Business & Tech

Ward Eight Serves Its First Cocktails On Howard

Cocktail bar Ward Eight held a soft opening last weekend, with a grand opening planned Dec. 12. Other business news includes a new women's boutique and two businesses celebrating one year in operation.

Ward Eight Already Open, Serving Cocktails
The cocktail lounge at 629 Howard St. began serving patrons last weekend, and a grand opening is planned for Dec. 12, according to co-owner Anne Carlson. Carlson says the business will be open during regular hours Wednesday through Sunday starting at 5 p.m. Carlson is opening the restaurant along with co-owner Cody Modeer, both of whom worked for In Fine Spirits in Andersonville. Some of their recent concotions include the Blood & Sand, which dates to 1922, (incorporating Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch, cherry brandy, sweet vermouth and orange juice) and the new invention A Sunshine Fix (blueberry tea-infused Journeyman gin, ginger syrup, lemon juice, soda water and bitters). Along with cocktails, Carlson and Modeer will also serve wine, beer and small plates. 

Asinamali and Coucou Owner Opens Used Clothing Store
Kellie Poulos, owner of the women’s clothing boutiques Asinamali and Coucou, opened a new store, called Used, on Oct. 18. Located at 1309 Chicago Ave., Used sells previously worn clothing and leather goods, including vintage Coach bags, cowboy boots and leather jackets. “Everything is in really good shape—it’s like a used boutique!” says Poulos. 

Mod*ern Nears One Year in Business On Central
Lora Swanson, owner of the antique store East of the Tracks, opened Mod*ern next door to her original store in January 2012. Located at 1808 Central St., Mod*ern celebrates one year of selling mid-century modern furnishings this January. 

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Soulwich Closes In On First Year On Orrington
Owners Ash and Bhavini Patel opened Soulwich at 1634 Orrington Ave. in January 2012, according to Chicago Magazine. The business is now popular with locals and Northwestern students alike, serving sandwiches inspired by the street food of Burma, Singapore, India, Thailand and Indonesia. 

Bottle & Bottega Begins Offering BYOB Painting Parties
Evanston resident Lynette Martin recently opened a local franchise of Bottle & Bottega, a Chicago-based business that offers BYOB art studios. Martin worked at J.P. Morgan and Northern Trust for 21 years, but was inspired to leave her previous career after attending a painting party herself, according to a press release from the company. Since she launched her business Aug. 12, Martin has hosted regular public BYOB painting parties at Creative Coworking in downtown Evanston. She is currently searching for a permanent studio for her business. 

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Lapin Expands Into Chicago
The Lapin Systems store at 823 Dempster St. has expanded into Chicago. Located at 1547 North Larrabee, the new Lapin store opened on Nov. 26, according to the business’ website. The store has offered support and certified repairs for Apple products since 1995.

Wiener and Still Champion Considers New Downtown Chicago Location
Wiener and Still Champion owner and chef Guy Paschalis says he is considering opening a second location in the Loop. Known for his creative, deep-fried inventions, including chili deep-fried in cornbread and deep-fried gravy, Paschalis says that nothing is definite yet, but he’s gone to look at a space in downtown Chicago.  “It would be more of a high volume, lunch-focused menu,” he says, in contrast to Wiener and Still Champion, which offers lunch and dinner.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here