• An Applebee’s in Plainfield was performing so poorly that it’s now being converted into a doctor’s office. [Sun-Times]
• Fake speakeasies, “one of the strangest exercises in nostalgia ever to grip the public,” are a big trend nationwide. [NYT]
• Indie band The Hold Steady appear in a print ad for Top Chef Masters, claiming they’re excited to watch the show on their tour bus. [Pitchfork]
