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Today's newsletter is 1,113 words — a 4-minute read.

When Russell Steinberg looks at vacant downtown office spaces, he doesn't see failure — he sees farms.

Why it matters: Steinberg's first Farm Zero site, located kitty-corner from City Hall, feeds hundreds of Chicagoans with its lettuce, herbs, edible flowers and microgreens.

• But if his expansion plans stay on course, that number will grow to thousands this fall and eventually millions.

Plus: This summer's cyclosporiasis outbreak is highlighting the value of transparently sourced produce as more Chicagoans seek locally grown lettuce.

Backstory: Entrepreneurs have been talking up and starting vertical farms — indoor hydroponic systems where rows of plants are stacked on shelves — for decades, with some high-profile bankruptcies in recent years.

So why does Steinberg think his company can succeed where others have failed? The Farm Zero CEO believes he's arrived in the right place at the right time with the right lessons learned.

• "It wouldn't have made financial sense before COVID," he told Axios during a recent interview at his 1,000-square-foot concept farm at 30 N. LaSalle St. "But post-COVID this is one of the only things that can [easily] go into vacant office space."

State of play: Since launching Farm Zero's LaSalle Street site in late 2024, Steinberg has been delivering microgreens, lettuce, flowers and herbs to clients including UChicago Medicine, José Andrés' Bazaar Meats and Blue Plate catering.

What's next: Steinberg is building Farm Zero 2.0 in basement digs at 125 S. Wacker Drive, where the farm will expand to 10,000 square feet and serve a restaurant, a retail store and a wellness plan for Deloitte employees, he says.

💭 Monica's thought bubble: I now buy Farm Zero greens for pickup after my weekly trip to City Hall for the mayor's news conference. The microgreen Baller Mix ($10.99) is delish.

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Suburban Chicago-based Claire's is remodeling stores and updating the piercing experience to appeal to a new generation.

Why it matters: Ear piercing at Claire's represents a rite of passage for tweens and teens, and the company is betting that a more modern experience geared toward Gen Alpha will keep the mall staple relevant.

Backstory: The company, headquartered in Rosemont, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy twice since 2018 and has closed hundreds of stores, making the latest rebrand even more pressing.

State of play: Piercers at Claire's have undergone updated training, and piercing stations will be separated from the rest of the store to create a more clinical experience.

• Store layouts are more spacious, with backlit mirrors ideal for selfies, and a softer purple as Claire's signature color, a move away from the darker purple store visitors may remember from the 1980s and 90s.

Context: All the changes were conceived with the Gen Alpha customer in mind, Claire's chief merchandising officer Jillian Cueff explains. Gen Alpha shoppers want a more communal experience, seeing the mall as a place to hang out, much like it was for their Millennial and Gen X parents.

What's next: Claire's at Oakbrook is expected to be the first Chicago-area store to debut the new look later this month or early September.

• Chicago's only Claire's is at Water Tower Place, with dozens more across the suburbs.

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In recent weeks, several well-known Chicago-area restaurants and retailers announced plans to close.

Here are some notable closures announced in July and August:

Hackney's (Lake Street): The famous north suburban restaurant known for its "Hackneyburger" will close its Lake Street location in Glenview in September after 71 years.

Flashback: Hackney's once had a local empire, with locations in Glenview, Wheeling, Lake Zurich, Palos Park and Chicago's Printer's Row.

• This will leave only the original Harms Road location in Glenview, which opened in 1939.

Zeitlin's Delicatessen: The popular bagel pop-up drew excitement when it opened a brick-and-mortar location on Clybourn Avenue last year. But owner Sam Zeitlin announced this week it had closed.

• "I will miss the cherished moments of baking, growing the business, and serving," Zeitlin said on social media.

Guitar Works: After 47 years of serving Evanston musicians, Guitar Works plans to close Sept. 1.

• In an email to customers, owner Terry Straker blamed "consumer habits changing, rising property taxes and import tariffs on guitars."

More closings

🗳️ Businessman Liam Stanton announced he is withdrawing from the mayor's race and endorsing Alexi Giannoulias instead. (CBS 2)

🌭 The Vienna Beef restaurant and factory store at its Bucktown headquarters has had its opening timeline pushed back again. Originally slated to open in 2024, it will now open in 2027. (Block Club)

🏈 Bears wide receiver Luther Burden will miss the whole preseason with a groin injury. He should be ready to go for the season opener. (ESPN)

MVP chants have started to get louder at the Friendly Confines. Except it's not "MVP" — it's "MV-Pete."

The latest: Cubs All-Star Pete Crow-Armstrong is making a push for the National League MVP.

By the numbers: The 24-year-old is batting .286 with a .388 on-base percentage, .932 OPS, 26 home runs and 71 RBIs across 119 games.

• He's also swiped 30 bases.
• And defensively, he's one of the best outfielders in baseball.

Flashback: It's been a decade since a Cub won NL MVP. Kris Bryant took home the award in 2016.

• Before Bryant, past Cubs' winners included Sammy Sosa (1998), Andre Dawson (1987), Ryne Sandberg (1984) and Ernie Banks (1958, 1959).

Reality check: PCA is playing at an elite level, but he'll have to outplay reigning NL MVP Shohei Ohtani.

Yes, but: The Dodgers have kept Ohtani from pitching because of a sore knee.

The bottom line: If PCA keeps hitting for power, stealing bases and prowling center field, he'll have a compelling case to join the Cubs' list of MVP legends.

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Edited by Larry Graham.

👂🏻Carrie is going to get another ear piercing at Claire's and start her "stack."

🐕 Monica is not thrilled that practice for this weekend's Air & Water Show is making her poor dog hide and shiver in the corner several times a day.

🥎 Justin and the softball team won yesterday in honor of Tim Anderson's retirement. Big rematch with WGN next week!

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