Tuesday, April 16, 2013
In 2004, the Skokie Theater received a $1.4 million renovation, but closed its doors due to lacking revenue. In March of last year, Bucktown's Gorilla Tango Theater purchased the building for $420,000. Now, the theater might be for sale.
After opening its doors about a year ago today, Gorilla Tango Theater (GTT), 7924 Lincoln Ave., is fielding sales offers, said GTT co-owner Kelly Williams. “What’s happening right now is someone approached us [with an offer] and that’s how all this came about,” Williams told Patch. “We are talking to them. Its not that we’re interested in selling, but we’re open to receiving offers. “We’re happy with where we’re at, but if someone made an offer we’d consider it," she added. A for-profit arts company that’s already having success at its Chicago-Bucktown location, the village and GTT felt the two could provide great synergy in the downtown area. "The Skokie Theater is an important component of downtown Skokie's revitalization, along with …
Thursday, March 21, 2013
'Alexander's' restaurant' is set to open in downtown Skokie around April 15.
Ted Angelopoulos has some pretty big shoes to fill. Angelopoulos, owner of Café Mozart in Evanston, 600 Davis St., is opening his second restaurant at the former Pat's Place. He's aiming to open his doors at 5025 Oakton St. by April 15, Angelopoulos said. The Mather High School graduate has been running Café Mozart for about 10 years now. He said he decided to come to the downtown area because he's always wanted a "breakfast-lunch type of place." "It's going to be your typical American breakfast with a twist," Angelopoulos said. "I don't want to say gourmet, but the ingredients are going to be better - the chesses, the eggs - everything is going to be high-grade." Angelopoulos added that his restaurant will feature a fresh look, with …
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
The Skokie Village Board approved an $8.9 million renovation slated for downtown Skokie this spring. The money was raised through the downtown Tax Increment Financing District, or TIFs.
Village trustee Don Perille first moved to Skokie in 1959. He is the most tenured trustee on the village's board, serving the community for more than 20 years. In that time, Perille, 84, has said he's seen six different efforts to revitalize downtown Skokie. And while he's stepping down this spring, he - along with five other board members - approved an $8,965,706 bid to renovate and reinvigorate the downtown area. The winning bid went to Woodstock, Ill.-based Alliance Contractors, Inc. Construction begins this spring. "This will be the most comprehensive improvement in downtown Skokie ever undertaken," said Village Manager Al Rigoni. "The village received four bids and the amounts were very close." Among the improvements include …
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
The restaurant has been vacant for several years now. Located in the heart of downtown Skokie, we wanted to know what you think should replace it?
It’s been more than a decade since Desiree Restaurant closed its doors at 8000 Lincoln Ave. The property is located in the heart of downtown Skokie, but the former restaurant, and several of the smaller storefronts attached to it, have been empty for some time now. Skokie Patch wants to know: What should replace the vacant space? For starters, Trader Joes, Mariano's Fresh Market or anything on a corporate level won’t be coming anytime soon, at least according to village trustee Randy Roberts, who said, “We're never going to see the big box and chain stores in downtown Skokie, but we’ve already started creating a very rich and vibrant, ethnic downtown.” Downtown Skokie already has a plethora of ethnic restaurants. The property is also …
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Out of 64 Chicago-area restaurants, two downtown Skokie eateries made the cut and received Bib Gourmand designation. See which two made the list here.
Crain's Business Chicago is reporting that 64 Chicagoland restaurants received a Bib Gourmand designation from Michelin on Wednesday. The Bib Gourmand award targets restaurants that you can get dinner for two and wine or dessert for $40 or less, minus tax and tip. Of the 64 Chicago-area restaurants included two downtown Skokie businesses made the cut - and one of them isn't Libertad (which was recently rated by Chicago Magazine as one of the top 20 new restaurants.) In fact, it was Yolo, located at 5111 Brown St., and Kabul House, also in downtown Skokie, and located at 4949 Oakton St. While Kabul House is easy to spot, Yolo is hidden off downtown Skokie's busiest business anchor on Lincoln Avenue and Oakton Street, or just around the …
Saturday, October 13, 2012
More events and happenings this Halloween in Downtown Skokie
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Holy 'Bouncing' what? A review of Gorilla Tango Theater's 'Holy Bouncing Boobies: A Batman Burlesque'
I cringe when associating “boobies” – of all things – with downtown Skokie. I think to myself, “But downtown Skokie is a nice place. It has a lot of mom and pop shops, restaurants and pancakes (mmmmm, Annie's). It’s not a place for boobies." Or is it? Thankfully, it totally is. For $20 at Gorilla Tango’s Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., you can catch the latest performance of them in: “Holy Bouncing Boobies: A Batman Burlesque." I've personally never been to a burlesque. The only idea I had of one, and a vague idea at that, was Dita Von Teese and her mysteriously cute ways. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was happy Gorilla Tango sold beer and so decided to go with it. Soon after being seated, the girls came out and the lights …
Monday, July 23, 2012
The iconic diner, Pat's Place, closed shop on May 26, 2012. Now that the building is vacant, Skokie Patch wants to know: What kind of business do you want to see move in?
When the iconic downtown diner Pat's Place closed in May, the community was at a loss. Many enjoyed the restaurants comfortable seats, food and the charming owner, Pat Bellos. Located at 5025 Oakton St., the business closed on May 26 due to disagreements on a variety of issues with the landlord, Bellos said. Downtown Skokie has seen a variety of changes in the last few years. Most recently, a newly built CTA station has brought life to businesses near the intersection of Skokie Boulevard and Oakton Street, not far from the now vacant building. One local resident also said he's looking to open a coffee shop near the new station. All that being said, we want to know: What kind of business do you want to see move into the now vacant Pat's …
Monday, July 16, 2012
About a month prior to allegedly firing eight shots at a vehicle in downtown Skokie, Alex Soballe was shot at five times outside his apartment in the 4900 block of Louise Avenue in Skokie, according to his girlfriend and police.
The girlfriend of alleged Skokie shooter Alex Soballe said her boyfriend was in "fear of his life" before he fired eight shots at a vehicle in downtown Skokie on June 14. Nathalie Bafia, Soballe's girlfriend of two years, said Soballe was the victim of a shooting May 23 in the 4900 block of Louise Avenue. She said the shooting occurred after Soballe had a run-in with an ex-boyfriend of hers at a Walgreens in downtown Skokie. "They didn't like each other because of prior history," Bafia said. "He was scared - they shot right next to Alex. They shot at him a couple of times. "He was scared for his life and he went out and got a gun," she added. Bafia lives with her mother and Soballe. She said she was terrified after she heard gunshots …
Friday, July 13, 2012
A Cook County grand jury has now upgraded charges against Alexander Soballe, the 20-year-old Skokie resident who allegedly fired eight shots at a moving vehicle during rush hour traffic in Skokie.
Alexander Soballe, the 20-year-old who allegedly fired multiple shots at a vehicle in downtown Skokie, is now charged with four counts of attempted murder. Soballe was originally charged with four counts of felony aggravated discharge of a firearm, but a grand jury upgraded those charges on July 2, according to police. All three people inside the vehicle were "known" to Soballe, according to police. It is unclear if he was targetting one or multiple people. The trio came under fire on June 14 while travelling westbound in the 4800 block of Oakton Street when Soballe, who was on foot, fired eight times at the vehicle. He would then flee on foot to his home in the 4900 block of Louise Avenue, police said. Based on a witness description, …
Earl Weiss
9:19 am on Wednesday, April 17, 2013
OOPS lets not forget all the research park money. more ›