More than 100 Chicago Market Owners came together on Saturday, August 4 in the beautiful theatre space on the campus of Truman College to reflect on the (fiscal) year just behind us and look ahead to what’s next.

Founder and Board member Greg Berlowitz warmly welcomed the assembled Owners community to our fourth annual Owners Meeting. “We have always maintained that the Chicago Market cooperative is more than just a grocery store,” he reminded us. “We are a powerful community made up of passionate, interesting and diverse people who share a connection to our community, our culture and our food.”

Indeed, that community made itself heard yesterday, applauding our growing number of Owners (currently at 1,257!)…the signing of a 10-year lease for the fabulous Gerber Building site…the impassioned remarks by Uptown United executive director and Chicago Market Owner Martin Sorge about investing in our cooperative community via our soon-to-begin Owner Loan Campaign…and the hands-on efforts of current and former Board members and the cadre of volunteers.

WE NOW PAUSE FOR THIS IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. While it may seem as if Chicago Market is finally within sight, the Owners at the meeting registered surprise when it was pointed out by Board member Dana McKinney that in order to meet the funding requirements for design and constructions loans, the Co-op needs to enroll 5 Owners per day between now and the end of the year.

You read that correctly. To reach the required goal of 2000 new Owners by year-end, 5 community members need to become Owners of Chicago Market every single day.

It’s a huge lift, which is why it was so inspiring to have more than 25 of the assembled Owners – nearly 1/4 – sign up to become engaged Owner-Volunteers, and commit to planning and staffing the Mixers, Info Sessions and House Parties so we reach that goal.

Stay tuned to your in-box for more details about how you, too, can commit to becoming a much more engaged and involved Owner…helping us get to 2000 Owners and our big, beautiful grocery store in Uptown.

Want to learn more? Click here to see the slide deck from the 2018 Owners Meeting and here to read our 2018 Annual Report. 

Thanks, as always, to Business Owners Greg O’Neill and Ken Miller of Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine for supplying the big, beautiful trays of incredible edibles for our Owners!