From Yarn Bombs to UFOs: Your 10 Favorite 2021 Stories

For Logan Square, Chicago and the world at large, 2021 has been a challenging year. After the mess that was 2020, area businesses looked to bounce back. Hopes rose as vaccines arrived, and then new variants pushed a full recovery further into the future. But the year has seen a lot of good things, too, as shown by your favorite stories over the last 12 months.

From the Farmers Market’s move to a new winter home, with ample COVID protocols, to an immediately popular new bakery to a bike ride club that brought people together safely as the pandemic threatened to keep us apart, several LoganSquarist stories have caught your attention. Read on for our top articles of 2021, and thanks for continuing to support the neighborhood, local businesses and hyperlocal news like ours!

1. Logan Square Farmers Market Finds New Indoor Home This summer’s Farmers Market saw record numbers, and the event moved to a new winter home at 2537 N. Pulaski Rd. Pandemic safeguards included extra space between vendors in the cavernous warehouse building.

1. Sugar Moon Is The Ultimate Neighborhood Bakery Opening just down the street from Necessary and Sufficient Coffee (3624 W. Wrightwood Ave.), Sugar Moon bakery had block-busting lines even at its soft open in September.
2. Meet Neighbors, Find Cool Stuff At Buy Nothing’s Free Giveaway Days The Buy Nothing Logan Square group launched a “Free Giveaway Day” in October, encouraging Logan Square residents to fill their stoops, porches and lawns with free stuff. 
3. Dos Urban Cantina’s Taqueria Shift Signifies Postpandemic Focus On Sustainability Neighborhood stalwart Dos Urban Cantina (2829 W. Armitage Ave.) pivoted to a popular taqueria-style menu during the pandemic.
4. New Logan Square Cycling Club Will Host Beginner-Friendly Group Rides After getting more involved in the community through activism opposing anti-Asian hate, Min Wang launched the Logan Square Cycling Club this spring. The club aims to be open and inclusive to cyclers at all levels in the community.
5. Logan Square UFO Club Seeks Sightings, Open Minds As lockdowns forced us all inside earlier in the pandemic, one Logan Square group decided to look somewhere more expansive than their living rooms: outer space. At least partially tongue-in-cheek, the Logan Square UFO Club invites interesting conversation and open minds.

1. Learn Local History On New Graffiti And Gears Tour This summer, a new grafitti tour brought the history of this vital public art form to Logan Square and other nearby neighborhoods, including an intro to our local graffiti wall, Project Logan.
2. Testaccio Announces New Menu, Upcoming Wine Bar And Food Truck When the owners of Osteria Langhe (2824 W. Armitage Ave.) introduced sister restaurant Testaccio (2456 N. California Ave.) this spring, influenced by the food scene of Rome, the neighborhood took notice.
3. Yarningdale: A Video Story A wonderful, vibrant and colorful public “yarn bomb” project at the 606 Trail looked amazing in this fall video essay.
4. Gateway Vegan Market Launches At The Native Local vendors brought animal-free food and products to The Native (2417 N. Milwaukee Ave.) this summer, as the bars’ vegan manager kicked off a new recurring marketplace on the bar’s back patio.

Thanks for keeping up with the neighborhood’s latest with us this year, Logan Square! We look forward to telling you more about our favorite corner of Chicago next year. Happy New Year!

Featured photo: Jaley Bruursema