When the crumbling Ponderosa Steakhouse on Hampton Avenue was finally demolished, near-south siders breathed a unison sigh of relief. When local quickie-mart chain U-Gas opened last year, those same mouths cheered for gustatory joy: Around the holidays, warm, homemade (and free!) chocolate-chip cookies were given away to every customer. Sweet! Also sweet: the U-Gas beer selection. For starters, there's the walk-in cooler, a.k.a. the "Cold Brew Igloo," which houses stacks of brews from near... More »
