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City Cast Chicago

Keep It Local

Keep It Local by City Cast Chicago spotlights local businesses we love with personal, curated, and neighborly recommendations to help you live your best Chicago life. So, if you’re ready to ditch the national chains, e-commerce giants, and big box stores,

 sign up now for the new weekly newsletter from City Cast Chicago

Sign up for Keep It Local from City Cast Chicago

Kayleigh Padar

Stepping into Sheep Cult Comics, you’re surrounded by whimsical, winding caverns of cloud-like shelves, presided over by sculpted sheep heads.

Co-owners Emma Akins and Trevor Hormel opened the shop this year because they wanted to create a space where local artists of all experience levels can sell their work and receive a fair cut of the profits. They 

“I feel like our biggest accomplishments are the times a 13-year-old kid comes in with a zine they made,” Hormel said. “You can get some really unique stuff from people who might be considered outsiders. It’s exciting to see people get to create something and put it out into the world for the first time.”

Hormel designed and crafted free-form sculptures for the store’s displays based on drawings that Akins made. He used wooden shelves as a skeleton, then constructed frames around them with chicken wire, burlap, and concrete.

“I grew up going to a lot of roadside attractions because my dad loved them,” Hormel said. “So, I really wanted to create something like that, where it doesn’t necessarily look good, and it just looks like someone built something.”

Akins and Hormel said they’re stocking “anything you wouldn’t find in the Barnes and Noble across the street.”

low-budget DIY zines printed off home computers

$30 one-of-a-kind hand-risographed art anthologies

, Sheep Cult Comics sells all kinds of printed works with a focus on autobiographical stories, photo zines, poetry, and comics.

“What I love about comics is that we artists have gotten really good at portraying an emotion in just one panel,” Akins said. “It gives you a moment in time where you can just be with the character in whatever they’re feeling, and I think that makes us feel less alone.”

Sheep Cult Comics also regularly hosts makers’ markets, comedy shows, and 

Sheep Cult Comics Celebrates Local Chicago Comic Artists

I’ve compiled a list of stores where you can find the newest graphic novels, affordable used comics, or even your next favorite board game. Most of these stores also host regular events where you can meet fellow nerds 🤓

 (duh), you’ll find AlleyCat Comics at 5304 N. Clark St. It’s full of graphic novels and trinkets featuring all your favorite characters. Head to the back of the store to dig through 

⛱️ Catch them during the last few weeks of summer if you want to read your new comic on their back patio!

comic book shop and board game store had a baby

, it’d look like Goblin Market at 2868 N. Lincoln Ave. On the store’s first floor, you’ll find a curated selection of graphic novels and comics, plus an extensive section of supplies for roleplaying games, like Dungeons & Dragons. The basement is home to board games and stationery from local artists.

🏳️‍🌈 On the second Friday of every month, Goblin Market hosts a 

. Visit the shop tomorrow from 6-8 p.m. to meet new people who love all things comics, sci-fi, and games.

Dark Tower Comics (Lincoln Square and Logan Square)

Dark Tower Comics at 4835 N. Western Ave. and 2641 N. Kedzie Ave. offers hundreds of new comics and thousands of trade-ins, plus 

. The Logan Square location has an extra room in the back where people regularly 

🎲 Every Saturday from 11 a.m -7 p.m., the Logan Square location hosts 

 where you can try out some of their games for free!

First Aid Comics (Little Italy and Hyde Park)

 at 1142 W. Taylor and 1617 E. 55th St. stocks a wide variety of comics and graphic novels from Marvel, D.C., and independent publishers. They also have trading cards, role-playing games, and board games!

👀 New releases are available every Wednesday. Check out their 

 to get a taste of what you’ll find in the shop.

I’ve compiled a list of stores where you can find the newest graphic novels, affordable used comics, or even your next favorite board game. Most of these stores also host regular events where you can meet fellow nerds

Some of the Best Comic Stores in Chicago

Your Guide To Chicago’s Comic Book Stores

Whether your perfect karaoke night involves performing to an entire bar or renting a room for a more intimate experience, you’ve got options! For even more inspiration, check out our guide to the 

My biggest karaoke fear is searching up the song I’ve been planning to sing all week, and finding out the bar’s machine doesn’t have it. 

 at 1659 W. North Ave. will never let that happen! Their digital karaoke system can instantly download any song of your choice. Plus, it’s free to sing in front of the whole bar after 8 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.

👯 Do you ever get stressed out singing alone? Louie’s Pub has a solution for that too. Their professional 

 will do your backup vocals upon request!

Green Light Korean Pub & Karaoke (West Ridge)

 at 2519 W. Peterson Ave. is my friends’ favorite place to host their birthday parties, in part due to their wide selection of soju. They offer private karaoke rooms, so you can spend the night putting on an exclusive show for your friends.

💵 You pay by the hour to reserve a room for up to 20 people. On Thursdays, they offer a 

 — small rooms (up to six people) are just $15 an hour and the largest rooms (up to 20 people) are $30 per hour!

If you can’t decide whether you want to jam out in a private room or delight a room of strangers with your beautiful voice, don’t worry! 

 at 610 W. 24th Pl. is the best of both worlds.

 is ready to help you create the perfect gathering, whether it’s for a corporate outing, a birthday party, or even a wedding reception. Their space can accommodate up to 200 people!

If you close your eyes and picture a karaoke bar, it probably looks something like 

 at 3556 W. Belmont Ave. It’s got the wood paneling of a classic Chicago dive bar, and it’s lit up with neon pink lights. Karaoke starts at 10 p.m., but make sure to put your song in early because it gets busy!

😴 If you love going to bed at a reasonable hour, Alice’s Lounge hosts a 

! The karaoke machine’s available from 7-10 pm and drink specials include a $10 Alice’s Sour cocktail and $4 beers.

Whether your perfect karaoke night involves performing to an entire bar or renting a room for a more intimate experience, you’ve got options! For even more inspiration, check out our guide to the best karaoke bars in town.

City Cast Chicago's Guide to Karaoke Bars in Chicago

Your Guide To Karaoke Bars in Chicago

Karaoke is pretty serious business, and I want to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.

Karaoke Bars vs. Private Rooms vs. Neighborhood Bars

The karaoke ecosystem is vast, and it helps to know what kind of vibe you’re looking for.

If all your friends were in show choir, you’ll have a great time taking over a bar where you can sing to the entire room. But if your group leans shy, double-check to make sure there are private rooms so it’s easier to peer-pressure the wallflowers to pick up the mic.

For a more casual vibe, check out your local neighborhood bar. Here are a few spots that have karaoke nights throughout the week:

The best karaoke songs are short and sweet.

 Everybody knows the lyrics. They’re easy to sing along with. I’m so sorry, no one wants to hear you sing “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” for eight minutes. (Unless you have a private room, in which case, the night is yours!)

90% of karaoke is about being a good audience member!

 Bring the energy and get in the mindset to be your friends’ biggest hypeman.

 to prevent stage fright! If you know microphones make you flighty, have a song ready in your back pocket or lock down a duet with your most confident friend.

It’s super easy to get lost in the sauce in a private room. The servers don’t want to awkwardly stand there while you scream-sing Miley Cyrus’ "Wrecking Ball." (No matter what you’re going through.) Consider designating a few friends to 

manage drink orders and work together to gather empty glasses.

Karaoke is pretty serious business, and I want to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. 

City Cast's Guide to Karaoke

The Art of Karaoke

Amid a summer of foodborne illnesses, intense weather, and ever-rising grocery prices, many Chicagoans are exploring ways to grow their own food, said Sam Koentopp, the Farm Programs Manager at Urban Growers’ Collective.

“Our food system is not set up in a way to support our health and the health of the environment, and more people are seeing that,” Koentopp said.

By operating eight urban farms and teaching people to grow their own food, 

 aims to change that while providing affordable, fresh food on the South and West sides of Chicago.

“We’re all about what happens when we put our hands in the soil and connect with the earth and each other,” Koentopp said.

 in a container on your patio or front steps.

“Start with something really simple that you’re going to be excited to eat,” Koentopp said.

Isn’t it kind of late to be planting a garden?

Nope! You still have plenty of time. Some warm-weather crops — like green beans, cucumbers, turnips, and collard greens — grow very quickly and will be ready to harvest before cold weather sets in.

Other plants — like carrots, lettuce, radishes, broccoli, and cauliflower — don’t mind the cold at all! Koentopp said some of them even taste better after they’ve survived a frost.

Where can I find affordable supplies and more information?

, high-quality potting soil, and a small container. And one of the best things about gardeners is that they love to share!

“Gardening is not a solo endeavor,” Koentopp said. “Just a little bit of curiosity about your neighbors’ gardens can open up pathways for you to reduce costs and connect with your community.”

It’s common for gardeners to trade seeds, share supplies, exchange harvests, and reveal their most effective methods.

Urban Growers Collective regularly hosts 

 is Sep. 5 from 10 am- 12 pm, and it’s all about the fall growing season.

Stick around after the workshop for their weekly Saturday 

, where you can hit the farm with their experienced gardeners and get some hands-on experience.

Amid a summer of foodborne illnesses, intense weather, and ever-rising grocery prices, many Chicagoans are exploring ways to grow their own food

City Cast Chicago's Guide on Growing Your Own Food

How To Start Growing Your Own Food

From expansive gardening centers to little shops packed with house plants, it’s not hard to find all the supplies you need to bring some more greenery into your life.

If you want to make sure the plants you buy have beautiful, healthy lives, check out City Cast’s 

Almost every house plant in my apartment came from 

 at 5739 North Clark St. (And all of my Jellycats!) You probably know it as that big yellow building that anchors the north end of Andersonville’s main shopping strip. There’s a large greenhouse, nearly a block of patio space, and a gift shop.

 is Sep. 12-13 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., where you can find hundreds of plants, pots, holiday decor, and garden essentials. 

 found its home at 3247 N. Broadway in 2021, it started with a group of friends selling plants and hand-painted pots at local farmers markets. Now, the store is home to more than 30 individual vendors.

🤒 Next time your pothos looks a little sickly, don’t freak out. For $75, an expert from Plant Stand Collective will 

 and tell you how to improve your plants’ lives. They also offer re-potting and plant sitting services!

Adams & Son & Daughter Gardens (Humboldt Park)

 at 1057 N. California Ave. celebrated its 20th anniversary. The family-run garden center has a wide selection of houseplants, exotic plants, and outdoor crops, not to mention literally anything else you could ever need for your garden. Plus, they’re famous for their 

🧐 Don’t be afraid to ask questions! The store’s resident plant experts are always ready to provide advice on how to care for your new green friend.

 at 3645 N. Kedzie has all kinds of plants, trees, shrubs, and seasonal flowers. Their team of master gardeners and designers is prepared to take on almost any project, from removing a dead tree to arranging a tiny terrarium of succulents.

🌱 If you love having plants more than planting them, Fertile Garden Center 

: landscaping design, garden installations, maintenance, and more.

From expansive gardening centers to little shops packed with houseplants, it’s not hard to find all the supplies you need to bring some more greenery into your life.

City Cast's Guide to Garden Shops in Chicago

Your Guide To Chicago’s Garden Shops

Do you ever look around the city and think to yourself, “Someone should make a board game about this?” Well, for the past eight years, the independent artists behind the gift shop 

, Transit Tees’ teams of creators enjoy the challenge of capturing all the things that make Chicago unique through interactive activities.

“We always want to have an insider’s angle, like, ‘If you know you know,’ and if you live here, you get it,” said owner Tim Gillengerten. “There’s so much joy here. We love celebrating Chicago and expressing that experience in our products so people can connect with the city.”

” players race to strategically visit five El stations and return to The Loop before anyone else.

“We had a family tell us that they draw their five destinations, play the game, and then make a day out of physically going to each of those stops and exploring those neighborhoods,” Gillengerten said. “I love that they found a way to use the game to expand their knowledge about the city.”

It typically takes the Transit Tees team about a year to design a game, but they usually repurpose some of the art to create lines of related gifts and apparel.

“It’s been really fun for us to draw and design the games, and to strategize about creating the gameplay,” Gillengerten said. “When we made The El, I laid out a map of the CTA in the office. We all grabbed stuff from our desks, like a box of Tic Tacs and a razor, just started strategizing about how we could turn the concept into a game.”

” — a drinking card game named after the classic dive bar combo of a shot of Malort and Old Style chaser. It’s filled with trivia questions and challenges based on common city experiences.

 about their next board game project, “Dibs,” where players can build a parking empire by saving spots with junk from the garage.

From board games about the city’s history to puzzles of iconic maps to card decks featuring local wildlife, Transit Tees’ teams of creators enjoy the challenge of capturing all the things that make Chicago unique through interactive activities. 

A board game that's centered around Chicago

How Transit Tees Turns Chicago’s Quirks Into Board Games

I’m pretty sure any kid who has to return to spending their days inside deserves a little treat.

From vintage toys to a workshop series for aspiring toy inventors, I’ve compiled a list of places that’ll help you spoil the kids in your life as they get back into the swing of sitting still and studying.

Why buy toys off a regular, boring shelf when you could make an afternoon out of grabbing them with a claw machine? Claw It at 2252 S. Canal St. has 

 filled with plush toys, collectibles, Pokémon cards, candies, and soda. They also host kids’ birthday parties!

🧸 If you win a handful of smaller plushies and toys, you can trade them in for a bigger prize. 

 at 2532 W. Fullerton Ave. has over 2,500 square feet of “Vintage, Toys, Arts & Farts,” making it one of the largest vintage toy shops in the city. They specialize in toys from the 80s and 90s, and regularly host group art shows themed around toys and pop culture. And if you’re in the market for fake poop, they’ve got that too!

🪀 If you have an old bin of Barbies or My Little Ponies or Star Wars action figures lying around, you can sell them at the shop! Just 

 of items they’re looking for before you go.

, which has locations all over the city, offers an extensive selection of toys organized neatly into themes, like “blast from the past,” “planes, trains, and automobiles,” “unicorns, rainbows, and sparkles,” and much more. If you send them your budget and a description of what the kid in your life is interested in, they’ll curate a pre-wrapped box of goodies.

 that’s perfect for commemorating the first day of classes.

 at 4749 N. Lincoln Ave. curates the store based on his passion for child development. This fall, they’re hosting 

 for the “Young Inventors Challenge,” where kids aged 6-15 can turn an idea into a real toy or game, build a prototype, and pitch it to the toy industry.

📚 For a back-to-school season sale, Timeless Toys is offering 15% off on all books through Aug. 28. On the last day of the sale, 

From vintage toys to a workshop series for aspiring toy inventors, Here's a list of places that’ll help you spoil the kids in your life as they get back into the swing of sitting still and studying. 

Some of the Best Toy Stores in Chicago

Your Guide to Chicago’s Toy Stores

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

“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.