Molly DeVore

1 week ago | blockclubchicago.org | Molly DeVore

FOREST GLEN — Rae Thomas has had a sweet tooth since birth. The 6-year-old’s love of ice cream started with scoops of vanilla topped with sprinkles before evolving to dollops of Superman flavored-ice cream. Rae’s fondness for the sweet treat spurred her parents to open an ice cream shop called Sugar Rae’s in her honor earlier this month. The Forest Glen shop carries 24 different flavors, but Rae pretty much just sticks to Superman, said her father, Will Thomas.

1 week ago | blockclubchicago.org | Molly DeVore

NORTH MAYFAIR — More than a month after the city held a rapid rehousing event at the Gompers Park homeless encampment, most residents are still waiting to get into housing. In the meantime, the number of tents at the park has almost doubled while new signs indicate residents will have to relocate by May 12 to make way for park restoration work. “It’s going to be hard for us to leave because we don’t have anywhere to go,” said Laura, a Gompers Park resident who came to the park about a month ago.

1 week ago | blockclubchicago.org | Molly DeVore

PORTAGE PARK — CopaCubana Cafe, a Portage Park Cuban restaurant that’s been closed for more than seven months, won’t be reopening anytime soon as the business is embroiled in an eviction lawsuit. In September, the property’s landlord filed an eviction lawsuit against the cafe, claiming the business owes more than $28,000 in rent and damages.

2 weeks ago | blockclubchicago.org | Molly DeVore

DUNNING — Just a decade ago, María Uzcátegui and her husband, Kharim Rincón, were selling arepas out of a carefully packed blue cooler. This fall, the couple opened their third restaurant. “When we first started selling them, people didn’t know what arepas were. I would always open the cooler first so they could smell them,” Uzcátegui said with a laugh. Uzcátegui and Rincón opened their latest Rica Arepa location in October at 7534 W. Addison St. in Dunning.

2 weeks ago | blockclubchicago.org | Molly DeVore

DUNNING — Ma-Pa, a sustainably sourced vintage store on the Far Northwest Side, is reimagining the classic mom-and-pop shop. Ma-Pa opened in December on the edge of Dunning and Portage Park at 6101 W. Addison St. The store carries a curated collection of vintage clothing and homewares. Cheyenne Raduha-Hashioka, who represents the “Ma” half of the business, and Zach Caddy, who represents “Pa,”‘ said they wanted to create a store that was a modern play on the classic family-owned small business.