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Kayleigh Padar

Even now, my dad always texts me when he sees the school supply sections pop up in grocery stores. So, think of this roundup as me passing along the favor.

Whether you’re actually going back to school soon or you just love analog hobbies, these local shops will help you find all kinds of stationery goodies you didn’t even know you needed!

I know they’re viral on social media, and there’s always a line out the door, but I’m here to promise you that 

 at 5208 N. Clark St. is worth the hype. This queer-owned small business recently expanded into a bigger space, and it’s filled to the brim with journaling supplies and hard-to-find international brands.

🎨 The owners are working to launch Paper & Pencil Creative Studio in their former retail space at 1480 W. Berwyn Ave. They plan to offer meetups, open studio hours, pop-up markets, and creative workshops. Check out their 

Buying art supplies doesn’t have to be expensive. 

 at 1754 N. Kimball Ave. is like a thrift store for art supplies. Last year, they kept more than 50 tons of craft materials out of landfills and provided them to local creatives at more affordable prices.

🧵Overwhelmed by all the choices? Pick your favorite type of craft, and they’ll 

 at 2321 N. Milwaukee Ave. designs and prints a full line of their own greeting cards and gifts that are sold in 750 stores throughout the country. In addition to their original creations, you can find a wide variety of planners, journals, coloring books, notepads, and writing materials.

🌃 I’m a sucker for anything Chicago-themed, and they have an entire 

If you’re looking for tools that feel luxurious, this is the place to check out. 

 at 1463 N. Milwaukee Ave. has a very elevated vibe and aims to offer products that fit seamlessly into your daily rituals. They also have a second location in Lincoln Park at 810 W. Armitage Ave.

, this Japanese company offers quality home goods that’ll make your desk feel fancier.

Some of the Best Stationary Shops According to Us

Your Guide to Chicago’s Stationery Stores

Keep It Local

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Emily Mack

Chicago is hot AF right now — and so is the dining scene. These recent openings have caught our eye.

This moody, velvety cocktail lounge is indeed dramatic. It’s also a new favorite of our own Michelle Navarro. Michelle likes the Offline Crush, a fresh cucumber drink with mezcal. (Personally, I enjoyed the candied kiwi that comes atop the Disco Pen.)

Turn Back Time is equal parts coffee shop and record store, designed for customers to browse and talk while sipping. Underscoring those community aspirations, it 

The coffee comes from Four Letter Word in Logan Square, and the tea is by Rishi Tea & Botanicals.

The upscale steakhouse reopened in late July following water and fire damage. Can confirm: This is a great spot if you’re trying to ball out for a special occasion. (At P&P, I once had the petit filet with wild mushrooms and partook in my first-ever seafood tower.)

An Englewood native opened this spot recently inside of an old dilapidated church — and it’s already drawing big crowds. The 

(and the name, of course) all honor Black roots.

Here’s what we’re trying on Roots’ menu

, I’m excited to try this casual burger stand. But I’m waiting for a wild night. Bumper 2 Bumper is open till 2 a.m. on weekends and takes up a prime location near the California Blue Line.

5 New Spots to Dine and Drink

The latest on the best and newest restaurants and bars in Chicago. We'll help you find where to eat, drink, and socialize.

Chicago Food & Drink

Food & Drink

“Everyone will always need to buy pens,” is the mantra that inspired Brendan Schmidt’s great-grandfather to open 

 in 1939. For decades, the family-run shop delivered office supplies in bulk to offices in the Loop.

“In years where business in the city was good, you’d see a ton of sales for black ink, and in years when it was bad, red pen sales skyrocketed,” said Brendan, who co-owns the store at 227 W. Lake St. with his brother Brian Schmidt.

When most Downtown offices shut down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the store was suddenly forced to change its business model. For the first time in the family business’ history, people actually 

So, Brendan and Brian shifted their focus toward selling fine writing instruments and stationery to individuals. 

“When I joined the team back in 2018, I thought my job was going to be selling paper and staplers, like Dunder Mifflin style,” Brendan said. “So, you can imagine I was thrilled when we made the decision to pivot, because the stuff we sell now is way more fun to be around than copy paper.”

If you’re new to stationery like Brendan was, his advice is: keep an open mind. It’s normal not to understand why anyone would buy a $20 (

) pen until you’ve used one yourself, he joked.

“We have people who’ve finally bought a nice fountain pen, and come back a week later, like ‘What did you guys do to me?’” Brendan laughed. “Before you know it, they’ve got a ton of pens, and some stickers, and that collection grows.”

Over the past six years, the shop has grown rapidly because journaling as a hobby has grown in popularity. Many of Atlas’ regular customers buy supplies for “

,” a messy mix of scrapbooking and notetaking.

Whether you’re working with the finest materials or some random hotel pens from your junk drawer, the point of journaling is to set aside some time for yourself to slow down, Brendan said.

“Journaling is a form of art and creativity on its own,” Brendan said. “We don’t always have to rush and jot down a note and move on. We can enjoy the process. The best thing is that there’s no rhyme or reason to any of it. I know people who have a journal ecosystem, with three different notebooks that each have their own theme. You can really do anything you want.”

For decades, the family-run shop delivered office supplies in bulk to offices in the Loop.

Atlas Stationers Has Supplied Chicago’s Pens For Decades

Family-Run Atlas Stationers Has Supplied Chicago’s Pens For Decades

Even though my dog prefers to eat at home, I’ve compiled some outdoor patio spots that I think your dogs would love. I’ve included one spot that is dog friendly-ish, and one spot that is totally dog-free, just in case you want a night off!

If you’d like some more options, check out Block Club Chicago’s 

. They even have a checkbox that indicates if the spot is dog-friendly!

 at 3509 W. Fullerton Ave. boasts a 6,000-square-foot beer garden with plenty of tables, lawn games, and firepits. When your pup’s ready for dessert, offer them the

 made with yogurt, bananas, and peanut butter.

🥂Does your dog like brunch? Try Park & Field’s 

, and taste-test a selection of over 70 beers, cocktails, and spiked slushies.

After your dog dips their paws in the water at Montrose Dog Beach, head over to 

at 200 W. Montrose Harbor Dr. for a quick refresh! While you enjoy a salad or fish & chips, your furry friend can order a chicken breast, hamburger patty, or cup of whipped cream.

 even includes craft beer. It’s non-alcoholic, of course, and comes in two flavors: beefy brown ale or chicken porter.

Okay, this is the part of the list where we’re slowly transitioning toward patios with fewer dogs. 

 at 1818 W. 99th St. found a way to make everyone happy. While dogs aren’t allowed on the patio itself, you can drop them off at the “Barking Lot”— a fully-fenced dog park where your dog can hang out while you grab a coffee.

🍋I LOVE when a coffee shop has homemade lemonade. Check out 

 which is freshly squeezed lemonade with strawberry and lavender syrups.

Even dog-parents need a night off once in a while. Take a break on this dog-free patio outside of 

 at 1711 N. Halsted St. This old-school Italian restaurant offers a quiet alcove that’s glowing with fairy lights, perfect for a peaceful summer night.

, which is a grilled Mediterranean Sea Bass filet served with vegetables, or 

, which features sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms in a cream sauce.

Want to enjoy patio weather, but hate leaving your pup at home? Check out our guide on the best dog-friendly patios in Chicago.

Dog-Friendly Patios in Chicago

Your Guide to Dog-Friendly Patios

Five years ago, a group of artists transformed a 

. Since then, the venue has blended live music, performance art, and gallery spaces “for the good of art, entertainment, and events.”

“From the outside, people might think that we’re still a church with a practicing congregation, but once you go inside, you realize how unique it is,” said gallery director Vincent Uribe. “People are always blown away. It’s fun to see people come in and start to imagine all the things they can do with the space.”

,” features a stage that’s equipped to host shows of all kinds, from jazz ensembles to complex theatrical productions. Walk up a grand staircase to find “The Sanctuary,” a vintage room with 

vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows

 that’s suited for cabaret-style music productions, literary arts, comedy, and magic shows.

Nestled underneath the building, you’ll find “

,” which feature original stone walls, wood beams, and a dimly lit champagne bar.

 every season that are free and open to the public.

“We’re not a white-room gallery space, our space is multi-functional and every room is unique,” Uribe said. “We open all of the galleries at the same time so that you can have an adventure going upstairs and downstairs, and getting lost within the building itself while you discover the art and music.”

When booking artists and performers, Epiphany’s curators strive to amplify the voices of underrepresented communities and foster a space where established artists can work alongside emerging artists.

“I notice people tend to be really excited for each other, and the community feels tight-knit,” Uribe said. “For me, what makes Chicago’s arts and music scene unique is how supportive the community is of one another.”

Five years ago, a group of artists transformed a shuttered, historic church at 201 S. Ashland Ave. into Epiphany Center for the Arts. Since then, the venue has blended live music, performance art, and gallery spaces “for the good of art, entertainment, and events.”

Why Creatives Love Epiphany Center for the Arts

From a rehabilitated opera house to a theater with its own craft brewery, there’s no shortage of unique venues to see live music in Chicago. Here are some of my favorite spots in town where you can check out acts ranging from the biggest names in music to your neighbor’s garage band.

Modeled after the Prague opera house, the original 

 finished construction in 1892 at 1807 S. Allport St. It was restored in 2013, and has since regained its reputation as a community gathering place. Stop by for a show, grab 

, or sit down at its in-house restaurant.

 and collects donations for the Pilsen Food Pantry. Attendees can experience live music and explore a market of local vendors.

 at 1035 N. Western Ave. has hosted musicians of all genres in a laid-back, no-frills atmosphere. Personally, I spend most of my time here playing pinball in the lobby. I love that there’s a quieter alcove to hide away in whenever the music gets too loud.

a Lolla afterparty with indie acts After and (Chicago’s own!) Sunshy

 at 3520 S. Halsted St. is home to an indie music venue, craft brewery, and taproom. The owners live just a few blocks from the theater with their three kids. Look closely, and you’ll see signs that this 1,800+ capacity venue was once a movie theater over a century ago.

 that combines Latinx and Electronic music in an “immersive sensory journey.”

at 2011 W. North Ave. has been a cornerstone for live music in Wicker Park. The owner has worked to preserve the original features of the historic building, including an iconic chandelier that hangs above the dance floor. Originally built in the 1890s, the building once served as a brothel, bath house, and a wire room for gambling during the Prohibition era.

🏢 If you didn’t get enough of The Strokes at Lolla, check out the 

 featuring the band and their many rock influences, including Blondie, Talking Heads, Arctic Monkeys, and more.

There’s no shortage of unique venues to see live music in Chicago. Here are some of our favorite spots in town.

City Cast's Guide To Chicago’s Indie Music Venues

Your Guide To Chicago’s Indie Music Venues

Michelle Navarro

Many cities can claim pizza or hot dogs as their specialty, but no one else can claim the Italian beef. That’s why I think it's funny that Chicago is only just now getting an Italian Beef Fest. 

The former Jeff Fest rebranded to focus on the simple yet delicious thinly sliced beef, dipped in gravy or 

of garlic, oregano, and other spice blends. You can add giardiniera, sweet peppers, and (arguably) cheese, all served on a white flour roll. To me, it’s perfect. And it certainly tastes better when someone isn’t in your ear saying they 

 about this for a while, but the truth is, I am the lone Italian beef lover on the City Cast team. Creative producer Emmi Mack is a hot dog expert — 

Jacoby Cochran took me to his favorite sandwich shop to try the sweet steak

. Both iconic, but I still think the beef takes it all.

Made in Chicago: Stories Behind 30 Great Hometown Bites

,” Monica Eng and David Hammond point to three possible origin stories:

“the beef stand that launched the national sandwich of Chicago,”

 in Little Italy. At the end of World War I, Anthony Ferreri was at an Italian “peanut wedding” where they served a beef roast sliced by hand and made sandwiches out of it. He sliced the beef much thinner, cooked it in its juices, some secret spices, and the “Beef Sandwich” was born.

, the meat wholesaler, and to Lucca Bakery on South Western Avenue.

The third, less commercial origin story is that the idea came from working-class families at weddings, and so the glory belongs to them.

Before FX’s hit show “The Bear,” many non-Chicagoans had no idea what an Italian beef was. Now, out-of-towners, and probably locals alike, flock to Mr. Beef — the River North establishment “The Bear” is based on. Creator and showrunner Christopher Storer grew up in Park Ridge, where he would meet his childhood friend and later 

That’s my order. I grew up getting it at Nicky’s in Gage Park, and I don’t care if I get shamed for 

 once in a while! Here are a few other spots the internet loves:

Despite my love for Italian beef, I actually think the jibarito is the 

 Chicago sandwich. The Puerto Rican-Chicago fusion plantain steak sammy is usually up north, most popularly in Humboldt Park, but 

White Sox started to offer it in section 104

 this season, and the Cubs debuted them at Wrigley just last year. Please, keep the jibaritos coming to all parts of the city … Maybe next year, Jibarito Fest? 

We did rank our favorite Chicago sandwiches

 … but let’s not pit two beautiful meals against each other.

 None of these sandwiches would exist without immigrants' influence. 

Italian Beef Fest is coming up. Let's give the dish its due

Is the Italian Beef Chicago’s Most Original Sandwich? 

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David Plotz

City Cast is committed to tracking–and publishing–demographic information about our podcast guests. Diversity is a 

, and accountability is another. We want to have podcast guests who are diverse in race and ethnicity, gender, economic background, and geography. Tracking and publicizing guest demographics is a way to hold us accountable for representing the diversity of Chicago.

So are we living up to our values? How diverse is our podcast guest pool, really?

This is the fourth year of data we have about City Cast Chicago’s guests. (

.) We ask each of our podcast guests a few questions about their gender identity, racial/ethnic identity, and neighborhood. About 90% of guests responded in 2025. The following data encompass a total of 108 guests who appeared on the podcast between Nov. 1, 2024 and Dec. 31, 2025. (We did not count City Cast Chicago staffers who appeared on the podcast.)

We then used census data to compare our podcast guests to the broader city and metro populations. This helps us see how well we’re reflecting the community we’re serving.

As you can see in the chart, City Cast Chicago’s guests broadly mirrored the population of the city and region. We had a higher percentage of Black guests than the city and metro area, and about the same percentage of white and Asian-American guests as the city. City Cast Chicago had fewer Hispanic guests than you'd expect based on Chicago’s population–only 14% compared to 23% for the metro area.

We also asked about gender identity. A 64% majority of our guests identified as female, the highest percentage in the City Cast network. About 33% identified as male and 3% identified as non-binary.

Learn more about guest diversity on other City Cast podcasts here.

This is the fourth year of data we have about City Cast Chicago’s guests. We ask each of our podcast guests a few questions about their gender identity, racial/ethnic identity, and neighborhood.

How Diverse Were City Cast Chicago’s Podcast Guests in 2025?

Welcome to City Cast Chicago Neighbors, our newly-revamped 

 that helps deepen your connection to Chicago. Here’s everything you need to know about our growing Neighbor community.

What It Means to Be a City Cast Chicago Neighbor

At City Cast Chicago, our team brings you the stories that matter — right here in our own backyard. We dig deep into the conversations shaping our communities with the people who give the city its heartbeat. In a time with increasing rhetoric and a barrage of national headlines, we spotlight the conversations impacting our neighborhoods, and celebrate the neighbors who make Chicago unique.

Because better neighbors make for better cities.

 And City Cast Chicago Neighbors are the best.

Your membership directly supports local journalism and the stories you rely on to better understand Chicago. Here’s what else you get:

 You’ll get access to regular events like special insider tours, local volunteering meetups, happy hours with other City Cast Chicago Neighbors, and other Neighbors-only events where we share ideas about how to make the city better for everyone.

submit your favorite local business or organization

 to be mentioned on the show and in the Hey Chicago newsletter. It’s your chance to shine a light on the local spots making a difference.

 right in your inbox every Monday, so you can make the most of your time in the city.

 A special feed just for Neighbors where you can listen to the City Cast Chicago podcast without advertisements.

 and help us build a better city, one good neighbor at a time.

Join the growing community of City Cast Chicago Neighbors

Here's everything you need to know about our new membership program, expanded benefits, and member exclusives.

What Is City Cast Neighbors?

City Cast is committed to tracking — and publishing — demographic information about our podcast guests. Diversity is a 

This is the third year of data we have about City Cast Chicago’s guests. (

.) We ask each of our podcast guests a few questions about their gender identity, racial/ethnic identity, and neighborhood. About 90% of guests responded in 2024. The following data encompass a total of 103 responding guests who appeared on the podcast between Nov. 1, 2023 and Oct. 31, 2024. (We did not count City Cast Chicago staffers who appeared on the podcast.)

As you can see in the chart, City Cast Chicago’s guests broadly mirrored the population of the city and region. We had a higher percentage of Black guests than the city and metro area, and about the same percentage of white and Asian-American guests as the community. City Cast Chicago had fewer Hispanic guests than you'd expect based on Chicago’s population–only 17% compared to 23% for the metro area–but that represents a significant improvement over 2023, when only 12% of guests were Hispanic.

We also asked about gender identity. A 63% majority of our guests identified as female, the highest percentage in the City Cast network. About 35% identified as male and 2% identified as non-binary.

This is the third year of data we have about City Cast Chicago’s guests. We ask each of our podcast guests a few questions about their gender identity, racial/ethnic identity, and neighborhood.

How Diverse Were City Cast Chicago’s Podcast Guests in 2024?

When we launched City Cast in 2021, we committed to tracking–and publishing–demographic information about our podcast guests. Diversity is a 

This is the second year of data we have about City Cast Chicago’s guests. (

.) We ask each of our podcast guests a few questions about their gender identity, racial/ethnic identity, and neighborhood. About 95% of guests responded in 2023. The following data encompass a total of 145 responding guests who collectively made 213 podcast appearances from Nov. 1, 2022 through Nov. 9, 2023. (We did not count City Cast Chicago staffers who appeared on the podcast.)

We then used census data to compare our podcast guests to the broader city population. This helps us see how well we’re reflecting the community we’re serving.

Diversity is a core City Cast Chicago value, and accountability is another. Here's how diverse our City Cast Chicago podcast guests were in 2023.

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The latest in Chicago

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Family-Run Atlas Stationers Has Supplied Chicago’s Pens For Decades

Your Guide to Dog-Friendly Patios

Why Creatives Love Epiphany Center for the Arts

Your Guide To Chicago’s Indie Music Venues

Is the Italian Beef Chicago’s Most Original Sandwich?

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