South Loop's Donna's Cafe in the news

Donna Adams holds a copy of the most recent Chicago Journal pictured here with staff.

Donna's Cafe, was featured in this week's Chicago Journal. Located at 1255 S. State St., the cafe is the dream of Donna Adams, a retired Chicago police officer and her business partner Bob Oliver. Here at South Loop Connection we've followed Donna's Cafe on its journey from idea to reality.

Also featured in the article was Overflow Coffee Bar opening soon at Daystar Center at 1550 S. State St. If all goes according to plan, they should open on March 21, 2011.

Aldermanic Primary Election Day Tuesday, February 22, 2011

South Loop 2nd and 3rd Ward Aldermanic Primary Election Day

Polls Open Early Tuesday
Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. For election information, including your polling place location, click here. For information on aldermanic candidates, check out the candidate surveys at the Chicago Journal online.

Ole' Hardwood Fire Deemed "Incendiary"

Ole' Hardwood, the short-lived gastro-smokehouse that went up in flames on December 30, 2010 seemed suspicious from the start. Barely open for three months in a location that saw two previous restaurants come and go in as many years, Ole' Hardwood took a pounding from local restaurant critics shortly before the fire.

Ole' Hardwood boarded up after fire damaged it December 30, 2010.

The fire is now considered incendiary according to a report at the Chicago Journal Web site. The investigation of the restaurant at 1315 S. Wabash has been turned over to the Chicago Police Department Bomb and Arson Unit, according to Quentin Curtis, spokesman for the Chicago Fire Department.

Utopia opened and closed in 2010.

Ole Hardwood Owner, Julius Thomas owned two other restaurants at the 1315 S Wabash address: Exposure Tapas opened and closed in 2009 and Utopia opened and closed in 2010.

Sam's Wine Shop to close this Sunday

Another one bites the dust

According to the Chicago edition of Crain's, Sam's Wines & Spirits will be closing their South Loop store at Wabash and Roosevelt this weekend. The owners are blaming the "moribund" real estate market and the slow down of development in our once hot neighborhood.

"Incompetent snobs"

If you talk to folks in the South Loop you might hear another story. Many residence said Sam's wasn't an inviting place to shop. The staff was aloof and unfriendly according to several people we spoke with. Chicago Journal comumnist, Bonnie McGrath, went so far as to call the staff "incompetent snobs." McGrath's very entertaining and enlightening blog post is worth reading. It could be a primer on how to run a business into the ground.

It is a shame that the former bus station will be empty; it's a beautiful landmark-worthy structure that deserves decent tenants.