Crain's Daily Gist

Retailers including Macy’s, Express and Uniqlo have closed locations on the Magnificent Mile while still maintaining a presence on State Street. Commercial real estate reporter Alby Gallun joins host Amy Guth to explain why. Plus: City extends the deadline for casino bidders by two months, Illinois’ pension debt hits a record high, YMCA names the first woman CEO in its 170-year history and McDonald’s investors demand board files on ousted CEO's affairs with employees.

The Cubs are one step closer to building a two-story addition to Wrigley Field that would house one of the first betting operations at a major U.S. pro sports venue. Danny Ecker and Ally Marotti join host Amy Guth for a roundtable discussion on the team’s plan and other news of the week—including how the delta surge has Chicago’s bars and restaurants bracing for more closures. Plus: Boeing spins off its venture-capital arm, Moline-based John Deere buys autonomous driving startup, United Airlines will mandate vaccines for U.S. workers and a look at what a temporary ban on school closures will mean for CPS.

The local real estate market is seeing a summer slowdown after months of incredible growth. Reporter Dennis Rodkin explains why in a recap of this week’s housing news with host Amy Guth. Plus: Restaurants experience whiplash as Delta variant prompts talk of new restrictions, NASA abandons Wednesday’s attempt at Boeing Starliner launch, Chicago investment firm buys Gold Coast hotel and the CDC issues a new eviction moratorium.

Portillo’s restaurants average annual sales that are far higher than fast-food giant McDonald’s. But with a planned IPO, will the hotdog chain be able to produce the steady, profitable growth Wall Street craves? Reporter Ally Marotti joins host Amy Guth to discuss. Plus: Uniqlo will close its flagship store on the Mag Mile, Related Midwest and Tyson Foods say they'll fire workers who refuse vaccines, Amazon’s Whole Foods tacks on a delivery fee in Chicago, D.C. nuclear bailout won't save Illinois plants, and a political fight ends with a new property tax due date.

Employee burnout soared during the pandemic, pushing local companies to test solutions from a four-day workweek to a Zoom ban on Fridays. Crain’s reporter Katherine Davis talks with host Amy Guth to discuss. Plus: City and County health departments advise residents to wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status, Loop tower drops condos and goes all rental, a coworking firm is set to open in the revamped Marshall Field building and a marijuana company files lawsuit seeking admission to the state’s weed license lottery.

Cook County is encouraging those to wear a mask indoors regardless of vaccination status amid the spread of the more contagious Delta variant. Stephanie Goldberg and Danny Ecker join host Amy Guth to talk about what it means for businesses. Plus: Fully elected school board now law in Chicago, city claws back more than $1 million from Mondelez and a Burger King operator, Caterpillar says costs will hurt margins even after price hikes, and Illinois issues first round of new weed shop licenses.

Home prices in May increased at the fastest pace since 2013, but that doesn’t mean the market is approaching bubble territory. Reporter Dennis Rodkin joins host Amy Guth to explain why in a recap of this week’s housing news. Plus: Activists propose an alternative to the Obama Center, Kirkland & Ellis nears deal for biggest downtown office lease in years, software startup LogicGate raises $113 million and McDonald's outpaces Wall Street estimates even as labor shortages loom.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration has reached an agreement with the Chicago Police Department’s largest union on a new contract that includes pay raises and accountability reforms. Reporter A.D. Quig joins host Amy Guth to discuss. Plus: Moody's upgrades outlook on Chicago debt, Northwestern and Rush top list of best Illinois hospitals in latest ranking from U.S. News, Blackstone is taking stake in GTCR, DePaul becomes the latest university to require COVID vaccines for faculty and staff, and Chicago holding company Madison Industries buys Big Ass Fans.

A speakeasy-style sushi bar inside a hotel room is providing a much-needed source of income for Hotel Lincoln in Lincoln Park. Crain reporters Ally Marotti and Danny Ecker talk with host Amy Guth to discuss how it’s one of the ways hotels and offices are getting creative with their spaces to find untapped revenue opportunities coming out of the pandemic. Plus: Adam Kinzinger joins panel investigating Jan. 6 riot, Aon and Willis scrap big merger deal, Old Second to buy West Suburban Bank and the Chicago-based American Medical Association urges mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for healthcare workers as Rush University Medical Center joins other local hospitals in requiring vaccines

The billionaire founder of Morningstar is pouring large sums of his wealth into charitable efforts and high-profile business ventures in Chicago, making a sizeable impact on the city's landscape. Reporter Danny Ecker speaks with Joe Mansueto on a special episode of Crain's Daily Gist with host Amy Guth. Plus: Chicago Public Schools will require masks this fall, Amazon-backed Rivian confirms plan for a second assembly plant, new apartment tower near Millennium Park hits the market, and another big Amazon distribution center is coming to Waukegan.

In the past couple of months, seven condos have sold for $4 million-plus in downtown neighborhoods where the buyers put them under contract in 2021. Reporter Dennis Rodkin joins host Amy Guth to explain what it means for the downtown housing market in a recap of this week’s real estate news. Plus: Sports betting at Chicago stadiums takes a step forward, Pritzker campaign pushes free college and tech ambitions, Petterino's to reopen under newly formed restaurant group and Lightfoot issues warning on Delta variant amid an uptick in cases.

This year’s Chicago Auto Show puts a spotlight on electric vehicles. Rob Kelter, Senior Attorney at the Environmental Law & Policy Center talks with host Amy Guth about what it will take to get consumers to transition away from gas-powered cars. Plus: Gov. J.B. Pritzker makes his re-election bid official; Nature's Fynd raises $350 million to become Chicago’s tenth “unicorn” this year; Foxtrot plans to open 50 stores in 2 years; and a new lawsuit threatens to slow Illinois’ weed licensing process.

Houseplant sales rose more than 30 percent during the pandemic. Now small, locally owned shops face competition from large venture-capital backed stores. Crain's reporter Ally Marotti discusses the retail rivalry with host Amy Guth. Plus: Portillo's plans an IPO; two Chicago startups are going public via blank-check firms; a local shopping center owner is being bought in a multibillion-dollar deal; and a look at how marijuana cultivation centers are growing jobs in rural Illinois.

Cook County is closing its last mass vaccination sites in favor of a more targeted approach to getting shots in arms, and Curb and Lyft try to sweeten the deal for customers as commuting returns. Crain's reporters Stephanie Goldberg and A.D. Quig discuss those stories and more with host Amy Guth. Plus: Mayor Lightfoot launches a $1 million reward fund to help get illegal weapons off the streets; Target opens a River North store; the parent of members-only club Soho House is valued at $2.8 billion after its IPO; and more growers and sellers are on the way under Illinois' new pot law.

Our 500th episode of Crain's Daily Gist features residential real estate reporter Dennis Rodkin and host Amy Guth discussing the downtown condo rebound, why the city closed a Gold Coast tower's parking garage and all the latest news in the local housing market. Plus: New figures measure the downtown comeback; dramatic rate cuts pay off for State Farm; M1 Finance is Chicago's newest billion-dollar company; and $100 million deals keep venture funding on a torrid pace.

The pandemic's financial toll on nursing home operators could push some under and pave the way for consolidation. Crain's health care reporter Stephanie Goldberg joins host Amy Guth to talk about struggles in the sector. Plus: The Chicago Auto Show returns with some changes; a strike against Cook County ends; the city announces $10 million in the latest Neighborhood Opportunity Fund grants; and United CEO Scott Kirby hopes flyers won't have to wear masks come September.

The tragedy in Surfside, Fla., has residents of a Chicago tower anxious about the state of their own 57-story condo building. Crain's residential real estate reporter Dennis Rodkin discusses developments at 111 E. Chestnut with host Amy Guth. Plus: The troubled Chicago Teachers' Pension Fund has new leadership; Aon founder Pat Ryan has a second act that comes with some caveats; the maker of Weber grills plans an IPO; and the food trucks that survived the pandemic are still waiting for the rebound that restaurants are already enjoying.

Leases are in demand for third-party logistics firms in Chicago. Crain's commercial real estate reporters Danny Ecker and Alby Gallun join host Amy Guth to talk about the state of office and industrial space. Plus: CTA ridership is recovering fast, but trains and buses are still only half as full as before the pandemic; Michelin-starred Mag Mile restaurant Spiaggia is closing permanently; Illinois gets a second bond upgrade; and Target backs off a Water Tower Place outpost.

In three Chicago suburbs, the fast-paced real estate market means the inventory of homes for sale is so slim, it's nearly nonexistent. Reporter Dennis Rodkin joins host Amy Guth to discuss and recap this week’s real estate news. Plus: The city's aviation chief says O’Hare is due for a major rebound, Grubhub has plans for robotic food delivery on college campuses, Willis Tower insurer sues the city and local sewer district over flood damage from May 2020 storms, and why Big Food companies need strong second-quarter numbers.

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi is now 0-3 in his efforts to push a piece of legislation through in Springfield that he says is key to his property tax reform agenda. Crain's government reporter A.D. Quig joins host Amy Guth with more. Plus: Chicago's top cop shifts blame on uptick in violence, Bears aren’t the only ones bidding for Arlington racetrack, Blackstone to pay $1.4 billion for Chicago software firm and Ford announces more factory downtime in July due to ongoing supply shortage.