In a special bonus episode release to help bring awareness to September’s National Suicide Prevention Month, Laura and Sara are in conversation with Iggy Ladden, therapist and co founder of the Chicago Therapy Collective. CTC mobilizes to create safe, just, and inclusive Chicago neighborhoods for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming (T/GNC) individuals and communities. Their exhibit, “Trans Art Is” can be viewed through September 30 at the Andersonville Galleria located at 5247 N. Clark.

(from left) Laura, Iggy, and Sara in Studio C at Transistor.

“We need to create a culture of learning, that is compassionate and patient and open-minded and open-hearted.”
-Iggy Ladden

Listen to BONUS Episode 2 with Iggy Ladden!

Here are some references from BONUS Episode 2 that you may want to check out:

• Iggy uses They/Them pronouns and grew up in Philadelphia with parents that were both in the mental health profession.
• Their father was a great influence as a systems centered therapist.
• Iggy discovered they wanted to go into therapy when living in Boulder, CO and studied at Naropa University. They moved to Chicago to then study social work at University of Chicago.
• Iggy speaks to the terminology: Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming (GNC) and Cis Gender. Iggy defines these terms for us on the episode and also speaks to becoming a Trans Ally.

“Pronouns are unexpectedly very important and so much of our social actions are mediated by gender.”
– Iggy Ladden

• Chicago Therapy Collective mobilizes to create safer neighbors for the Trans community. Learn about the mission here.
• CTC initiatives include education and outreach as well as creating social spaces. Trainings include Trans and GNC individuals leading the sessions.
• Laura reports a startling statistic that 40% of Trans individuals have attempted suicide. Iggy’s biggest advice the Andersonville community-at-large and beyond is to Listen. If you or someone who you know is struggling, and you feel that you or someone else may be at risk for suicide, please see resources listed below.
• Andersonville is home to some of the most trans-affirming businesses, according to Iggy.

“Andersonville is home to some of the most Trans-affirming therapists right here in Chicago.”
-Iggy Ladden

A glimpse at the Trans Art Is gallery exhibit on the 3rd floor of the Andersonville Galleria.

Hereaclitus Here Vernon and Iggy at Trans Art Is opening.

• Trans Art Is… is currently on display at the Andersonville Galleria through the end of September. The closing event will happen on September 30 on the 3rd floor in the Artist Loft. The show features the artwork of 12 individuals who identify as Trans or GNC. This show has been part of a Trans-Inclusive Andersonville campaign to allow the neighborhood residents and business owners to familiarize themselves with the community and create an disarming space. Learn about the campaign here.

• CTC is hosting a training on November 2 for Health, Wellness & Beauty businesses in Andersonville. Register here.
• Trans Experience Survey can be found on the CTC website
• The main goal for CTC in 2019 is launching a pilot program on Trans-Inclusiveness, starting with Andersonville, and aming to make this neighborhood the most Trans-inclusive neighborhood in the city of Chicago.
• Iggy would choose to switch places with Women and Children First (5233 N. Clark) but Early to Bed (5044 N. Clark) comes in at a close second!

Suicide prevention resources:
Trevor Project Lifeline: (24/7, 365 days a year) 1-866-488-7386

Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860

LGBT National Hotline:1-888-843-4564
Support hotline and huge resource referral network
glbthotline.org/national-hotline.html

TGNC + LGBTQ Affirming Therapist
If you need help finding an affirming therapist, feel free to reach out to Chicago Therapy Collective at Info@ChicagoTherapyCollective.org to request a referral.

Visit Chicago Therapy Collective on the following platforms:
Online: chicagotherapycollective.org
Facebook: facebook.com/chicagotherapycollective

This week, Laura and Sara are joined by Dr. Kapil Kella, owner of Lakeshore Dental Studio, a modern dental office which offers a welcoming family friendly environment, leading-edge technology, and easy scheduling located at 5505 N Clark.

Dr. Kapil Kella records his episode in Studio C at Transistor.

“I want to give patients the care they deserve. Servicing our patients is our biggest goal.”
– Dr. Kapil Kella

Listen to Episode 27 with Dr. Kapil Kella!

Here are some references from Episode 27 that you may want to check out:

• Kapil is from Michigan originally and went to the University of Michigan. He also completed dental school in Michigan, and then completed his residency in Chicago.
• Kapil was only familiar with Hopleaf (5148 N Clark) before coming to Andersonville to explore the area as a destination for his practice. He wanted to find a place with a lot of community support.

“It was great to discover that there is more to Andersonville than Hopleaf and their great beer.”
– Dr. Kapil Kella

• A patient can come into the office, spend some time relaxing with a cup of coffee pre-appointment, put on their favorite Netflix show, get their teeth checked, and spend some time getting to know the staff. Some of the most popular shows his patients put on as of late are Nailed It and Planet Earth.

Kapil poses near a patient room for our 2018-19 Neighborhood Guide photo shoot with one of the TV’s used to show Netlix during appointments.

• Yes! You do still have to floss, says Kapil. Floss gets to places that brushing cannot.
• Besides annual cleanings, Lakeshore Dental Studio also offers services to babies and toddlers in the form of parent education on early dental hygiene, root canals, implants, and cosmetic work.
• Lakeshore Dental will work with patients on payment plans in order to make dental care more approachable.
• Kapil recommends Colgate, but says most toothpastes are pretty good these days.
• Kapil comes from a family of physicians, but wanted to “rebel” and go into business as his career. He later ended up switching paths to dentistry, but likes that it includes a business aspect. 
• Lakeshore Dental Studio has been running Project Smile this summer, a campaign to give back to candidates in need of dental care who couldn’t normally afford the care. Edgeville Buzz recently wrote about this campaign, and you can watch the official campaign video here. The campaign has been extended until October 10, 2018.
• Kapil’s family was present during the Lakeshore Dental Studio ribbon cutting back in March 2018. Family is extremely important to Kapil and his fiance Esha, especially since Kapil’s family immigrated from India.  

The official ribbon cutting celebration for Lakeshore Dental Studio in March 2018.

• If given the chance to change places with a business for a day, Kapil would choose to trade places with trainers at Orange Shoe Personal Fitness (5609 N Clark). At the beginning of the episode, he mentions coming to the recording from a training session with Paul. Sara and Laura also mention stopping in at TrueNorth (5507 N Clark) and Big City Optical (5653 N Clark) while up in Andersonville’s North end.

The welcoming front lobby at Lakeshore Dental Studio.

Visit Lakeshore Dental Studio on the following platforms:
Online: lakeshoredentalstudio.com
Facebook: facebook.com/Lakeshoredentalstudio
Instagram: @lakeshoredentalstudio

In our first ever on-location episode, Laura and Sara visit with artist and shopkeeper, Jean Cate. Jean is the owner of Martha Mae: Arts Supplies and Beautiful Things, an Andersonville brick & mortar, gallery, and online shop offering a curated selection of art, art supplies and beautiful useful things, where creativity is a way of life, located at 5407 N. Clark. Jean is also a featured artist and location for this week’s 2018 Andersonville Arts Week, and you can view her work as part of the Arts Week branding for this year.

Recording #AlwaysAnderesonville:The Podcast at Martha Mae Art Supplies and Beautiful Things. Photo courtesy of Andersonville Chamber of Commerce.

“In art, you can do whatever you want, and it’s okay.”
– Jean Cate

Listen to Episode 26 with Jean Cate!

Here are some references from Episode 26 that you may want to check out:

• Jean is a graduate of the Art Institute of Chicago. She knew she wanted to be an artist starting at age 16. When she moved here at age 18 from Southern California, she was amazed by the “oldness” and architecture here in Chicago.
• Originally, the location of Martha Mae was supposed to be a community art space, but due to space constraints, Jean re-conceptualized to grow Martha Mae into what it is today.
• Peter Fegundo, one of Jean’s favorite teacher’s at SAIC said,  “Whatever your art is as long as it’s you, it’s good.” Click here to view Peter’s professional work.

If you enter the shop, you’ll often find Martha Mae in her basket on the counter taking in the sights.

• Let’s learn about shop dog, Martha Mae! Martha is a King Charles Cavalier and she’s almost 7 years old. Jean originally named the shop after Martha so they could spend their days together. She’s more of a people’s dog than a dog’s dog. We even learned that Martha set the shop hours: the six hour time frame that the shop is open, Noon – 6PM, is the perfect time frame for Martha to stay content!
• Jean curates based on the title of the shop. She looks for quality beautiful, useful things.
• Jean’s interior design aesthetic is centered on light, order and comfort. She’s also fascinated by Japanese design and product design. “I try to make it a pleasant, luminous, lovely place.”

Pictured: Salt flats on wood by Jean Cate.

• Jean’s work can be viewed here: jeanmariecate.com. She makes larger ink and salt painting on wood panels and is debuting some of her ceramic coil pieces during Arts Week. She gravitated toward wood as a larger medium comparable to paper. What is ink & salt artwork? Jean’s work is made with pink Himalayan Sea Salt mixed with a combo of ink colors. Here is another example of an artist using ink and salt to create unique paintings.
• For this week’s Andersonville Arts Week, Jean is hosting a reception celebrating the work of artists, Andrew Jessup, Aron Fischer of Facture Goods, and her own work. The party on Friday, September 14 from 6-10PM will also feature a special collaboration with Bobby Schaffer of Lost Larson on painted chocolates and sweet delights.

Jean Cate works with Bobby Schaffer of Lost Larson on painting chocolate molds for Arts Week!

• Jean is inspired by her mom’s love for Monet, and also by Japanese and Chinese ink paintings. She’d love to meet a Master Embroiderer, or to meet the group that did the “The Lady and the Unicorn.”
• Jean’s advice to other artists? “Trust your instincts. There are so many ways to make a living and to adapt to your own particular set of circumstances.”
• Through the shop, Jean has developed stronger relationships and learned to be more hopeful. Creating relationships is like making new artwork.
• If she could trade places with another Andersonville business for a day, Jean would swap with Bobby Schaffer of Lost Larson (5318 N Clark), which is why the collaboration was such a magical day for Jean!

Martha Mae: Art Supplies and Beautiful Things storefront.

“Trust your instincts and your particular way of living and being. Who you are is right, period.”
– Jean Cate

Jean and Martha Mae: Art Supplies & Beautiful Things has been written up several times in the press! Check it out:
Chicago Reader
Flats Studio
Saturate Chicago
The Art Institute Shop Blog

Visit Martha Mae: Art Supplies & Beautiful Things on the following platforms:
Online: marthamae.info
Facebook: facebook.com/marthamae.andersonville
Instagram: @marthamae_andersonville

In preview for Andersonville Arts Week, September 12-16, this week, Laura and Sara are joined by artist Rick McEachern. Rick is an Andersonville resident and studied at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy.  You can view his work currently hanging on the walls of Appellation located at 5212 N. Clark.

Rick recording in Transistor’s Studio C at 5224 N Clark.

“Painting is a project, and when you’re working on different phases of a project, you use different parts of your brain.”
– Rick McEachern

Listen to Episode 25 with Rick McEachern!

Here are some references from Episode 25 that you may want to check out:

• Rick grew up in Burlington, Massachusetts and was always an artsy kid, but fell in love with science in 5th or 6th grade and ended up getting a degree in plastics engineering. Rick has recently shifted back to art.
• As a child, Rick grew up in a very creative neighborhood where the kids were always putting on plays and working on art instead of doing a lot of sports.
• Rick was a Project Manager in his past career and feels it’s very applicable to his work as a painter.
• Rick’s best friend from Boston convinced him to move to Andersonville this past February. He mentions loving walking to the gym, running to the lake, and walking to Edgewater Produce (5515 N Clark). Everything needed is within 7 blocks.
• Rick features Coney Island frequently in his work. He has always loved carnivals and amusement parks. Rick has been on the Cyclone and Wonder Wheel at Coney Island too many times to count, and both rides are featured prominently in his paintings.

The Cyclone at Coney Island. Painting by Rick McEachern.

• Rick’s work is currently on exhibit at Appellation (5215 N. Clark) in two rooms: the front room features Ferris wheels and roller coasters, and he wanted visitors to feel the aesthetic of sitting in an amusement park and having lunch. The main dining room features paintings that “journey through a summer day.”

the Wonder Wheel at Coney Island. Painting by Rick McEachern.

“I really like to do paintings… where ‘the glory’ can’t help but show through.”
– Rick McEachern

• Rick primarily works with oil paints. Most of his paintings are based on photographs he’s taken. His first step in composition is to sketch the scene, then explore with a watercolor or acrylic paint before diving into using the oil paints. Learn the difference between paint types here.
• One of Rick’s favorite artists right now is Matteo Caloiaro. Rick stumbled on his work in Provincetown, MA and inspired him to paint.  
• Rick just discovered the Edgewater Historical Society (5358 N. Ashland) recently as somewhere to explore. For example, Sara learned that  Hillary Clinton was born at Edgewater Hospital from EHS.
• Rick does plan to paint buildings in Andersonville eventually, and it already working on an upcoming piece featuring sunset and a garage here. He’s working on five new pieces total, and some also feature the Lincoln Square neighborhood.
• Rick would encourage young artists to look at all facets of creating, including self-promotion, networking and marketing. “Get up really early everyday and work hard.”
• Rick would trade places with Toys Et Cetera (5311 N Clark) because it would be a fun place to work in everyday, or he’d love to trade places with Puppet Bike. He keeps dollars available on hand just for puppet bike.

Rick’s work featured in the Arts Week logo.

Rick is the featured artist at Appellation for Andersonville Arts Week, September 12-16. Don’t miss his artist reception on Saturday, September 15 from 4-6PM!

Visit Rick McEachern on the following platforms:
Online: rickymceachernartist.com
Facebook: facebook.com/rickymceachernartist
Instagram: @rickymceachernartist
Twitter: @RickMcEachern2

This week, Laura and Sara are joined by Todd Mack, co-owner of FOURSIDED. FOURSIDED began its journey in 2001 and strives to cultivate communities that enjoy art. Their mission is to bring each of their guest’s imagination to life with one of a kind art, custom framing, curated gifts, ephemera, and vintage objects. Visit Foursided in Andersonville at 5061 N. Clark, for all of your custom and vintage framing, unique gifts and handmade greeting cards needs.

(from left) Sara Dinges, Todd Mack, and Laura Austin pose after recording Todd’s episode in Transistor.

“When I visited small towns that had a Main Street shopping district, that’s what turned me on.”
– Todd Mack

Listen to Episode 24 with Todd Mack!

 Here are some references from Episode 24 that you may want to check out:

• Todd started in the world of framing in late 80s because he was an arts kid. He didn’t know anything about it but was looking for something to do other than serving (which he was doing at the time at Big Boy). 
• Todd owned a gallery in Lansing, MI for about 7 years before coming to Chicago
• Todd started Foursided in the back of an antique shop called Fobels
• The Andersonville store opened in 2005 and is the largest of the three FOURSIDED stores. This location carries the most vintage and antique items, and Todd is physically at the Andersonville store more and gets to be more hands on – he’s also a resident! View Foursided’s other locations here. 

“I clock my progress with people by how good a day everybody had.”
– Todd Mack

• Todd has a robust, young team. They are super nice, confident and he strives to create a fun environment.
• Sara references artist Rick McEachern’s recent podcast interview, airing next week for Arts Week, and how he mentions to young artists that they have to get up early and work hard everyday. Todd ends up advising a lot of handmade artists as well on how to progress their craft – his employees are artists too!
• Todd does antiquing personally and goes to every antique shop in the 5 state Midwest region. Gift ware is purchased by a team of buyers with FOURSIDED – everyone shares the responsibility. A lot is found at gift shows, some walk in the doors, some come in via catalogs. Shop gifts here!

Todd poses in the basement framing studio at FOURSIDED for the 2018-19 Neighborhood Guide photo shoot. Photo by Mike Rivera.

• Framing is done at two of the locations. Customers are encouraged to come in with artwork in hand. It’s a free quote and the staff spends as much time as they need assessing your project. FOURSIDED offers wide pallet of framing for all budgets. They offer a special “least expensive” section but vintage frames are the biggest money saver! Learn more about framing services here. 
• FOURSIDED is a sponsor for Andersonville Arts Week coming up September 12-16 and is the artist at his own store! This year he’s doing some word art with ephemeral faces featuring vintage paper cutters. “It’s like a naked thing on the wall.” Everything built two weeks prior to the show.
• Todd’s artwork was featured on HGTV with Vern Yip from Trading Spaces who was hosting a Chicago-based show
• Todd finds inspiration in collections of objects (i.e. massive amounts of the same thing like piles of silverware)
• Todd and his partner Gino were featured on the back of this year’s 2018-19 Neighborhood Guide. He tells us a fun story about eating a “gentleman’s diner” at It’s Greek 2 U Grill (5449 N Clark) here in Andersonville and the owner Vicki asked them to sign the back of the Guide for her mother. It really is FREE! Todd had to put a “Free” sign out for folks so they would know they could take it.

(from left) Gino Pinto and Todd Mack pose in FOURSIDED for the back of the 2018-19 Neighborhood Guide

• Todd still has memories of the mercury balls on the Christmas tree and credits a lot of his holiday decor love to his mom. “Less is not more – more is more” when it comes to Holiday’s at FOURSIDED! But fun fact, Todd does not decorate for the Holidays at home  – he saves all of his energy for the stores.

FOURSIDED’s storefront window during the holidays

• Todd would love to try out the careers of cake decorating or do something with dogs. He used to want to go into the veterinary medicine. 
• Todd would love to trade places with Transistor (5224 N Clark) and Roost (5634 N Clark) if given the chance
• As a long standing Andersonville business, Todd has seen many changes to his South of Foster area of South Andersonville. Sara ask him to reflect on some of his new neighbors. While he’s sad that Marguerite Gardens (his former next door neighborhood) moved on, he welcomes Clark Haus (5059), the greatness of Milk (5137 N Clark) and Honey (5135 N Clark), Bar Roma (5101 N Clark) brings a big draw, and across the street too with the recent additions of Dollop Diner (5060 N Clark), and Jet’s Pizza (5058 N Clark) – people are walking South of Foster more than ever. He encourages shoppers to not forget about places like The Wooden Spoon (5047 N Clark), another long standing Andersonville business, as the construction has been brutal and the dust has been hard.  

Visit FOURSIDED on the following platforms:
Online: foursided.com 
Facebook: facebook.com/Foursided
Instagram: @foursidedchicago

This week, Laura and Joelle are joined by, Michael Newman, the Chicago-based principal and creative director of estudiotres, a branding, design, development and marketing firm that he runs nationally with two other designers. Michael, who goes by newman, has recently been dubbed an “Andersonville Craftsman” by the Chicago Eater for his recent work on Brightwok Kitchen in River North via his own firm, Michael John Newman | Design + Build. He has also worked on projects throughout Andersonville and Chicago, including the redesign of our 2018-19 Andersonville Neighborhood Guide.

newman recording in Studio C at Transistor.

“It’s already a beautiful neighborhood. It already has beautiful people. We just have to get out of the way and tell their story.”
– newman

Listen to Episode 23 with Michael Newman!

Here are some references from Episode 23 that you may want to check out:

• newman is from a small town in Florida and majored in sculpture, but after graduation, jumped into the design field where more jobs were available. Upon moving up to Chicago, he worked for a design house called Modge Design for three or four years before breaking out on his own.
• newman’s partner in estudiotres, principal John Hopefl lives in Prescott, Arizona and runs the second studio there. newman and Hopefl went to school together in St. Augustine, and started the company together knowing they may live in different locations.
• estudiotres redesigned the Andersonville Chamber branding in 2013. Ironically, the iconic water tower design was launched just before the old water tower had to be taken down in 2014 due to water damage! The new fiberglass water tower was reinstalled on August 8, 2017.
• estudiotres has also designed the logos and branding for Andersonville Wine and Spirits (5201 N Clark), Jin Ju (5203 N Clark), and more!
• newman was one of the creative forces behind the re-design of the 2018-19 Andersonville Neighborhood Guide. Newman references a quote from architect Henry van de Velde to better explain the approach to this year’s guide – learn more about van de Velde here.

“There was already a narrative; it was just my job to make that narrative linear to tell as story.”
– newman on designing the new 2018-19 Neighborhood Guide

Pick up a free copy of the Guide at the Andersonville Chamber offices (5217 N Clark) or at area businesses.

• newman loves living in the neighborhood and seeing the weekly prep that goes into the weekend business. He specifically calls out Scout (5221 N Clark), Lady Gregory’s (5260 N Clark), Cowboys and Astronauts (1478 W Summerdale), and Passerotto (5420 N Clark).
• newman recently started his own design firm, Michael John Newman | Design + Build. He hooked up with a friend named Seth Hanno to work on rebranding a restaurant, Cemitas Puebla, which was featured on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives. The owner very much wanted to showcase Puebla, Mexico. newman was hands on with building and designing art installations, building furniture, and instructing contractors.

newman working on an art installation at Cemitas Puebla.

• Through this work, newman was hooked up with Brightwok Kitchen, which was recently written up for their new location in River North in Chicago Eater. View the article here.
• There are two types of furniture that newman designs: functional couches and vanity lights, and installation furniture at the restaurants. For example, Brightwok’s wall installation features over 20,000 chopsticks to create 4ft tall letters! He also designed their built-in bench seating with “The Future is Bright” made out of individual wooden spheres. Check it out on his website here, and view one of the photos below!

newman’s installation at Brightwok.

• If given the chance, newman would like to trade places for the day with Great Lakes Clinical Trials (5149 N Ashland). He’s love to go back to school for his doctorate in Evolutionary Biology and the trials going on right now are fascinating and super important.

“If we’re going to do something, we better do it on purpose.”

Visit newman on the following platforms:
Online: estudiotres.com  | michaeljohnnewman.com
Facebook: facebook.com/MichaelJohnNewmanDesignandBuild
Instagram: @michaeljohnnewman

We kick off this week’s episode with a special Summer Review: recapping July’s Summer Sidewalk Sale, previewing this week’s outdoor movie night with the 48th Ward and the Taste of Andersonville on Wednesday, August 15, and highlighting the new dates for Arts Week this September.  

Then, Laura and Joelle are joined by Rhonda Welbel and Al Rose, co owners of Kopi Café located at 5317 N Clark. With its world-traveler decor, hand-painted table tops and clocks set to different international times, Kopi offers a quiet respite any time of day. Their extensive menu is packed with sandwiches, salads and snacks and features vegetarian, vegan and gluten free items. Kopi also offers wine, beer, and specialty cocktails. If you’re looking to get away from it all, Kopi can transport you to another world for the price of a cup of coffee.

(From left) Laura Austin, Rhonda Welbel, Al Rose, and Joelle Scillia in Transistor’s main store.

“We are travelers. Both of us have been traveling since we were pretty young, and we fell in love with other cultures and wanted to bring that to our home town of Chicago.”
– Rhonda Welbel

“When you’re traveling around the world, some of the favorites places you can duck into are the local cafes.”
– Al Rose

Listen to Episode 22 with Rhonda Welbel and Al Rose!

Here are some references from Episode 22 that you may want to check out:

• Kopi is inspired by a passion for travel. Rhonda and Al have traveled to many places around the world, and some of their favorite places to duck into in any neighborhood were always the cafés.  This inspired the opening of Kopi Café on September 10, 1991.
• Kopi means coffee in Indonesian and comes from the time Rhonda and Al spent in Bali. People responded quickly to the store after it first opened.
• Rhonda’s background is in art and design, and she worked in film and animation and special effects. Al’s background is as a musician/songwriter, as a janitor at the Chicago Public Library, and also had a firewood business with his brother-in-law. Kopi Cafe will celebrate 30 years in 2021!
• Al is very proud of Kopi’s menu, including the soups and sandwiches salads as well as the fun names that are associated with them. Check out the food menu here! They also feature Smokey the Beet cocktail made with fresh beet juice with Mezcal, tequila, agave and lemon juice, shaken Bond style. View the creative drinks here! The menu has grown immensely over the years. The cafe used to have a very basic muffin/bagel menu, which Rhonda refers to this as a Cafe 101 menu.
• Kopi serves alcohol and is open very late! Kopi went 18 years without a liquor license and has now had theirs for 9 or 10 years, but still have people surprised to walk in the door and have that option. Rhonda and Al are both late night people and Kopi is open until 11PM Sunday-Thursday and Midnight on Friday and Saturday. Folks can head over after a theater show at Raven (6157 N. Clark) Rivendell (5779 N. Ridge) or Steep (1115 W. Berwyn) for a late night snack, drink or coffee. Joelle highly recommends their Chai!
• The Kopi Cafe logo was designed by graphic designer and friend to Al and Rhonda, Harlan Wallach.

A Kopi mug posed in Studio C at Transistor.

• On Kopi’s new website, the homepage video was shot by Brooklyn Filmmaker Robert Kolodny of House of Nod. He’s also shot music videos for Al’s music. Click for Official Music Videos: I hear the laughing sound of lists and Spin Spin Dizzy
• Larry Vodak was recently on our podcast (Listen to Larry’s episode here), and Scout (5221 N. Clark) provided the globe light fixture in the front entrance of Kopi.
• Kopi hosts a Monday Night Music Series at 8PM with no cover and delicious house margaritas for only $6! Hear all about the musicians on the podcast, but checkout the the lineup here.
• Al and his band have played for 15 or more years at Midsommarfest. He’s toured around the world, has 7 albums out, and will begin teaching a songwriting class this fall at the Music Institute of Chicago.
• A large number of marriage proposals have occurred at Kopi and it is first date central according to Al and Rhonda. Al ended up officiating the wedding of a couple that met on their first date at Kopi!
• Kopi also features an in-store boutique featuring local artists from around the world. Rhonda and her partner Lyn Pusztai have a jewelry line in the shop called Roulette 18. The jewelry features all recycled silver!
• Travel books are sold at Kopi Cafe and both Rhonda and Al feel that they are still useful even in the days of the internet because there are some places you can’t access on your phone. Al’s favorite thing is finding stubs tucked inside and seeing the memories come flooding back.

“I do love having a travel book – it shows it’s history when you’re done. It’s beat up and it’s a little tale of your travels.”
– Rhonda Welbell

• Kopi Cafe is participating in the Taste of Andersonville again this year. Al and Rhonda love the community spirit and that the event brings people into the cafe that have never been before. This year they are serving Ruggelach on the KNIFE route.
• If given the chance to trade places with another business for the day, Al and Rhonda would trade places with a bank like North Side Federal (5159 N. Clark). Full of history, the building’s limestone facade encloses a vintage lobby containing all the trappings of a prohibition era Chicago bank. These features include a spiked teller cage replete with bullet-proof glass, gun-ports, and tear gas dispensers.
• Learn about the bank and more on the Swedish American Museum’s summer walking tour!

Kopi Café interior.

“If I yell beer in the middle of the morning shift, it means we are being robbed!”
– Al Rose

Visit Kopi Café on the following platforms:
Online: kopicafechicago.com
Facebook: facebook.com/kopicafechicago
Instagram: @kopicafe

This week, Laura and Joelle are joined by Michael Plageman, American Family Insurance Agent at the Plageman Agency, Inc. Michael has been a longtime supporter of the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce. As one reviewer said, “Michael is an amazing agent and consummate professional.” With offices in Park Ridge and Lakeview, Michael is ready and willing to tackle all of insurance needs. He is also a sponsor of our upcoming Taste of Andersonville progressive dinner crawl on Wednesday, August 15!

Michael Plageman recording with us in Transistor’s Studio C.

“For me, I wanted to marry that things that I wanted to do; have a business, but also do something important for the community.”
– Michael Plageman

Listen to Episode 21 with Michael Plageman!

Here are some references from Episode 21 that you may want to check out:

• Michael was born in Ohio, then lived in Indiana up until 5 years ago when he moved to Chicago in 2013, right before the Polar Vortex.
• Michael’s background is in Development for non-profits. He worked specially with the Boy Scouts of America and The Damien Center. He gained his sense of community and giving back from this first half of his career.
• Michael started as an agent with American Family Insurance only two years ago. He got all of his licensing first (home, auto, life, etc.) in order to open his own offices. 
• Michael protects anywhere you live and anything you drive, as well as the items within the home. He also provides insurance for small businesses. View plans here.
• The DreamKeep initiative that Michael mentions is a program American Family Insurance has launched as a rewards program for their customers.
• Get renters insurance! Michael explains why renters insurance is important for covering items to be replaced immediately and also to provide the money to put you elsewhere.
• Bundling does save you money! Michael is also licensed in 8 different states so he can better assist customers with secondary homes in other states. He’s able to work with umbrella liability insurance across all properties.
• Michael is sponsoring the 2018 Taste of Andersonville progressive dinner crawl on August 15, has sponsored other events in the past, and is a regular attendee of our Third Thursday Networking event, doing his best to bring other professionals to each one.
• Michael would love to switch places with Urban Pooch (5400 N Damen) and George’s Ice Cream & Sweets (5306 N Clark). 

Michael set up for the 2018 Summer Sidewalk Sale

” Consistency is the number one key of being successful at networking events. Networking is nothing without good follow up.”
– Michael Plageman

Visit Plageman Agency, INC on the following platforms:
Online: plagemanagency.com 
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Twitter: @ChicagoDreamAgt
LinkedIn: Michael Plageman