Hannah Pierce
City Guide Writer
Hannah Pierce is a City Guide Writer for City & Local, specializing in creating accessible and informative content for residents and visitors alike. Before joining City & Local, Hannah honed her skills as a travel blogger, focusing on hidden gems and local experiences in smaller towns across the region. Her background in urban planning gives her a unique perspective on city layouts and community development, which she brings to her writing. Hannah's work has been featured in several regional magazines, and she was awarded 'Best Local Guide' by the Community Advocate Group in 2022.
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Latest Articles
Trump Tower Chicago Welcomes First Retail Tenant After 17 Years
After 17 years of complete retail vacancy, Chicago's Trump Tower has finally secured its first tenant: a 2,800-square-foot Mediterranean café called Prasino.
May 30, 2026 · 2 min read
Using local navigation apps to find hidden gems
Recently, I used Jauntful to find a new Korean BBQ spot in Los Angeles and discovered a hidden pond in a local park, showing how specialized apps enhance local exploration.
May 30, 2026 · 4 min read
Top 4 Hidden Gem Restaurants for Authentic Local Flavor
In Wichita, a modest diner named Fat Ernie's Family Dining, once a local secret, now draws visitors from across the state thanks to its unexpected rise on 'hidden gem' lists.
May 29, 2026 · 5 min read
4 Best New Restaurants with Unique Cuisines for 2026
In May alone, New York City welcomed a fine dining Thai spot from San Francisco, a South Asian diaspora restaurant featuring Guyanese lamb chop curry, and a taqueria specializing in nose-to-tail pork
May 29, 2026 · 4 min read
Chicago Air Quality Unhealthy Through Thursday Morning
As of mid-afternoon on Monday, July 14th, Chicago's air quality index value hit 137, signaling unhealthy conditions.
May 28, 2026 · 2 min read
Cortland Street Bridge Rehab: Pedestrian, Cyclist Access Issues
Just weeks after the Cortland Street Bridge closed to vehicles, Alderman Waguespack was already pleading with city officials for "expedited traffic congestion mitigation assistance.
May 28, 2026 · 2 min read
Mount Greenwood store faces copyright claims over firefighter swag
Over 2,000 Chicago residents have signed a petition supporting Shrader's Goods, a Mount Greenwood business, after the City of Chicago issued a cease-and-desist order.
May 28, 2026 · 2 min read
U.S. Attorney Reforms Grand Jury Rules After Broadview 6 Case
Charges against the 'Broadview Six' were dismissed after prosecutors failed to disclose critical grand jury transcripts, triggering the 'most substantial and significant changes in decades' to federal
May 28, 2026 · 2 min read
Pabst Brewing Company Ends Schlitz Beer Sales in Chicago
On Monday, May 25, 2026, Friends of Friends bar in Chicago held a 'Schlitz funeral' event, offering 86-cent drafts to mourn the end of an era.
May 26, 2026 · 3 min read
Discover Chicago patios and beer gardens this summer.
One Chicago beer garden serves a 96-ounce copper mug giant mule, while another boasts 56 different beers on tap.
May 26, 2026 · 2 min read
Lollapalooza Reveals 2026 Aftershow Lineup With Global and Local Acts
Paris Paloma will kick off the Lollapalooza 2026 aftershows on Tuesday, July 28, at Metro Chicago.
May 26, 2026 · 3 min read
Sueños Festival Celebrates Chicago's Latino Culture
Since 2023, El Taconazo Express has operated a booth at the Sueños festival, a small but potent symbol of how local businesses integrate into one of Chicago's largest cultural celebrations.
May 25, 2026 · 2 min read
Chicago shootings overnight injure multiple people across city
In a grim discovery early Sunday, 18-year-old Cristian Jose Rojas Barrios was found shot in the chest and leg, hands tied behind his back, in a Chicago bathtub.
May 24, 2026 · 2 min read
Future of Sunken Raber Landmark Home Remains Uncertain
Thirty years after being landmarked to save it from demolition, Chicago's 156-year-old John Raber House still sits weathered and empty, with no clear plans for its future.
May 24, 2026 · 2 min read
Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibition opening dates conflict at Field
The Field Museum's website crashed last week as eager fans swarmed to book tickets for its new Pokémon Fossil Museum exhibition.
May 23, 2026 · 3 min read
Taste of Chicago announces 84 food vendors for 2026 festival
Nearly 40% of the food vendors at this year's Taste of Chicago are new, marking an exciting and significant refresh for the iconic festival!
May 23, 2026 · 2 min read
Atelier Lincoln Square restaurant closes its doors
What a turn of events for Lincoln Square!
May 23, 2026 · 2 min read
Chicago Fire Department Engineer Steven M. Decker Dies at 61
A 61-year-old Chicago Fire Department engineer, with nearly 30 years of service, suffered a fatal medical emergency during an annual equipment test on the city's Far North Side.
May 23, 2026 · 3 min read
Community fights industrial park plan for Ford City Mall
On Chicago's Southwest Side, the Ford City Mall, plagued by a staggering 54 percent vacancy rate, must close by June 22.
May 22, 2026 · 3 min read
Gun shop stays open despite federal violations
A gun allegedly used to kill a Chicago police officer came from a Range USA store in Merrillville, Indiana.
May 22, 2026 · 3 min read