Chicago Market Newsletter — March 2023

What Is Our Project's Timeline?

Your grocery store is a complex project, with many steps that take time along the way, and your Board is committed to sharing those steps with you. Alongside great progress recently with electrical supply, fireproofing work, and early equipment ordering (see the fun videos below!), come some steps that have moved slower than we'd hoped. 

Board President, Matthew Ruffi, has the scoop in this short video about our target open date moving into spring 2024. 

Electrical news	Fireproofing	Equipment ordering

Uptown Farmers Market — Volunteer and Sponsor

We are less than two months away from the start of the 2023 Uptown Farmers Market. Volunteers are the backbone of making this Market a success — so whether you can come once or every week, we'd love to have you join us at the Uptown Farmers Market.

Sign up HERE or email [email protected] for more information.

• Provide compostable bags to our vendors
• Host local musicians each week
• Support our weekly Community Booth

Bowman Gardens Native Plant Sale

We hosted our Owner Angela Bowman of Bowman Gardens for a terrific native plants workshop recently and now she's offering her first-ever plant sale. She'll donate 10% of the proceeds to Chicago Market and plant pickup is at our Uptown Farmers Market on Wednesday, May 17. Order by March 31.

This is a collection of native perennials and a few small shrubs that tend to do well in Chicago gardens. You can shop in two ways:

• Buy plants a la carte from the Prairie/Savanna Collection (for sunny sites) and the Woodland/Edge Collection (for shadier sites)
• Buy a Prairie or Woodland Combo Kit, each designed to fill a 60 square-foot site.

All plants are native to and grown in the Midwest, with the vast majority of them grown right here in Northeastern Illinois.

Ordering instructions here.

Thank you for supporting two local businesses.

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Neighborhood News — Printmaking Workshop

Winthrop Avenue Family Historical Garden Printmaking Workshop

Saturday, March 25, 2023 | 12:00 – 2:30pm

Join Red Line Service Institute and master printmaker, Angee Lennard and her team, for an afternoon of Gelli Plate Printing. YES - you will use a slab of Jell-O (with a few extra additions) as your canvas. Sound silly? This has been a legitimate printmaking method since the early 1900s, and has been used to print church newsletters, science fiction fanzines, and more! Join us for a playful art experience in the garden. More info here.

 

This Red Line Service program is generously supported by Chicago Funders Together to End Homelessness.

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In the News

Chicagoland Food Co-ops Rising — our co-op friends at Prairie Food Co-op in Lombard got some great press this week and the article has a nice Chicago Market mention! We are part of a powerful movement to bring cooperative grocery shopping to Chicagoland!

Dan's In the News — our GM, Dan Arnett, is also the Chair of Fairtrade America, and he's quoted in this piece as the organization hires a new executive director.

• Board Meeting — April 3, 7-9:00pm

News from Our Business Owners

Chicago Fair Trade

The world's first fair trade museum is now open in Chicago, and they've got a tasty event coming up:

Fair Trade Nowruz: Saturday March 25, 6-9pm
"Come to the Chicago Fair Trade Museum to celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year! Whether you’re new to Nowruz or it’s a long-held family tradition for you, all are welcome to join us for an evening of delicious food, drink, music, and dancing, all delivered with our signature fair trade flair. Book your tickets today!"

Collective Resource Compost: "Do you need help setting up a composting program in your multi-unit dwelling? Our Zero Waste Consultant/Chicago Market owner Mary Beth Schaye wrote an article on the subject for Chicagoland Buildings & Environments that is available here."

IRPINO Real Estate
IRPINO Real Estate presents their March Local Business Spotlight video featuring Sunflour Bakery & Café, a woman-owned business in Buena Park. Check out the interview with owner Elia Ayala to learn more about their unique take on breakfast sandwiches and the wide variety of coffee drinks and pastries they offer.

Metropolis Coffee Company
"We are now the first manufacturer of BPI-certified commercially compostable espresso capsules in America!

Our capsules are compatible with Nespresso Original Line brewers. Our Spice Island, La Cordillera, Redline Espresso, and Decaf Redline are available in 24-ct bags online."

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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.