The Amish Are Coming! The Amish Are Coming!

Summer's farmers markets are over in Chicago, but it turns out there is still a place where you can get a taste of the rural life in the Loop.

The shuttered Wolf Camera shop at 42 South Clark Street has reopened as the "Rise 'n Roll Amish Market" -- a store selling Amish goods from Shipshewana, Indiana.

The store was closed when I went past on a recent morning, so I don't know if this is a pop-up shop just for the Christmas shopping season, or if it's going to stick around.  I did, however, find that on November 20, 2009 a business license was issued for another location at Two Illinois Center (233 North Michigan Avenue).

Sweetwater Flowing at Illinois Center

One of our alert readers e-mailed us some camera phone pics of the new Sweetwater Grill in the Loop (225 North Michigan Avenue).    It looks like it opened in the last couple of days, and fills the space vacated by the collapse of the Bennigan's restaurant chain.

Status Update: Sweetwater Grill at Illinois Center

The "Sweetwater" signs are up at the Illinois Center.  It's a good sign of progress and nice to see something taking the space that was once a Bennigan's restaurant, then a massive advertising billboard for Snickers.  I don't know if anyone from Sweetwater will ever read this, but if someone does -- tell your employees to stop picking their noses in public; at least while they're in uniform.

Ben-Agains

Last year the Bennigan's restaurant chain collapsed, leaving two very high profile vacancies in Chicago's Loop.  One, directly across from the Art Institute must have been a gold mine, especially on rainy days, as tourists sought shelter from the elements and vagrants. The other was front and center on the ground floor, Michigan Avenue face of the Illinois Center.  Now it appears there is some life at both locations.

First, down by the Art Institute, we're happy to report that the Bennigan's has actually reopened for business.  It's been open since at least November and appears to be doing OK.  Not as good as it used to, but what restaurant is doing its old traffic these days anyway?

The Illinois Center location isn't open, but at least we don't have to look at a vacant bar anymore.  The windows have been covered up with advertising for some movie coming out in the spring.  One of the large windows has been transformed into a video screen.  It's not ideal, but it's certainly better than nothing, especially considering the amount of vacant storefronts within 1,000 yards of that location.

What we'd like to see: WFLD Television take over the Bennigan's space and finally get the streetfront news studio it's been craving for years.  Parking the microwave truck on South Water Street and doing live shots from the plaza of 230 North Michigan really isn't the same thing.  It would also leave WGN Television as the only commercial station in town whose news operation isn't open to public viewing.