No Means No: Is Jewel-Osco's Mandatory Cart-to-Car Service Too Much?

Whether you want them to or not, Jewel-Osco has implemented a new policy of following shoppers, and their carts, out to their vehicles. What do Patch readers think?

If you haven't shopped at your local Jewel-Osco grocery store in a while, be prepared for a new customer service initiative that you may, or may not, appreciate. It's called the "cart-to-car" service, according to couponsinthenews.com, and whether you want the help or not, your bagger is expected to follow you and your cart out to your vehicle. The service is mandatory, though Jewel-Osco denies it has anyting to do with keeping track of shopping carts, according to Coupons in the News. "We understand that this is a very different service and it might take our customers some time to understand that we want this to be the norm," said a Jewel customer service representative in the article. It was announced in January that Jewel-Osco stores …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Local Businesses Invited to Learn How To Work With DuPage County

DuPage County will host a Vendor Outreach Fair and Networking Forum May 10. Learn more about the upcoming event.

Local businesses interested in working with DuPage County but not sure how to make connections and secure contracts are invited to an upcoming networking event. DuPage County will host a Local Vendor Outreach Fair and Netorking Forum May 10. The event will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the JTK Administration Building, 421 N. County Farm Rd., Wheaton. “The vendor outreach program is a great opportunity for local businesses to directly promote their services to us and learn more about the County’s procurement process,” DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin said in a news release. During the fair, Finance Chairman Paul Fitchner and the county’s procurement staff will be on hand to provide information on the intricacies of doing business …

• Photos (1)

Do You Want Your Business Featured on Patch?

We'll give a "shout out" to local small businesses who fill out the form below and upload a picture or logo in our gallery.

Jamba Juice, 7-Eleven, Nail Bar Offering Spring Specials: DuPage Biz Briefs

Through May, Jamba Juice and 7-Eleven have special deals for customers. Nail Bar in Elmhurst is offering specials during the spring and summer.

Jamba Juice, 7-Eleven, Nail Bar Offering Spring Specials: DuPage Biz Briefs

Through May, Jamba Juice and 7-Eleven have special deals for customers. Nail Bar in Elmhurst is offering specials during the spring and summer.

A two-day job fair will be held April 5 and 6 at Chuck’s Southern Comforts Café location in Darien. The job fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days at the restaurant, 8025 S. Cass Ave., Darien. The restaurant is looking to fill a number of positions. Find out what positions it is hiring for. At its last hiring fair, it had 115 job applicants attend. Through May 17, 7-Eleven is offering customers a special $2 breakfast deal. The “steal of a deal” includes a medium coffee and the choice of a sausage biscuit, two glazed donuts or two ripe bananas for $2. One option for customers is to try 7-Eleven's new skinny salted caramel mocha coffee that has 25 percent reduced fat and calories.  Customers at Jamba Juice in Illinois can enjoy a …

• Photos (3)

Owner of The Hills Cafe & Pizza Hopes New Diner Will Fill Niche

Shane Johnson says he thinks The Hills, at the corner of Prospect and Park in downtown Clarendon Hills, will become a go-to spot for locals and a destination for nonresidents, as well.

Locally Owned

Owner of The Hills Cafe & Pizza Hopes New Diner Will Fill Niche

Shane Johnson says he thinks The Hills, at the corner of Prospect and Park in downtown Clarendon Hills, will become a go-to spot for locals and a destination for nonresidents, as well.

It took a little longer than Shane Johnson expected, but the Clarendon Hills resident’s local cafe is finally open for business. The Hills Cafe & Pizza had its first day of business at the corner of Prospect and Park avenues Dec. 22, after building problems delayed the opening that was originally set for December 2011. “Every time we would try to open up a wall, we’d find a problem. Every time we opened a ceiling, we’d find a problem,” said Johnson, who was also sidelined for several months last year due to a health scare. Throughout 2012, Johnson, who serves on the Clarendon Hills Special Events Committee, would be asked by residents when they could expect the diner doors to open. “Every time I came downtown I’d get stopped,” he said. Now…

• Photos (1)

Ask a Stylist: What Hairstyle is in this Holiday Season?

In the latest edition of Patch's "Ask a Stylist" series, Salon Hype owner Ross Bartolomei tackles hairstyles for the holiday season.

Every so often on Patch, Salon Hype owner Ross Bartolomei answers a question about the ubiquitous discussion topic that is our hair.  Got a question for Ross? Email it to joe.odonnell@patch.com. Question: What's in for holiday hair in 2012? Answer: Holiday hair is fun and 60s inspired this season. With this look you definitely want to show off your neck line and shoulders. Hair is off the face slightly, teased on top, and pulled back into a pony tail. With the pony tail, there are a couple of options. It can be curled, and I'm talking about spiral, large loose curls, or the pony tail can be loosely braided down off the front of one shoulder. I recommend visiting your local beauty supply store and look for clip-in hair pieces. These are …

• Photos (1)

3rd Generation Coffee Grower Opens Hinsdale's New Café La Fortuna

In addition to serving 100 percent Mexican coffee, Alejandro García-Palacios hopes to help his customers appreciate the growing and roasting process, and "bring coffee culture closer to the consumer."

Locally Owned

3rd Generation Coffee Grower Opens Hinsdale's New Café La Fortuna

In addition to serving 100 percent Mexican coffee, Alejandro García-Palacios hopes to help his customers appreciate the growing and roasting process, and "bring coffee culture closer to the consumer."

Alejandro García-Palacios talks about coffee like it is art. “The beauty about coffee is that there are no written rules,” said the owner of the brand new Café La Fortuna at 46 Village Pl. in Hinsdale. “Everybody has their own tastes; everybody has their own techniques of growing, their own techniques of processing … their own roasting techniques, their own blends.” And while most of us think little beyond the caffeine jolt of our morning Joe, it’s clear talking to García-Palacios that he hopes to spread his knowledge and appreciation for the coffee bean to all of his new downtown Hinsdale customers. A third-generation coffee grower, exporter and roaster, García-Palacios moved to Burr Ridge in 2006 with his wife Angela and the couple’s …

• Photos (1)