The people, places, and things voted Chicago’s best—and runners-up: apartment finder, real estate agent, real estate company, bicycle shop, motorcycle shop, auto dealership, auto repair shop, comics shop, independent bookstore, record store, financial institution or bank, financial planner, florist, garden store, landscape company, jewelry store, tattoo artist, tattoo shop, barbershop, hair salon, pet adoption or animal shelter, pet store, veterinarian, picture framing store, place to buy local wares, home furnishings, resale shop, vintage store, kids clothing, place to buy gender-neutral clothing, place to buy women’s clothing, place to buy men’s clothing, T-shirt shop, streetwear brand, local clothing designer, shoe store, dancewear shop, sex toy shop, place to get married, recovery center, and more
Author Archives: Chicago Reader
Posted inBest of Chicago
Best of Chicago 2021
We couldn’t have made this without you: the proud, opinionated, ballot-stuffing people of Chicago. Thank you for nominating and voting for your favorites. We get to celebrate what we love about living here. Of course there are also folks who are left out of the voting process, a gap that Reader staff and freelancers fill with impassioned essays.
Posted inBest of Chicago
Best of Chicago 2021 final ballot
Winners were announced in the March 3, 2022 special issue: Best of Chicago 2021 chicagoreader.com/best.
Posted inReader
About the Chicago Independent Media Alliance (CIMA)
The Chicago Independent Media Alliance, a project of the Chicago Reader, is a partnership of independent, local, and community-driven media entities coming together in the spirit of collaboration, especially on creating new revenue.
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How and why it’s important to talk about mental health
How do we Spark the Conversation about mental health? Let’s check in with Alia Reichert from the Spark initiative who guides us through some common ways to talk to others about mental health.
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Growing for Good with Green Thumb: PLSE
Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity: “People change—criminal records should too.”
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Local members, local food
Our cooperative principles are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity.
Posted inReader events
Journalism and Police Accountability: Perspectives from the Chicago Reader and the Chicago Torture Justice Center
Reader co-publisher Karen Hawkins, former Reader reporter John Conroy, Aislinn Pulley, co-executive director of the Chicago Torture Justice Center, and Mark Clements, an activist and police torture survivor discussed the role of journalism in uncovering police violence.
Posted inReader
The Chicago Reader at 50: A half-century of revolutionary storytelling
The exhibition is open to the public Tuesday – Saturday 10 AM – 4 PM and on display in the Newberry’s Hanson Gallery through Saturday, March 5, 2022.
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Introducing our cannabis and mental health series
Our leaders Alia Reichert and Cynthia Guzman share some of their experiences and takeaways from their time as organizers in these efforts.
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Discover the magic of Spain at Christmas
Whether you’re daydreaming about next year’s destination holiday, looking to drop everything and take a vacation, or just hoping to bring a bit of culture to your at-home festivities: consider Spain.
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Dill Pickle and Mercato: A partnership based on shared values
This holiday season, Dill Pickle will partner with Mercato for delivery, making it easier than ever to equitably shop for food from home—while helping others along the way.
Posted inReader
Giving Tuesday was a success!
Your donation today will help keep our community-funded nonprofit newsroom publishing.
Posted inChicago Reader Nonprofit Guide
Chicago Reader Nonprofit Guide
A joint project of the Chicago Reader and Executive Service Corps: This guide includes 501(c)(3) nonprofits, fiscally sponsored grassroots, arts, media, and other organizations, and some social enterprises. There are many thousands of these in this area, so this guide is meant to be a starting point in the exploration of this vibrant part of our region.