Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

Housing inventory in the Chicago area could increase this year after homebuilders started construction on additional new-home communities. Homebuilding firms began 40 new communities in the final quarter of last year. That’s above the typical 10-15 new projects. Suburban areas like Plainfield, Tinley Park and Kenosha will be among the cities to see more inventory later this year. New home sales fell last year compared to 2023 and the lack of inventory was one of the reasons why. 

Also, rent in downtown Chicago is on the rise. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Tom Gimbel, job expert and founder of LaSalle Network, joins John to talk about his thoughts on the Super Bowl and how he appreciates sustained greatness, if bosses should be friends with their employees, why he’s an advocate of returning to the office, and his recent LinkedIn post about the benefits of staying at your job.

Segment 2: Dennis Rodkin, residential real estate reporter for Crain’s, joins John to talk about the housing market in the Chicago area, Mike Ditka selling his Florida house, housing inventory being tight, and Illinois Realtors unveiling legislation aimed at easing the housing shortage.

Segment 1: Ilyce Glink, owner of Think Glink Media and Best Money Moves, joins John Williams to talk about Chicago seeing a 28% increase in office-to-residential conversions, President Trump saying he will impose a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, and the economic policies of the Trump administration that she is most concerned about.

Segment 2: Jim Dallke, Director of Communications, TechNexus Venture Collaborative, tells John about TechNexus Venture Collaborative’s Electrification 50.

Segment 3: Matt Schultz, LendingTree chief credit analyst, joins John Williams to talk about a new Lending Tree survey that shows Americans plan to spend $179 on average this Valentine’s Day.

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

Chicago-based Hyatt Hotels is buying Playa Hotels & Resorts for $2.6 billion. The acquisition enables Hyatt to expand into the all-inclusive resort market in countries like Mexico and Jamaica. Hyatt had previously been an investor in Playa. It joins Marriott and Hilton in expanding its hotel network. The Hyatt deal is expected to close later this year. 

Also, improving international sales helped McDonald’s overcome weakness in the U.S. in the fourth quarter. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Jane Oates, Senior Policy Advisor and recent President, WorkingNation, joins John Williams to break down the latest labor report. What were Jane’s big takeaways from the numbers?

Segment 2: Phillip Shoemaker, Founder of the Apple App Store, currently founder of Identity.com, talks to John about the impact that Chinese AI company DeepSeek has made on the tech market, investors, and consumers.

Segment 3: Karen Cardarelli, Executive Director of FACETS Film Forum, tells John about the 50th anniversary of the iconic art house cinema, their focus on films that spark conversation, the mission to lift up bold filmmakers, and the exciting programming they have planned for 2025.

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

Chicago-based Levy has been contracted to revamp the food offerings at The Chicago Botanic Garden. The hospitality group will revamp the menu at Garden View Cafe first before moving on to other menus. The company has been tasked with creating menus inspired by the surrounding scenery, with fish and salads among the expected menu highlights. Levy operates several restaurants in Chicago and runs food and beverage service at Wrigley Field, Soldier field, United Center and Rate Field. 

Also, another round of incentives are available in Illinois for electric vehicles. Listen for more below:

To see Levy’s previous and current offerings from their partnerships with the Bears, Blackhawks, Bulls and White Sox, check out our Chicago’s Very Own Eats galleries: Soldier Field | United Center | Rate Field

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

There’s some good news about the retail vacancy rate in Chicago’s Loop. Crain’s reports the rate held steady in 2024 at just under 30%. The vacancy rate is compiled by Stone Real Estate, a local retail brokerage firm. The Loop retail vacancy rate was 29.8% in 2024, down from 30.1% in 2023. Since March 2020, retailers have vacated 222 storefronts in the Loop district. Of the 1,307 storefronts, 449 are empty. The report says that adds up to about 1.3 million square feet of vacant space. 

Also, Northbrook-based Allstate says it expects $1.1 billion in losses from the California wildfires around Los Angeles. Listen for more below:

Segment 1: Mark Hamrick, Washington Bureau Chief and Senior Economic Analyst for Bankrate.com the current state of the labor market, the importance of the job market being balanced, and inflation continuing to be sticky.

Segment 2: Bree Fowler, Senior Writer, CNET, joins John Williams to talk about Elon Musk’s lawyers facing off with OpenAI in court, Musk’s power over the federal government, and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issuing a ban on Chinese artificial intelligence company DeepSeek for government-issued devices.

Segment 3: Tim Paradis, Future of Work Correspondent, Business Insider, joins John to talk about the power shift at the workplace and how bosses are back to having more power than the employees.

Segment 4: Art Velasquez, CEO, Baja Foods, joins John to talk about the launch of a new brand called Chef Gustavo and its first product, the Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas with Salsa Verde, that you can now find at Costco!

Segment 1: Nationally syndicated financial columnist and author Terry Savage joins John Williams to talk about everything we need to know about tariffs. Terry gives us a lesson on Tariffs 101. Terry also answers all of your financial questions.

Segment 2: Michael Magnusson, Founder and CEO, Pinnacle Advertising based in Chicago, joins John to talk about their business and the Super Bowl commercial they created for WeatherTech.

Segment 3: Tina Feldstein, Owner, South Loop Farmers Market, joins John to talk about the Winter South Loop Farmers Market Indoor Market, now open for the winter season at Roosevelt Collection!

Steve Grzanich has the business news of the day with the Wintrust Business Minute.

Agricultural producer Archer Daniels Midland is preparing to layoff as many as 700 employees. The Chicago-based company is looking to cut costs, after disappointing earnings in 2024. The layoffs will be worldwide, including suburban locations and downstate Decatur. The company is primarily a food processor, making products that go into food for humans and animals.

Also, The Mariano’s store in Northfield is closing. Listen for more below: