What is Chicago Market?
Chicago Market will be a big, bright, beautiful community-owned grocery store featuring local, sustainably farmed, organic produce, meat and dairy products, as well as all of the other staples you'd expect from your market -- dry goods, bulk foods, frozen foods, wine, beer and liquor. We'll have a butcher shop, delicious prepared foods and fresh-baked goods. Chicago Market will be a community hub where shoppers can enjoy the juice and coffee bar while attending workshops, classes, meetings and performances.
Chicago Market will provide farm-to-table transparency about food, its origins and its processes. It will educate its community about nutrition, ingredient sourcing and methods of food production. The Market will support sustainability and integrity in all areas, including environmental stewardship, fair labor practices and cooperative principles. It will be devoted to the triple bottom line: People, Planet and Profit.
What is an Owner?
Chicago Market is member-owned, but open to everyone. Owners receive a variety of benefits — both in dollars and in control over the direction of the Market. You'll be a key player in building the co-op community and changing the local-food landscape.
Direct benefits.
- An annual patronage refund of co-op profits based on each owner's spending.
- Owner-only sales & specials.
- Owner discounts on classes, workshops & special events.
- An opportunity to serve on the Board of Directors, which will be responsible for hiring the general manager and steering the strategic direction of the co-op.
- A vote in choosing the Board of Directors.
Indirect benefits.
- Giving great-paying jobs with benefits.
- Giving support to our local farmers.
- Giving the Earth a break through sustainable growing.
- Giving your community a wonderful place to shop, an eclectic meeting spot, and an educational hub to learn about local, sustainable food.
Mission and Purpose
We are building a better food community. Powered by our Owners, we create and strengthen local food connections that are honest, accessible, educational and inspiring. We are a cooperative grocery store -- but more than that, we're a gathering place and vibrant community resource.
Vision
A better food community --
local, sustainable, connected.
Tagline
Local. Sustainable. Yours.
Values
We value: Relationships, Ownership, Sustainability, Accountability and Joy.
Relationships
Relationships are the core of our food community. We cultivate partnerships and community among our Owners, shoppers, vendors, local businesses and organizations, chefs, restaurants, our city and our neighborhood. Further, we regard our farmers, manufacturers, producers and employees as valued members of our community.
Ownership
Democratically led by our Owners, Chicago Market's success depends on the participation of each member of our community through Board and committee work, volunteer engagement, participating in the annual Owners meeting and electing our Board. Founded on and operating by the core cooperative values and principles, we provide our community voice to build a democratic and equitable food community that has the power to change the local food landscape.
Sustainability
We support and promote sustainable agriculture: careful resource use and environmental and economic sustainability. We incorporate these principles in everything we do, including our Purchasing Values, store design and operations. We want to make buying decisions that are both sustainable for the co-op but also for the suppliers and employees with whom we work.
Accountability
Chicago Market is accountable to our Owners, employees, vendors, community and environment. We commit to fair labor standards, honest and financially responsible business practices, transparent communication and continual improvement based on our community's feedback. We provide transparent information about who produced your food and how it was produced, so you can decide what you feed yourself and your family.
Joy
We share a passion for connecting with others over food that makes us feel great. Our facilities, events and programs inspire and educate; they celebrate and incubate local food producers and new ideas. Chicago Market is a joyous place to shop and work, and gather in community.
See Chicago Market in Action.
Where is Chicago Market?
Chicago Market will be easily accessible to people from Roscoe Village on the south to Edgewater on the north, and from the lakefront to as far west as Albany Park.
Owners
Create
Owners
Hundreds of Owners have bought shares in the vision of Chicago Market. They are the building blocks of our dream grocery store. Curious about Chicago Market? Where will it be? How will this food co-op become a reality? Click on our FAQs for detailed information. And, if you're already an Owner wanting to spread the word about Chicago Market, click here for our helpful Owner Toolkit.
Chicago Market Timeline.
We are working diligently to find the right retail location for Chicago Market’s
future home.
We’ve identified dozens of potential sites, done a deep analysis of feasibility on several, and we continue to analyze new sites as they hit the market. Much like a “gut rehab” or “move-in ready” residential property, each retail space comes with a different timeline based on many factors (current tenants, zoning, current state of the building,
permits, etc.).
Our planning work tells us that we cannot secure a loan and therefore a site without 1,500 Owners.
Our timeline:
2013.
2014.
2015.
2016.
0-6 months.
3-12 months.
TBD.
First public meetings; formation of Steering Committee for Chicago Cooperative (now Chicago Market).
Chicago Market launches to the public; elects first Board of Directors.
Chicago Market finalizes Business Plan and conducts Market Study.
Chicago Market begins the search for a site and reviews many possible locations.
Once site is procured:
Store design, permitting, GM search, funding raise, Owner Loan Campaign.
Construction of Chicago Market.
Chicago Market opens.
2013.
First public meetings; formation of Steering Committee for Chicago Cooperative (now Chicago Market).
2014.
Chicago Market launches to the public; elects first Board of Directors.
2015.
Chicago Market finalizes Business Plan and conducts Market Study.
2016.
Chicago Market begins the search for a site and reviews many possible locations.
Once site is procured:
0-6 months.
Store design, permitting, GM search, funding raise, Owner Loan Campaign.
3-12 months.
Construction of Chicago Market.
TBD.
Chicago Market opens.