Evanston Animal Shelter is a top-notch animal shelter that truly cares about rescues. They're…read moreprofessional and conscientious. If something were to happen to me, and with no other options, I have confidence that my beloved dog would be taken care of conscientiously by Evanston Animal Shelter.

I would like to give them one star for ghosting people on phone calls and emails, as I and others…read morehave had happen, but since they do take care of some animals, and I do like animals, I will show them some mercy . Considering that they got over 6 million dollars from the City of Evanston, I am very unhappy with their poor communications and the fact that they are only open to the public for about 2 hours a day. One of the two cats I adopted turned out to have obstructive airway disease and since they were in charge of my two cats for months, one would have thought that would have been disclosed. The medication cost over $2,000 that first year because what was prescribed was not off patent and the cat was too obese to take prednisolone safely. Why was my cat obese? Ask them. Further when I asked if I could donate the huge cat carriers back to them and some food bowls they gave me (since I already had those items) they refused them as if they have all the money in the world to buy new supplies, other shelters would have jumped at the opportunity, a donation in kind of about $100. I applied to volunteer and heard nothing from them for over 2 months after emailing and messaging them following up on my status, to no avail, until I had to actually go in there to find out what was happening. I could go on but in my opinion this is an organization that is not managed well and they could do much more with the funds that they have been given. I'm pretty sure, imho, that they will ask some pals or cronies to add some high star reviews to try to balance out the negative ones, of which there are quite a few, but all I can do is try to get them to get their act together there by posting this. Finally, as to others here saying that some people there are rude, I completely agree. It is not a pleasant experience. If they try to get more taxpayer funding without improvement of their management, I intend to go down to City Hall to cite my many reservations about this organization. Update on 2/18/25: I stand by my review in spite of the response from EAS: To EAS I respond as follows: Unfortunately the cats were obese from a medical standpoint so you may want to consult with a veterinarian on animal obesity. I note that you did not post the photo of one of them I emailed to you after he had some cat nip the first night I got them, but chose the "skinny" video :) so I posted my photo of one of the big boys I adopted. Further, it is my understanding that my cats were elsewhere in foster care under your auspices until they were put into my care as fosters. If you take no responsibility for their care when at foster locations, that could be problematic, especially for them, since you foster out many animals. As to communications issues: I sent an email Sept 8, 2021 asking about a vet. No response to that. I found a vet myself and did not contact you again until early Dec this year when I put in a volunteer application. No response to that. On Jan 7, I sent a followup email asking the status. No response to that. After that I wrote a msg to your Facebook page. A day or two later someone answered and said she would follow up with the dog volunteer area. I waited approximately a week and still had no answer. I wrote again to see if anyone heard from the dog volunteer group, but received no reply. Growing quite annoyed with the runaround, a few days ago I decided to walk over to EAS and find out what was going on, which I did. I told The person there, also the person who did not answer my email of Sept 8, 2021 that I had emailed and messaged and gotten no reply so decided to walk in. He told me I must be mistaken as EAS has no email address posted on its website and was rather brusque (rude, in my perception in addition to being uninformed) gave me no apology and then insisted I must have emailed a vet with a similar practice name to EAS. He subsequently agreed to follow up, nevertheless. Moreover, with regard to my claim of poor communication, there was a post on your facebook page not long ago telling the public that people have been rude to EAS staff/volunteers when they don't get back to them and how they shouldn't be because everyone is so busy( too busy to hire volunteers who might answer phones, I guess.) If EAS cannot acknowledge the problem, it certainly will not be fixed. Re: funding: So it didn't go into your pocket, you say, but why spend 6 million dollars so you can be open approximately 2 hours a day to the public? I certainly hope the number of adoptions skyrocket going forward , you train people not to be rude (as mentioned here and elsewhere in reviews) and you answer communications because certainly the Evanston taxpayers should see something for their generous funding of your large facility.

The Wasteshed in Evanston is a bustling nonprofit of used art supplies, knick-knacks, and craft…read morematerials. If you have the patience and passion for the hunt, this is the place for you! I optimistically brought a bag for fabrics, but I unfortunately couldn't find anything quite to my taste. However, they did a great job colorcoding all of the different fabrics. The store is fairly organized considering how many donations come through. I really appreciate how they even use different drawer systems and cabinets for different subcategories of items. I do think most of the supplies would be great for educators or children: lots of odds and ends that would be put to excellent use given the right creative minds. I walked away emptyhanded, but I imagine someone would love the vintage postcards, various stamps, or Nat Geo magazines I flipped through. There's some street parking nearby, and they have a small private lot. Be sure to check their hours and any updates due to weather on their Instagram!

The WasteShed is essentially a secondhand store for art supplies. If you like sifting through boxes…read moreof goodies trying to find that one thing you absolutely did not need but now you must have, this is the place. I myself am a big stationary fan, so I was quite pleased to see how many stamps, scrapbooking materials and stickers they had. Pricing can be quite good, but some items can feel a little pricey for their secondhand nature. However, the WasteShed is a nonprofit with a noble cause, so I will give them plenty of leeway. Nice place to spend some time looking for your next craft project.

The Cradle has an absolutely outstanding staff to help counsel individuals and families through a…read morevariety of adoption decisions. We used them over 15 years ago to help start our family. They have been providing excellent post-adoption services since then and continue to be leaders in the industry. They are also the only adoption agency to have a full time nursery.

I cannot say enough good things about our experience with The Cradle. Start to finish they have…read morebeen incredible. It's no wonder the agency has been around for almost 100 years. They're excellent at what they do. For how hard adoption can be, to have some of that stress lessened by competent professionals who really have the best interest of families in mind has been priceless. Our daughter received excellent care while she was in the Cradle Nursery for the first six weeks of her life before we brought her home. Cradle staff will always be part of our family story and we are so thankful that they were there, and continue to be there, for our baby and her first mother. Our adoption counselor Wendy was a huge comfort during some of the more stressful moments and very adept at guiding us through the process and making sure all our paperwork was in line. From the counselors to the nursery staff to the billing department absolutely every person we came into contact with at this agency was warm, committed to helping and competent. Thank you, Cradle staff for helping bring our family together.

I've shopped at all three North Shore Exchange locations and they're all fantastic. The selection…read moreis beautifully curated--clothing, shoes, accessories, furniture, and home goods--and feels more like a stylish boutique than resale. The staff is what really sets this place apart. Huge shout-out to Elsa, Rosetta, Beth, and Barb--knowledgeable, honest, and genuinely helpful. They'll help you find great pieces and talk you out of things that aren't quite right. Consigning is easy and fair, and knowing all profits support local Chicago charities makes shopping here even better. A must-visit for contemporary and luxury consignment.

I confirm the other negative comments regarding some employees…read more I went to the Wilmette sidewalk event on Friday. Although I live in Wilmette, I've never been here. I will not return due to the arrogance and microaggressions of the employees. I know my high end designer brands. I own high end designer brands. I do not always go shopping dressed to the nines. Esp to a consignment store sidewalk sale. An employee rolled her eyes when I asked her about the pricing on one of the items. No need for the attitude. While my daughter was waiting to check out, another employee approached a woman standing behind her to take her to a register. That customer asked my daughter if she wanted to go with the employee. That was classy and kind. The employee actually stammered and point my daughter to a register and proceeded to walk the customer to personally ring her up. Needless to say, we will never come back. There are better resale stores on the North Shore: across the street is the YWCA resale, KMK Luxury in Winnetka, Junior League in Evanston, New to You in Glenview, Winnetka Thrift Shop are just a few. Everyone at all those stores are respectful and kind.

While my wife was in palliative care and then hospice, we benefited from the wonderful services of…read moreMeals on Wheels. Generally tasty meals brought by cordial volunteers. Can's say enough about this amazing service.

Meals on wheels is a great services. But I learned the the kosher meals are delicious also then…read morereg meals. What i appreciate is the bigger labels on the kosher. One can read clearly what the each dish in tails. The government is threatening to take this service away. Please support the non removal of this senior service

Mack's is our go to bike shop - first of all, they are incredibly friendly and helpful. I'm pretty…read moreignorant when it comes to nearly all things bicycles but I do know that my teenagers rely heavily on their bikes in getting around town. #2 - Speedy service! I've been able to roll in (literally) and been serviced nearly right away along with affordable prices. There is an alley behind the dental office that leads to Mack's with two dedicated parking spots. #3 - my teens swear that Mack's carries some of the best, coolest, Tik Tok popular items such as momofuku chili crunch Thanks for taking care of this family's bikes!!

My bike is in great shape now thanks to Mack's!! I called around and everyone had a much longer…read moretimeline. The people that work there are so knowledgeable and treat you with respect. No down talking here!!

It can be quiet or rowdy. Refinished floors nice bar and a small concert place. Stop in! Everyone…read moreis friendly.

The Evanston American Legion truly a hidden gem! You may already know that the Legion's Members…read more& their friends dedicate themselves to helping veterans and their families through fundraising and volunteering. What many don't know is that post 42 is also a place to grab a drink, meet new friends, and watch the game or attend events such as their wonderful Bluegrass music concerts. You get to feel good about hanging out with a down to earth, welcoming crowd while helping a good cause. There is no cozier or more economical place to grab a draft beer, a glass of wine or a well drink. And you might be surprised to know that while it is exclusively for members and their guests, you need not have served in the military to support the post. You can also join, for instance, if you are the son or grandson of an eligible veteran. This gives you access to other legions around the country (And there are some wonderful ones like the legion in South Haven Michigan overlooking the harbor.) Or you can be a local supporter for $20 a year. For that, you get a discount on the already reasonable prices. It's the kind of place where you could buy a round of drinks for the whole bar for less than a few beers downtown. And don't be surprised if someone you don't even know buys a round for you. It's that kind of a place. There's an event room as well, great for celebrations and meetings. The legion holds fundraising events like the annual Pancake Breakfast (a fund raiser for our local Boy Scouts.) And there's the Spaghetti Dinner supporting the Lovell Legends ( a local group of disabled vet group that competes with disabled vets rom around the country in multiple sporting events) And it's a family friendly place. My daughters love to come along to watch the game and have a kiddie cocktail or Pizza. They offer Pizza, but since it's a private club, not a bar or restaurant, nobody fusses if you pick-up your favorite take out and grab a board-game to laze away the afternoon among friends. Don't be suprised if a friendly German Shepherd is occasionally seated next to his owner, also watching the game.

Up Pup & Away is a super cute pet store that just opened up in DT Skokie!…read more This cute place offers toys, snacks, chews, and an amazing food selection. They also have accessories and clothing! If you're looking for specific items, don't hesitate to ask - they will find it or order it for you! We found a matching sock set - a pair for you, and a set for your precious fur baby - sooo adorable! The staff were super friendly, kind, and welcoming! Plenty of street parking in the area. +great selection of treats and toys +friendly service! +plenty of street parking

I absolutely love this store, the items, the quality, and most importantly the staff. I tell…read moreeveryone I know to go check them out. They are so friendly and helpful when you need assistance or ask questions about certain products. It is my only go to now for my pup's chew sticks and such. Can't say enough good things about them.

After reading the negative reviews on Yelp, admittedly from many years ago, I was reluctant to…read moreattend a service there. But I did go and was delighted that my experience was completely delightful! We were joyfully greeted immediately in the lobby and welcomed enthusiastically. The service was thoughtful and timely and the music was uplifting. After the service we were again engaged with welcoming kindness in chats with other members as well as with the minister and assistant minister. Ignore any negative reviews and go! You're sure to love it!

When my children were of preschool age I wanted to give them the support of a spiritual community…read more My wife and I investigated many different types of religious organizations and found the UCE had the most comprehensive program for life long education. While we initially joined for the benefit of the children, we discovered many opportunities for our personal growth. We've been members for nine years now, and it has been a life changing and life affirming experience. The community is very welcoming to all races, religions, sexual orientations and political ideologies. The Church offers opportunities to safely explore your thoughts and feelings. By providing this safe space, the impact of fear and dogma are reduced. I find that most consistent aspect of the community is that we build compassion by celebrating open discussion, deep connection, and creative empathy. In my experience there, members generally find that their spiritual beliefs align with what might be considered progressive ideology. However, we are all exploring and learning each time we meet.