Saturday Special: Evanston business update

Good Saturday morning, Evanston.

Above, Mustard's Last Stand, 1613 Central St., celebrated its 55th birthday last Sunday, an impressive milestone – but some vehicles at its classic car show had seniority on the hot dog emporium. (Photo by Carrie Jackson.) Also: For more Chicago-style hot dog options, check our 2023 guide.

Welcome to a special edition of the RoundTable newsletter focusing on our recent business coverage: s on the restaurants and shops of Evanston, and the proposed projects and developments that might transform our city.

Central Street storefront scene

The stretch of Central Street between Prairie and Hartrey avenues has seen a lot of recent changes:

Demi Urosevic (above) and her husband Aleks opened Parlor on Central in mid-May, a new hot spot for cold treats. Also: For more options, check our 2023 guide to Evanston's best ice cream .

After more than 30 years in Evanston, women's clothing store Lois & Company has said goodbye . Lois Combs (above) said her business "never really reached the same levels" after the pandemic. Alicia Mohr, who runs a boutique at Old Orchard, is taking over the storefront.

Wilmette comic book and collectibles shop Heroines and Heroes is moving to Evanston , reports The Record North Shore. Owners Drew Beckmann (above left) and Vernon Wiley (right) plan to open later this month in the former branch library space next to the soon-to-open Celtic Knot pub .

After 23 years of baking, the Schaps family (above, from left: Dave, Hannah and Lizbeth Schap) have sold Great Harvest Bread Co. New owner Kate Weber took over June 11.

More business briefings

Anne's Irish Knits closed in June after 22 years of bringing Emerald Isle sweaters, dresses and scarves to Evanston. Anne McKeown cited some health issues and the ongoing obstacle course of Main Street roadwork.

The developers of the Tapestry Station apartments on Main Street hope to build a second project about 200 feet north: They want to replace a vacant Custer Avenue industrial building and parking lot with 230 apartments (rendering above). The five-story project would need some zoning variances.

Lizzy Zera, a personal trainer and fitness instructor, has opened E. Marie Plants and Vintage at 2510 Green Bay Road. Behind the original NYC subway train car doors are houseplants, succulents, pieces from local artists and more.

Cozy Noodles & Rice, 1018 Davis St., closed at the end of June . Co-owners Bee Nanakorn (above left) and Yee Muenprasittivej say rent got too high but they would like to reopen elsewhere in Evanston. "It has been the honor of my life to serve customers here for the last 23 years," Nanakorn said.

Those QR code sidewalk decals link to www.enjoyevanston.com , a city-sponsored guide to business district events and information , with interactive maps and a searchable calendar.

Good News Laundry, which has operated at 817 Noyes St. for 50 years, has closed for good . There are five other laundromats in Evanston, but none in the area north of Dempster Street and east of McCormick Boulevard.

The Gem Museum Suites has opened in the former King Home at 1555 Oak Ave. In June the Liquor Control Review Board backed a liquor license for a hotel restaurant said to be "tilting toward Mediterranean with a focus on Greek cuisine."

Evanston City Council has voted to spend nearly $100,000 on planning and design services for a Civic Plaza (concept above) next to 909 Davis St., the new home for city offices. The plans grew out of an Evanston Thrives proposal for a Theater Plaza in the area in connection with Northlight Theatre's planned relocation

The Wild Onion Market co-op, a dream almost 12 years in the making, celebrated its grand opening June 12. The grocery store is in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood, but it has more than 2,800 co-owners, many from Evanston.

We mean business at the RoundTable!

From day one, it's been the RoundTable's mission to cover the entire Evanston community, which includes reporting on everything from new hotels and housing developments to local restaurants and stores. We're not selling anything – our website and newsletter are free – but we depend upon your support to continue investing in high-quality and in-depth business coverage, reporting news that strengthens and enlightens our community, encourages civic engagement and bolsters our democracy. Please join our community of readers.

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