Jan 01

The Buzz on Val’s halla Records

By Kelly Pollock, feature writer Buzz Cafe Growing up in Michigan, Shayne Blakeley loved music. He still recalls the Fisher Price cassette player he carried around when he was a toddler and the goofy version of “On Top of Old Smokey” that it played. After moving to Chicago with the... read more →
Dec 04

Your Arts District Holiday Shopping Guide

by Kelly Pollock, feature writer Buzz Cafe Holiday shopping opportunities abound in the Oak Park Arts District. Stocked shelves, holiday events, and rotating discounts are making Harrison Street the place to be this December. At Elevate Hair and Beauty Boutique (321 Harrison Street), you can purchase a bath bomb gift... read more →
Oct 30

Dye Hard Yarns Moves to the Oak Park Arts District

by Kelly Pollock, feature writer Buzz Cafe Chastity Dunlap was bitten by the knitting bug a dozen years ago when she found a woman on Craigslist who gave lessons in a local coffee shop. “Then when I moved to Forest Park, I discovered my first yarn store and loved it.... read more →
Oct 07

The Nineteenth Annual Chair Painting Event at Buzz Cafe!

By Kelly Pollock, feature writer Buzz Cafe On September 21, Buzz Café hosted the Nineteenth Annual Chair Painting event in their courtyard. Owner Laura Maychruk said that they planned to replace about half the café's chairs with freshly-painted new arrivals. “During the year, we pop into Brown Elephant and when... read more →
Sep 01

Parle Français in the Oak Park Arts District

By Kelly Pollock, feature writer for the Buzz Cafe After eighteen months at 11 Harrison Street in the Oak Park Arts District, Stacy Fifer is expanding L'Institut français d'Oak Park with an additional classroom just two doors down at number 17. Her French language school for adult and mature teen... read more →
Aug 28
Aug 05

Chad Keast Drumming Up Business in the Arts District

By Kelly Pollock, feature writer for Buzz Cafe Growing up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Chad Keast loved percussion and considered studying music performance in college but didn't think he had the required discipline. Instead, after studying accounting at a technical college, he decided to go to hair school. Chad went... read more →
Jul 08

The Actors Garden Takes Center Stage

by Kelly Pollock, feature writer Buzz Cafe Gigi Hudson discovered her passion for acting in college and has been teaching theatre for almost thirty years. This year, she is celebrating the ten-year anniversary of The Actors Garden which originally launched out of space shared with Musikgarten on Harrison Street which... read more →
Jun 03

Allstate Insurance Opens in the Arts District

By Kelly Pollock, feature writer for the Buzz Cafe Early in his career, Rene Medina worked as an internal auditor at the headquarters of Allstate Insurance Company in Northbrook. He became familiar with their agencies, and his interest in the insurance industry was piqued. More than twenty years have passed,... read more →
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