On the market since October, the 1931 mixed-use building at 2215 W. Lawrence Ave. has a 2,700 sq ft. of commercial space and two two-bedroom apartments at top. First listed at $595,000 in October, owner Tai Phan has since dropped the price to $524,000. The beauty supply business on the first floor, owned by...

Stop. Credit: Flickr/TheeErin

ABC7 In Your Neighborhood: Old Town School of Folk Music [ABC7]

Three local chefs lose weight on new ‘Fat Chef’ series [Sun Times]

Lincoln Square Winter Brew Sells Out [Chicagoist]

Sweet and Simple Cinnamon Café [Chicagoist]

Operating out of rather ramshackle headquarters on a lonely stretch of Rockwell Street, tiny Haymarket Books may exist well outside the center of the publishing universe but its ongoing advocacy for social change has placed it firmly in the midst of the current “99 percent” movement. “All the books we’ve done support struggles for...

We’re not saying there’s any connection to a certain boy wizard, but surely it’s more than coincidence that local auction house Potter & Potter, 3759 N. Ravenswood Ave., specializes in magicana (collectibles related to magic and magicians). This Saturday, Jan. 28, at 10:00 a.m., curiosity seekers will have the opportunity to bid on items...

You’ll have to excuse Bill Brandt if he’s more than a bit giddy about the impending debut of his new baby. It’s only been gestating for the past two years. Assuming all goes well with a final task force inspection by the Health Department, Brandt and partner Nick Kantalonis will finally open Big Bricks,...

Chicago theater companies have gained a reputation for debuting new works by up-and-coming playwrights. Adding to that tradition, American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron St., will stage the world premiere of Disgraced, January 27 – February 26. Written by Milwaukee-born author, filmmaker and actor Ayad Akhtar, Disgraced centers around a Pakistani-American lawyer struggling to climb the...

As the annual, nation-wide, Catholic Schools Week is nearing, St. Matthias Elementary School, 2310 W. Ainslie St., is preparing in many capacities to embody this year’s theme, “Catholic Schools: Faith, Academics, Service.” The highlights of the week include: a “Saintly Wax Museum,” put on by the 4th grade students; the 6th-8th grade Science Fair; and...

“In 2003, this organization was close to shuttering its doors,” said Andreas Hecht, president of the DANK Haus board of directors. Over the weekend, a revitalized DANK, 4740 N. Western Ave., threw open those same doors to celebrate not only the unveiling of its new facade but a renewed sense of purpose. The exterior...

Do not clutter up my inbox. Submit your questions to the e-address provided so the commander and the superintendent can respond. Implication: “Or else you won’t be heard.” That was the gist of 33rd Ward Alderman Dick Mell’s announcement of last Wednesday’s community meeting on safety. Shootings are more frequent, killings closer to home,...

The Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting at the Chicago Brauhaus, 4732 N. Lincoln Ave., last Tuesday to discuss plans for the upcoming year, including a new summer festival, and elect new board members. Executive Director Melissa Flynn touted the group’s recent three-star accreditation by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as...

Do you feel like you dodged a bullet? If you live on the North Side and between the river and the Lake, you probably did because you have a new, relatively compact ward that follows most neighborhood boundaries. But elsewhere, just about every other ward in town got horribly gerrymandered by yesterday’s City Council remap. Read...

CONTACT: Megan Fulara 47th Ward Young Democrats, 773-639-7034 www.47yd.org The 47th Ward Young Democrats Organization is hosting a State of the Union Address viewing party at the Celtic Crown Public House located at 4301 N. Western Avenue on Tuesday, January 24th. The event is free, open to the public and begins at 7:30 p.m. ...

01/18/12 Credit: Flickr/J.Knecht

Cops: Man hits bar owner with BMW, then tosses $150 cash at him [Chicago Tribune]

Burgers the lure, but stay for the camaraderie [Chicago Tribune]

Peeking Behind Paper: Bagel on Damen Ravenswood Closes, Asado Coffee Remodels [Gapers Block]

Close to 300 residents of the greater Albany Park and Ravenswood Manor community packed the auditorium at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 4432 N. Troy St., Wednesday night to voice their concerns about increased gang violence in the neighborhood and to hear how Ald. Dick Mell (33rd) and Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy intend to...