Crain's Chicago Business

"There aren't too many places like Freddy's anymore." Owners Joe and Ann Marie Quercia often say this about their beloved Cicero pizzeria they have been running for decades. Crain's Recommender-in-Chief David Manilow can't get enough of the hearty, homemade dishes or the welcoming atmosphere. Get this week's recommendation and other food news from Crain’s restaurant team in our new subscriber-only newsletter, The Dining Table. Read the full recommendation here: https://lnkd.in/gY7qnu4p Subscribe to The Dining Table newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/gejS7Y9T

Chicago Fire FC owner Joe Mansueto has reached a deal to buy property in the South Loop for a $650 million, 22,000-seat soccer stadium that stands to become a new sports and entertainment hub in the heart of the city and jump-start developer Related Midwest's megaproject known as The 78. Forging ahead with his vision for a privately financed Major League Soccer venue in the city's urban core, the billionaire Morningstar founder confirmed he is under contract to buy nearly 10 acres of vacant land south of Roosevelt Road between Clark Street and the Chicago River. Pending City Council approval, Mansueto aims to break ground on the stadium by early next year with the goal of the Fire beginning to play there in 2028. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/deqR-VRu

There's a new upscale dog park in Chicago catering not just to pets, but also their human owners. Dogs can get pampered with facials and play in a park, while their owners make use of the in-house bar, hair salon and remote work lounge. Pup Social, located at 2200 N. Ashland Ave. in Bucktown, celebrated its grand opening on May 30. Founder Aly Udartseva described the concept as a "premium club" where busy dog owners can multitask while their pets socialize with other furry friends. "The whole space is designed so that people can work from here," she said. "There are outlets everywhere, there are tables and there's comfortable furniture. On the patios, we have heaters and fireplaces, so it's really cozy. And we have TVs throughout the space that people can watch a Cubs game or a Sox game." Beer and wine is available from self-pour, pay-by-the-ounce taps. Salon offerings include blowouts, updos and nail treatments. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dxpwbqqE

The buildout of Chicago's first new medical school in nearly 100 years, The Chicago School's Illinois College of Osteopathic Medicine, is moving toward occupancy at the former Tyson Foods building in the West Loop in late 2025, with plans to start classes the year after. The school got a boost earlier this month with pre-accreditation approval from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, clearing the way for it to begin accepting applications for an inaugural class of 170 students who will begin studies in fall 2026. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gZvgxZzA

Each year, Crain's recognizes leaders in philanthropy for outstanding work. From executives overseeing major health systems to grassroots organizers driving community change, these 78 nonprofit leaders play a critical role in strengthening civic life. Read more and see the full list of leaders in philanthropy here: https://lnkd.in/gN9ubBZA

Legislation filed in the Illinois House of Representatives would overhaul the Regional Transportation Authority, giving the organization a new name and more control over the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace, which provide rail and bus service across the city and suburbs. The bill, introduced by state Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, is a modified version of legislation backed by labor groups that would leverage and reshape the existing RTA, rather than creating a new transit agency from scratch. In this iteration, the RTA would be renamed the Northern Illinois Transit Authority and have authority to set fares and budgets for the CTA, Metra and Pace. The structure is an attempt to provide the governance reform that legislators have demanded in return for additional funding needed by the mass transit agencies to deal with a $771 million annual funding shortfall when pandemic-era federal support ends next year. The transit agencies have said they need $1.5 billion a year to deal with deferred maintenance and provide additional service. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gjQ-E3FM

Each year, Crain’s Chicago Business celebrates the 50 companies setting the pace for growth, innovation and job creation in the region. More than just an awards lunch, this high-impact event brings together some of Chicago’s most influential and forward-thinking business leaders. Attendees will be the first to see the 2025 Fast 50 ranking revealed live, spotlighting the standout performers driving the city’s economic momentum. The program also features an in-depth conversation between Glen Tullman, CEO of Transcarent and a serial health care entrepreneur, and Crain’s senior reporter John Pletz. Together, they will share candid insights on leadership, innovation and what it takes to scale with impact. Register here for an afternoon of connection, perspective and celebration: https://lnkd.in/gG3F4UAY

Filipino food in Chicago is having a moment. That's why Crain's Recommender-in-Chief David Manilow is gravitating toward Boonie's, chef-owner Joseph Fontelera's North Side ode to modern, bold Filipino cooking. Get this week's recommendation and other food news from Crain’s restaurant team in our new subscriber-only newsletter, The Dining Table. Read the full rec here: https://lnkd.in/gcHxr637 Subscribe to The Dining Table newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/gejS7Y9T

Nobody likes paying taxes, least of all cash-strapped businesses struggling for their lives. That’s why a new business strategy has taken off over the past year in the legal cannabis trade: claiming exemption from a burdensome federal tax provision that has — until now — been effectively taxing much of the industry to death. Since early 2024, state-licensed cannabis companies in Illinois and across the country have been changing up their approach to filing and paying federal taxes — specifically to claim exemption to a little-known 1982 provision in the Internal Revenue Code called Section 280E — in a move that is saving many of them eight or nine figures apiece. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gZSX9tx4

When "The Dining Table" podcast host David Manilow can’t go all the way to Italy for a meal, he visits Tortello in Wicker Park. Chef Dario Monni handcrafts his pasta right in a window overlooking Division Street. In the latest episode, Monni shares his journey from Sardinia to Chicago as a restaurateur, why flour from Italy is his key ingredient and which regional Italian cuisine made “his brain explode.” Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g9SVz89g