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Small Business Saturday 2012

Friday, November 23, 2012

Three New Restaurants Open in Evanston

JT's, Koco Table and Leonie's Delice Bakery offer new options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.

Hungry for something new? Evanston's restaurant scene has gotten a boost with the recent openings of a family-friendly all-day spot, a Korean restaurant and a Haitian bakery. Downtown, JT's Bar & Grill opened in October at 1639 Orrington Ave., a space that has been vacant for years since the closing of Omaggio. Owner Sherrie Vidinich lives in Chicago but is looking into moving to Evanston. “We love Evanston," she said. "I grew up in Rogers Park so we used to venture here all the time as teenagers.” Related: 5 New Eateries Opening Downtown, On Howard Street Her restaurant, which is open from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily, serves American fare with a splash of Mexican in the form of burritos and tacos. The space has about 15 TVs to show sports, …

Friday, November 16, 2012

Cross-Rhodes Moves Forward After Founder's Death

Evanston resident Jeff Russell had already passed ownership to his daughter, Maria, before he passed away Sept. 12.

Two months after Cross-Rhodes founder Jeff Russell's death, business is back to normal at the Greek restaurant at 913 Chicago Ave. Russell died Sept. 12 from injuries sustained from a fall. The restaurant closed that day and held a memorial gathering from the following evening, which brought in hundreds of people who wanted to celebrate his life. “They were going out the door until 9:30,” says owner Maria Russell, Jeff's daughter. “I don’t think my father knew how much he was loved in the city. I think he would be in awe. It’s one thing to know that people are supportive. It’s another thing to physically see it. It was so wonderful to see how many people really did care about him and were touched by him.” Related: Cross-Rhodes Restaurant …

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