Chicago Market Newsletter — April 2023
We Joined a Co-op!
There is strength in numbers, and now Chicago Market has that when it comes to purchasing power!
We recently joined INFRA, the Independent Natural Food Retailers Association, which is a cooperatively formed group of over 300 grocers around the country who pool knowledge and buying power.
Click the photo of Dan and you can read and hear more about it, including a few comments from INFRA's President and CEO, Pat Sheridan:
Uptown Farmers Market — Be a Friend!
The Uptown Farmers Market is just a few short weeks away from starting its third year on May 3. Now is your chance to make a difference — sign up today to be a "Friend" of the Uptown Farmers Market.
The Uptown Farmers Market is more than just a place to shop for awesome local produce and other goodies — it's a place to bring community together. Each "Friend" donation helps us take good care of our vendors, provides amazing musical entertainment from local Chicago (even as local as Uptown) musicians, and much more! All friends will be posted on the website and given a graphic to proudly share on their own social.
The Uptown Farmers Market is more than just a place to shop for awesome local produce and other goodies — it's a place to bring community together. Each "Friend" donation helps us take good care of our vendors, provides amazing musical entertainment from local Chicago (even as local as Uptown) musicians, and much more! All friends will be posted on the website and given a graphic to proudly share on their own social.
Volunteer
Calling any Chicago Market Owners with HR/recruitment experience! We're looking for a few volunteers who would be interested in helping our General Manager and the Board with pulling together some basic employment materials that we'll need in place as we begin the recruitment process for the first hires for our store. If you're interested in this work, or just want to know more about what it entails, please contact us.
Uptown Farmers Market Receives Grant Support
Great news! Our farmers market has received $1000 in grant funding support from Compeer Financial!Compeer Financial is a member-owned, farm credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. Having their Farmers Market Grant Program support us means together we're supporting our farm community, and that is a core part of Chicago Market's Vision!
Thank you, Compeer Financial!
We launched a new tool recently to give you a richer view of our Co-op's Project Phases—the Timeline!
And we'll use this section of the Newsletter each month to tell you what's happening, so here goes:
And we'll use this section of the Newsletter each month to tell you what's happening, so here goes:
- We're finalizing loans with lending institutions and working to close on the City's TIF funding. There is a lot of process and due diligence to step through on this front, so it takes time.
- We're working with ComEd to select the best electrical supply for our store and ensure it's in place on time.
- We have a bid out on some great used store equipment which would help us save money. We're just waiting to hear whether our bid is accepted or not.
- We just recently joined a secondary purchasing co-op, INFRA, as you read about above.
- Our design team at StoreMasters is finalizing our architectural and engineering drawings this month. Once ready, they'll be used to apply for permits and to share with subcontractors so they can bid on our project.
Note that to align with our own Values and the requirements of TIF funding, we'll be searching out minority- and women-owned businesses as subcontractors.
In the News
The latest in short videos:
 |
 |
 |
| Prairie Fruits Farm Visit |
Chicago Market Joins INFRA | Timeline |
- Board Meeting — May 1, 7:00-9:00pm
- Uptown Farmers Market - every Wednesday from 2:30 - 7:00pm, beginning May 3
News from Our Business Owners
Chicago Fair TradeGet thrifting at Chicago's biggest community Clothing Swap at the Chicago Fair Trade Museum (Fri Apr 14 - Sun Apr 16), where swappers of all ages, sizes and genders are welcome! There will also be expert stylists on site, pay-what-you-can mending, an international knitting circle you can join, and other fun freebies.
Collective Resource Compost:
"It’s the most wonderful time of the year! April is Earth Month! We’re looking forward to this year’s Spring Finished Compost Gift-Back. Our friends at The Talking Farm will be hosting us again. If you're our customer, we have a 10-gallon gift for you and you can come get compost sooner. In celebration of International Compost Awareness Week, we’ll have three dates in May when we’ll be open to the public to buy zero waste, made-in-Chicagoland compost at a reasonable cost. Details are here on our website."
"It’s the most wonderful time of the year! April is Earth Month! We’re looking forward to this year’s Spring Finished Compost Gift-Back. Our friends at The Talking Farm will be hosting us again. If you're our customer, we have a 10-gallon gift for you and you can come get compost sooner. In celebration of International Compost Awareness Week, we’ll have three dates in May when we’ll be open to the public to buy zero waste, made-in-Chicagoland compost at a reasonable cost. Details are here on our website."
Irpino Real Estate
This month, Dominic channeled his Italian roots and visited Anna Maria Pasteria (4400 N Clark St.), an Italian restaurant that was started by two Italian sisters over 30 years ago and has remained a neighborhood staple ever since. Watch his video profile here.
This month, Dominic channeled his Italian roots and visited Anna Maria Pasteria (4400 N Clark St.), an Italian restaurant that was started by two Italian sisters over 30 years ago and has remained a neighborhood staple ever since. Watch his video profile here.Get Involved
Your Co-op is a nationally recognized project that will have incredible impact on our local economy and the local food system. Invest in Preferred Shares now—you benefit and your Co-op can lower it's reliance on bank debt.
Not up for investing but want to help your Co-op financially?
- Donate any amount here. (can be tax-deductible and recurring)
- Level Up your Ownership if you're not already a Cultivating Owner.
- Donate to our Ownership Grant Program.
Be the first to comment.