 8th and will be located in the hotel lobby.  Food items will be provided by the Boka Restaurant Group.  A rooftop lounge and small plates restaurant will open June 1st and will have spectacular views of the city.  For more details check out this article from RedEye.

Vapiano’s to Open September 28th

Sep 27, 2011 by Sandra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to ChicagoMag.com (Dish) Vapiano will open September 28th.

 

Vapiano (2577 N. Clark St.; no phone yet), a fast-casual Italian chain restaurant that started in Germany, soft-opens September 28 in Lincoln Park. Here’s what you’ll find there.

• Radio-frequency identification cards, which customers carry to food stations. Chefs make each customer’s food to order and then swipe the card to track the purchase.
• Several pasta stations featuring house-made pastas
• A pizza station with thin-crust pies made in a Cuppone electric oven
• A full bar, plus Illy coffees and espresso
• Desserts such as tiramisù, panna cotta, mascarpone mousse, and chocolate mousse
• A space completely transformed from its previous occupant. “I believe it was a Blockbuster,” says Anthony Felli, a vice president of operations for Vapiano.

 

Hours have not been posted on their website for this location but all other locations open for lunch at 11a.

 

 

Next Door is Open – A New Concept by State Farm

Aug 22, 2011 by Sandra

State Farm is experimenting.  And this experiment is the new community center at 659 W Diversey.

According to their website the concept was the result of a brainstorming session

OK, we admit it, “Financial Coaching” might not sound super-exciting at first. For most of us, money comes in, goes out and that’s that. But honestly, that’s not enough. Life moves so fast—Rent! Debt! Cars! Kids!—we need to slow down and make a plan.

That’s where Next Door comes in.

A couple years ago, we were sitting around the State Farm® office—you know, the SF that’s been in the protecting-your-stuff biz since 1922—and we had a revelation. What if we didn’t have to face the scary idea of planning our futures alone, scavenging for info online? What if we talked and worked together in new, collaborative ways and figured things out?

Yeah, what if…

So we started imagining a community space where anyone could ask questions about finances and insurance and get some answers. A spot to hang out, take classes, talk with Financial Coaches and fuel up on great local coffee. Oh, yeah, and everything would be free (except the coffee).

Free? Really.

Yes, because we’re experimenting. We really wanna learn what people really want. Then, we’ll shoot those wants back to the Farm. We help you. You help us innovate. We’re all smarter for it. We think it’s a win-win.

So if you would like to check out this new venture their info is:

659 W Diversey Parkway          (773) 472 3667 (DOOR)

 

Café                                    7pm-10pm Daily

Coaching & Classes

Monday-Friday              10am-7pm

Saturday-Sunday           10am-5pm

 

2485 N Clark Street, Formerly Argo Tea

Mar 15, 2011 by Sandra

Have you seen the new sign at 2458 N Clark Street?  Wouldn’t it be nice if signs said something more than Opening Soon?  Well here is what will be going in at the corner of Clark and St. James.

From DISH:

Down to naming the place after an ingredient, the owners of Tzatziki (2485 N. Clark St.; no phone yet), a Mediterranean quick-service spot opening at the end of April in Lincoln Park, are modeling their venture after Chipotle. “I wasn’t crazy about their food, but the concept is great,” says Steve Morakalis, who previously owned and cheffed at Sugar Bowl in Des Plaines and Woody’s Pub in Elk Grove Village. The other chef/partner is Tony Dragonas, a.k.a. Tony the Dragon, who is relocating to Chicago from New York, where he operates a famous food cart on 64th Street. At Tzatziki, customers will select a meat and then choose from about 18 different toppings, including the namesake cucumber-yogurt sauce. Meats on offer will include chicken, pork, lamb, and beef, all spinning on skewers like gyros. Good luck with the opening, guys—we know how these things can drag on.

Since this will be more fast food a nice salad bar would be good…hint, hint, hint.