This week, Laura and Sara are joined by Cat Levine, owner of Be Yoga Andersonville. Be Yoga is a family-owned yoga school in the Andersonville neighborhood that offers Bikram yoga classes to students at all skill levels. If you want to  improve your muscle strength, flexibility, and circulation, visit Be Yoga at 5715 N. Clark.

Laura, Cat, and Sara in Transistor’s Studio C.

“I’m genuinely thrilled and so happy for every single person that walks through my doors.”
– Cat Levine

Listen to Episode 35 with Cat Levine!

Here are some references from Episode 35 you may want to check out:

• Be Yoga Celebrated 10 years in Andersonville this past October. Check out their website for the upcoming class schedule and to learn more about the instructors.
• Cat grew up in Hong Kong and started practicing yoga when she moved to Canada at the age of 17. She became interested in yoga after passing by a hot yoga classroom in the dead of winter, noticing that all of the people were sweating heavily in the middle of freezing weather.
  

“I was very cold, and I wanted to be warm.”
– Cat Levine

• Cat practiced yoga for seven years before becoming a teacher, but she knew within the first month of her own personal practice that teaching is something she wanted to work toward because of the positive effects it had on her life. Prior to coming to Chicago, Cat taught in London and internationally. Although there are no differences in the teaching methods, Cat mentions the cultural differences from city to city really got her attention.
• Be Yoga opened in 2008 under former owner Jessica Rask. She hired Cat as a teacher first, and later promoted her as a manager. Cat took over the business as owner in 2013.

Class in session at Be Yoga Andersonville.

• Cat thinks that the most common misconception about yoga is what a person who does yoga looks like: young, flexible, fit and beautiful, which is not true. Yoga is for everyone, and everyone can find benefit in the practice. 
• Cat placed first in the women’s 2017 Midwest Super Regional Yoga Asana Championships and also represented our region at the 2017 National Championships. Check out USA Yoga’s website for more information about yoga competitions. Cat’s personal experiences in competition have been beautiful; not only is it the gathering of the yoga community, but the environment is far more supportive than competitive.
• Cat says that Be Yoga mainly teaches Bikram Yoga because she finds it to be therapeutic and accessible for all bodies. Cat has taught people in wheelchairs and people who do not have full motion of the spine. There are 26 positions employed in Bikram Yoga, and the room is kept at 105 degrees!
• Cat has had students with injuries of all kinds that make incredible recoveries through the practice of yoga, including herself after recovering from a bad car accident. She’s also seen improvements in some students with bone density over time.
• Be Yoga also teaches the practice of Yoga Nidra, or sleeping yoga, in which one lies on their back and follows a list of verbal instructions in order to relax. If done properly, the body relaxes to the point of a “floating sensation,” according to Cat. Learn about the 5 Benefits of Yoga Nidra here.
• Be Yoga does not do hands-on adjustments with any of their instructors during class. No one can truly understand what another person if feeling in their body.
• Cat says that she is happy with how popular yoga is in this country; she even has a friend that teaches goat yoga on the east coast! What is goat yoga? Check out this article from CNN.
• In the future, Cat would love to offer more varieties of yoga at the studio and to continue to improve the vibrancy of the community. She may even open a second studio one day.
• If Cat could switch places with another Andersonville business for a day, she would pick First Slice Pie Cafe (5357 N. Ashland) so that she could sit around all day and eat pie. Cat really likes their Polka Dot pie.

Cat Levine

Visit Be Yoga Andersonville on these platforms:
Online: hotyogachicago.com
Facebook: facebook.com/bikramyogaandersonville
Instagram: @byandersonville

This week, Laura and Sara are joined by Steve Satek, President and Founder of Great Lakes Clinical Trials, and special guest, Great Lakes Director of Marketing, Amber Holst. Great Lakes specializes in the study of investigational medications, food products, devices and supplements for the treatment of chronic diseases, notably in Mental Health, Memory Disorders and Pain Management. Steve is one of the passionate, dedicated leaders in Alzheimer’s research and Great Lakes is determined to find a way to prevent the disease from occurring in aging older adults. With two locations in Arlington Heights and Chicago, you can find Great Lakes just around the corner at 5149 N. Ashland.

(from left) Steve with Amber, Sara and Laura in Transistor’s Studio C.

“The work that we are doing today is going to make the generations ahead of us even more healthy.”
-Steve Satek

Listen to Episode 34 with Steve Satek!

Here are some references from Episode 34 you may want to check out:

• Steve has been working in the field of clinical research for the last 25 years. His education is in biochemistry and molecular biology. He spent a good amount of time as bench researcher, but didn’t find it very social. What is a bench researcher? Check out this informative blog post.
• Steve started working clinical trials for cancer treatments while working at Northwestern University, and he worked his way up to bigger trials for larger clinics. He soon discovered he preferred a smaller clinic setting, leading him to open Great Lakes Clinical Trials in 2014 in Andersonville.
• Steve was recently named by Crain’s Chicago as one of the most notable LGBTQ Executives for 2018. Check out the full article here, and Steve’s feature here.
• Great Lakes is servicing a growing community of older LGBTQ adults.
• Steve has always wanted to bring a clinic to a community, as opposed to bringing a community to a clinic. The opening of Great Lakes Clinical Trials allowed Chicago’s north side population to have somewhere closer to travel to as one of only a few clinics in the Chicagoland area. Steve also mentions the close proximity to Swedish Covenant Hospital and the partnership of services provided there.

“We need medications to maintain general public health, and the only way to get them approved for prescription is through the clinical trial process.”
-Steve Satek

• What is a clinical trial and how do people enroll? First, a team of board certified physicians assess each volunteer patient to make sure the individual qualifies for the trial. All of the trials at Great Lakes are free for the patient. View current studies here.
• According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 5.7 million Americans are living with the disease. Steve has been doing Alzheimer’s research for nearly 20 years. There are only four medications approved by the FDA right now to treat memory loss, but none of them specifically target Alzheimers. Great Lakes is working to target the source of memory loss in the brain; not just treating the side effect of memory loss.
• To get the word out about Great Lakes Clinical Trials, Steve and his team do informative workshops around Chicagoland to encourage participation in trials. View upcoming events here.
• Steve has lived in Andersonville since 1991. He knows that active older adults in the neighborhood want to participate in research studies, and offering the convenience of a nearby clinic is invaluable.

Chicago Alzheimer’s Awareness Day will be celebrated on Thursday, November 8.

• Thursday, November 8 has been named Chicago’s Alzheimer’s Awareness Day by Mayoral Proclamation. Patients who have participated in past research studies will speak to help educate the community on why these type of studies are so important.  Special guests include both Alderman Osterman of the 48th Ward and Alderman O’Connor of the 40th Ward. Learn more about the event. RSVP for the event in advance.
• The event will also feature free genetic cheek swabs to determine whether or not the Alzheimer’s gene is present, as well as memory screening. Individuals can also sign up for free memory screenings at any point at Great Lakes Clinical Trials.
• Great Lakes is also conducting prevention trials with older adults, who may have the genetics to develop Alzheimer’s, but are not yet exhibiting systems. Prevention trials are for ages 60-70 and 70-75.
• If given the chance to switch places with an Andersonville business for the day, Steve would choose to switch places with our very own Sara Dinges of the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce staff! Amber would choose to switch places with AlleyCat Comics (5304 N. Clark).

Purple ribbons line Clark Street in Andersonville in honor of November’s Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.

This week, Laura and Joelle are joined by Sarah Ghorbanian, owner of RE: chiropractic + wellness located at 5347 N Clark. In a recent article by Bossy Chicago they called the space “a wellness hangout.” If you are looking to get well and hangout in a cool office with a bad-ass chiropractor just look for the teeny bikini blue door next to Big Jones.

Sarah in front of RE: chiropractic + wellness’ new mural “Up & Up” by artist Brett Whitacre.

“If you don’t want to make goals, don’t make goals. Use ‘joy’ as your guide, as to whether or not this is the right path for you.”
– Sarah Ghorbanian

Listen to Episode 33 with Sarah Ghorbanian!

 Here are some references from Episode 33 that you may want to check out:

• Sarah went to college at the University of Illinois-Chicago and majored in biology. After taking the MCAT, she didn’t feel excited about the prospect of going to medical school, and decided to apply to chiropractic school.
• After graduating from chiropractic school, Sarah worked several restaurant jobs in order to save the money to purchase her first private-practice in the West Suburbs. She grew that practice and two years later she sold it.
• After working with another chiropractic group from 2007 – 2013, Sarah opened the RE: chiropractic + wellness office in Andersonville in 2014.  Learn about RE:’s mission here. 

The front reception area of the RE: chiropractic + wellness office space.

• Sarah considers her office to be a very special space. It was formally a three bedroom apartment, but it was zoned for business. With skylights and a proper kitchen, Sarah aimed to make the space feel like home. One of the highlighted pieces in her office is artwork from Sarah’s uncle, which she framed using a heavy gold frame from nearby Brown Elephant (5404 N Clark). Sarah’s office was also profiled in Crain’s Chicago in 2015. Check it out here!
• Sarah offers chiropractic care to patients, but she also rents space to to massage therapists and acupuncturists that operate out of her office. Everyone receives a customized care plan. She wanted to have a facility that housed multiple businesses that could operate under their own brand and really grow.
• Adjustments made in chiropractic care affect the nervous system and the spine. For example, children under 18 who have chiropractic care, whose nervous systems are still developing, become less sensitive to immune deficiencies over time and are more healthy than those who do not do chiropractic care. Click here to view all of RE:’s services.
• Sarah was recently nominated for a Chicago Innovation Award, and this is her third year in a row winning the award. She was originally nominated due to the previously mentioned Crain’s article back in 2015. She was recognized for doing things a little more “special” and “customized” in the healthcare field. She offers text reminders on appointments and booking, and a very comfortable office space, to name a few.

“The businesses in Andersonville take a lot of pride in how they present themselves.”
– Sarah Ghorbanian

• Recently Sarah noticed storefront upgrades at some of her neighboring businesses. Her neighbor, Big Jones (5347 N Clark) just underwent a facade update, and Hamburger Mary’s (5400 N Clark) added their “Wings” mural back in June. Both of these along with the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce’s addition of public artwork in the 2018-19 Neighborhood Guide, inspired Sarah to look for ways in which to add artwork to the outside of her building.

RE: chiropractic + wellness “Up and Up” mural by Brett Whitacre.

• Sarah contracted artist Brett Whitacre to create a beautiful mural on the side of Sarah’s building. He had recently painted the trim on the windows of Ravenswood business, District. The mural was funded partially by Andersonville’s #SSA22 along with Sarah’s contribution. The mural is called “Up & Up.”
• Sarah’s favorite quote on her office bathroom chalkboard wall is “What other people think of me is none of my business,” by Rupaul.
  

  “ What I am defining as feminism right now, is not just asking to be equal, and asking for equal pay, and asking and demanding, but taking it. If we really want things to change, we have to become the people in charge to make the changes and make the decisions.”
  – Sarah Ghorbanian

• If Sarah could switch places with any other Andersonville business for a day, she would pick three! She would switch with the brothers who run Taste of Lebanon (1509 W Foster), Joel at Little Bad Wolf (1541 W Bryn Mawr )  and Michael Bransford at Vincent (1475 W Balmoral). She thinks he’s one of the hardest businesses owners in the district. Michael Bransford is featured on Episode 1 of the podcast! Listen here.
• Reach out to Sarah by phone at 773-334-5300 or by email at hello@rechiropractic.com or if you want to schedule an appointment, you can do so here.

(from left): Laura, Sarah, and Joelle after recording this week’s episode.

Visit RE: chiropractic + wellness on these platforms:
Online: rechiropractic.com
Facebook: facebook.com/rechiro
Instagram: @rechiropractic
Twitter: @ReChiropractic

This week, Laura and Joelle are joined by Bobby Schaffer and Bree Schaffer. Bobby is owner and head chef of Lost Larson and his sister, Bree, is the cafe manager. Lost Larson is a recently-opened bakery and cafe located in Andersonville that aims to honor the the craft of baking by providing a wide assortment of fresh treats including breads, open-faced sandwiches, croissants, scones and more. If you are in need of a savory bite or a sweet snack, head over to Lost Larson at 5318 N. Clark.

And don’t miss Lost Larson on the Andersonville Sweetish Stroll Veruca Salt route, this weekend on Sunday, October 28!

Bobby and Bree recording in Studio C at Transistor.

“We looked at a lot of north side neighborhoods, but we fell in love with this neighborhood”
– Bobby Schaffer 

Listen to Episode 31 with Bobby and Bree Schaffer!

Here are some references from Episode 32 that you may want to check out:

• Bobby and his sister, Bree, grew up in Western Springs, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago but he now lives in the Bowmanville neighborhood and Bree lives in North Center.
• Bobby has been a pastry chef for 10 years, and he was immersed in the restaurant industry before transitioning to opening up his own shop. Lost Larson officially opened in June 2018. The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce and fellow Chamber members welcomed Bobby and Bree with a celebratory ribbon cutting.
  

Lost Larson ribbon cutting for the grand opening on June 13, 2018.

• Bree, who is the cafe manager at Lost Larson, initially got her start in the service industry while attending the University of Illinois, and eventually was encouraged into food running by Bobby while he worked for Grace restaurant. She worked as a bartender there and eventually found herself working with coffee. From there she transitioned to daytime barista work.
• Bobby always wanted to open up a shop in Andersonville, and he remembers as a young adult, envisioning opening a chocolate shop in the neighborhood.
• The name Lost Larson is a nod to their lost last name on both their grandmother’s and grandfather’s side. Bobby and Bree have Swedish and Danish heritage. Their grandfather took his boss’ name (Schaffer) for unknown reasons, and that’s how the name was lost. They also have another grandfather named Lars Larson on the other side of the family, who was Swedish. In many ways, they have been able to reconnect with their Danish and Scandinavian roots after opening here in Andersonville. Learn more about Andersonville’s Swedish history here.

“It’s amazing and surprising to see how much the community has been supporting us”
– Bree Schaffer

• Many baked goods are typically French derived, but Lost Larson embraces Swedish baked goods. Check out the menus.
• Bobby was fortunate enough to be selected for a scholarship in Spain after Culinary School. The program brings young chefs from around the world to learn technique in Spain; the idea was to introduce chefs to the culture, the language, and the style of cooking, Spanish Gastronomy. Even chef’s from Chicago’s acclaimed Alinea visited Spain to learn from the same chefs as Bobby.
• When Bobby came back to Chicago, he landed his job at The Peninsula as a pastry chef. Shortly thereafter, he and the other three members of the pastry team transferred to Grace and helped open Grace.

Bobby’s mill and Noelle Africh’s artwork are highlights of the Lost Larson interior.

• Upon taking over the space at 5318 N. Clark, Bobby wanted to make his mill the centerpiece of the shop, encased in a glass case almost like a precious jewel. They focused on a Scandinavian design, clean and beautiful. Bree mentions wanting guests to embrace the “FIKA culture” and really enjoy the time they spend there. The walls are decorated with the art of Noelle Africh. The back patio is also amazing! Make sure to relax out there in nice weather. Plus, the public has noticed too that Lost Larson is a highly Instagramable place – Check out all the action!

Customers LOVE to Instagram at Lost Larson! Check out the feed.

• The Lost Larson logo was designed by Sublet Studio. The logo is meant to be “Larson” himself and the shop even sells t-shirts. Bree also puts the call out for any artists interested in making a real mask of Larson. They want to meet you!

Laura holds up the mentioned Lost Larson t-shirt with custom logo.

• For the breads at Lost Larson, Bobby wanted to capture the greatest amount of flavor. He wanted to show people that bread isn’t bad for you if it’s fermented properly. It takes 18-36 hours to make a loaf. The fermentation helps digest the grain and makes it easier for us to eat. Long fermentation is not a popular technique these days, but it is not a new process. Lost Larson’s bread even lasts longer due to the natural leavening, particularly sourdough.
• The most challenging thing to do at Lost Larson is laminated doughs, which is used to create the flaky layered pastries of croissants, danishes, Tebirkes and more. Customer favorites at Lost Larson include the Cardamom Buns and Lingonberry Almond Cake.
• Bree has been a barista at several coffee shops around Chicago, most recently the Stumptown in West Loop. Bree developed the Lost Larson cafe coffee menu, including the very popular Lavender Latte. This fall, they will feature a single origin hot chocolate, seedling apple cider, and recently spotted on their menu board, a Campfire Latte!  
• Bobby’s love of chocolate developed in Spain after working in a bakery there. He became very familiar after working chocolate for eight hours every single day. Bobby was even able to collaborate with Jean Cate of Martha Mae: Art Supplies and Beautiful Things (5407 N Clark) to paint chocolate molds together for Arts Week this past September. Lost Larson is hoping to create a box of chocolates for the holidays that features a six different chocolates themed after Andersonville businesses.

Jean Cate of Martha Mae and Bobby prep colored coco butter “paint” for their chocolate molds.

• Bree’s favorite place to get coffee in Chicago is The Wormhole in Wicker Park. Bobby’s favorite restaurant is Lula Cafe; he’s eaten there over 50 times.
• If they could switch places with any business in Andersonville, Bree would switch places with Jean at Martha Mae and Bobby would switch places with Cowboys & Astronauts (1478 W Summerdale).

Bobby and Bree outside Lost Larson’s storefront at 5318 N. Clark.

“We want the people to use the space as a social atmosphere, catch up with old friends, drink some coffee, and more.”
– Bobby and Bree Schaffer

Visit Lost Larson on the following platforms:
Online: lostlarson.com
Facebook: facebook.com/lostlarson
Instagram: @lostlarson
News and Press: lostlarson.com/news-and-press

This week, Laura and Joelle are joined by Ed Kaczmarek co-owner of Urban Pooch Canine Life Center located at 4501 N. Ravenswood. The Canine Life Center offers a large store, daycare, cageless boarding, grooming, bathing, and massage.  Ed is also the co-owner of Urban Pooch Training and Fitness Center located at 5400 N. Damen which offers retail and training, including agility. Whether you have two legs or four, one thing is for certain, when you enter Urban Pooch, you must love dogs.

Ed recording with us in Studio C at Transistor.

“Andersonville, to me, felt like the perfect Chicago neighborhood: clean, safe and so much character”
– Ed Kaczmarek

Listen to Episode 31 with Ed!

Here are some references from Episode 31 that you may want to check out:

• Ed was the former Director of Innovation and Customer Experience at Kraft. He moved to Chicago from New York City to work for Kraft in a variety of positions and worked with brands that included Oreo, Caprisun, and Maxwell House, among others.
• Ed was traveling 97% of the time for work and became tired of flying and the stress levels of traveling all the time. Along with his husband Dan, they started down the path of opening their own dog training facility, inspired by their dog, Berwyn. While it took several years, they finally received funding from Chase and opened the Canine Life Center in in 2010.

NYC Pet Project book on display in Urban Pooch Training & Fitness Center.

• Interestingly enough, while working in New York, Ed worked on NYC Pet Project: A Collection of Portraits and Letters from the Heart, a book that involved photographing people in their favorite setting accompanied by a letter they had written to their pet. This also helped to inspire and grow his love for the human and dog connection.
• Now that Ed and Dan live on the northern edge of Andersonville, they never want to leave after transitioning from living in New York City.  “I just feel like I struck gold,” comments Ed on the ease of living in Chicago in general.
• When it comes to training, the one thing Ed believes in is positive reinforcement, he doesn’t believe training dogs should be done with any negative means.
• Using his experience as Director of Innovation, Ed and Dan have flipped the training system on it’s side and designed a program called Urban Pooch Levels, a gym membership-style program that allows clients to be more flexible with classes for their dogs. Ed says that the greatest challenge with training dogs is following up and reinforcing with your dog the behavior that they are learning, and the levels system allows for reinforcement at any time.

Berwyn and Ed on the agility course at Urban Pooch Training & Fitness.

• The top four reasons why people come specifically to Urban Pooch is for puppyhood training, barking, on and off-leash aggression, and anxiety.
• Urban Pooch offers Puppy Playtime every Saturday. “There is nothing more joyous than being with 15 puppies where the only thing on their mind is having fun.”  Urban Pooch also has a course for puppies called Junior Dog, meant to be a transitional class for dogs in between the puppyhood class and the adult obedience class. Information on available classes for puppies can be found on the Urban Pooch website.
• If your dog is having problems, like excessive chewing, the biggest advice Ed has is to give them another task or “job of the body and mind.” Ed mentions sessions with their  dog behaviorist, Karen Okura, who is especially skilled in this department. Get to know the rest of the training staff at Urban Pooch.   
• This winter, Urban Pooch plans on training dogs on how to pull sleds!
• On dog etiquette, Ed believes dogs should always be on a leash, but that owners should pay attention to their dog too! Put down the phone, don’t ignore them. In particular, be careful at dog parks and the dog beach.

“ Your dog loves your attention. They want to connect with you. They want your attention.”
– Ed Kaczmarek

• Ed and Dan’s dog, Berwyn, is the official “CEO” of Urban Pooch. He is an 11-year-old Welsh Terrier from an Amish Farm in central Illinois.

Berwyn shows off his skills during our 2018-19 Neighborhood Guide photo shoot. Photos by Mike Rivera.

• Ed and Berwyn are featured prominently in the 2018-19 Neighborhood Guide. The photos were shot during an agility course demo with Berwyn. View the full publication here.
• If given the chance, Ed would switch places with Roost (5634 N. Clark) because Urban Pooch has used reclaimed artifacts from their store. The other establishment Ed would switch places with is Octavio (5310 N. Clark) because of how social it seems and the history of the building.

Urban Pooch is hosting their annual HOWL-O-WEEN party on Thursday, October 25! Dogs and owners are invited to attend in costume and a professional photographer will be on hand to snap a photo before the contest begins. Registration kicks off at 6:30PM! Learn more here.

This week, Laura and Joelle are joined by Sharon Howerton, president of Chicago Uptown Lion’s Club, a volunteer service agency committed to service in the Uptown and Edgewater neighborhoods since 1921. Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with over 1 million members. Their mission is to improve our communities and have been doing so for nearly 100 years. Don’t miss the Lions of Illinois Foundation’s annual fundraiser, Candy Days, this Friday, October 12 and Saturday, October 13!

President of Chicago Uptown Lions, Sharon Howerton, and her service guide dog, Camea, in studio at Transistor’s Studio C.

“Everything is so convenient here [in Andersonville], it would be hard to go elsewhere”
-Sharon Howerton

Listen to Episode 30 with Sharon!

Here are some references from Episode 30 that you may want to check out:

• Sharon was born in Chicago, she grew up on the Southeast side and she’s resided at her current address in Andersonville for over 15 years. No stranger to the community, Sharon bought a home in 1981 in the Bowmanville area and has been serving the area ever since!
• Currently, she is a retired state employee, and at this time works from home as a teacher for the Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired, located in Winnetka.
• Sharon was invited to join the Lion’s Club because she was interested in better serving the community. She transferred to the Uptown office about eight years ago and serves as president of the Board. There are currently 28 members with seven or eight people on the Board.

The Chicago Uptown Lions on a past Candy Day.

• On Friday, October 12 and Saturday, October 13, the Lions host an event called Lion’s Candy Day, a fundraising initiative in which members go out to public spaces and trade candy for donations. Part of the collection goes to Lions of Illinois of Foundation and the rest to the Uptown chapter for service projects. If you’d like to donate directly to the Chicago Uptown Lions chapter, please click here.
• On October 26, the Uptown Lion’s are curating the Vision Bus, an opportunity for visitors to get their vision tested. Visitors receive the chance to get their retinas screened. Learn more about the Lions Club vision programs here. The Lions Club also accepts used glasses and hearing aids from the public for the purpose of refurbishing the item and offering them to a country that needs it. Learn more about the Lions Club hearing programs here.
• Folks can also drop off used eyeglasses and hearing aids at the Andersonville drop off locations: Alamo Shoes (5321 N Clark), St. Gregory’s Catholic Church (5545 N. Paulina) and the 48th Ward Office (5533 N. Broadway).
• Laura asks Sharon to share some of the day-to-day challenges of individuals who are blind or vision impaired. Sharon mentions trying to navigate through traffic and certain crossings at intersections can be difficult. Her organization is aiming to establish audible controlled intersections located within the community.
• Sharon mentions that it is different traveling with a cane verse traveling with a service dog. She’s worked with a service dog for the last 15 years. Her current dog is named Camea. She gives our listeners some tips on how to approach a Guide Dog:
  • First, do not touch the guide dog; she’s working! Dogs working are in harness and often concentrating to make sure their handler gets around safely.
  • If you are able-bodied and have your own dog, allow Sharon to pass with Camea, and keep your dog close to you
  • Sharon welcomes questions about her dog and her disability, especially from children. She’s done presentations before to elementary schools. One of her favorite questions: “Is that a blind dog? No… she can see just fine!”

Sharon shared tips with us on how to approach her and her guide dog.

• If she could trade places with any business in Andersonville, she would trade places with Octavio Cantina and Kitchen (5310 N. Clark). Sharon also says that she has not been to Dollop Diner (5060 N. Clark) and is curious to check it out.
• If you have questions about Chicago Uptown Lions, please email Sharon directly at sharonhow@gmail.com. Meetings are the second Wednesday of the month at 6:30PM at Francesca’s Restaurant (1039 W. Bryn Mawr).

Visit Chicago Uptown Lions on the following platforms:
Information on Lions of Illinois Foundation at: lionsofillinoisfoundation.org
Information on Lions International at: lionsclub.org
Facebook: facebook.com/Chicago-Uptown-Lions-Club
Email: sharonhow@gmail.com

This week, Laura and Joelle are joined by Lynn Mooney and Sarah Hollenbeck, co-owners of Women & Children First, one of the largest feminist bookstores in the country. Women & Children First started as a modest storefront in 1979 and moved to its current location at 5233 N. Clark St. in 1990.

Sarah Hollenbeck (left) and Lynn Mooney (right) in Transistor’s Studio C.

“We really pride ourselves on being an intersectional feminist bookstore… meaning we acknowledge and celebrate all of the ways the different ‘isms’ are connected.”
– Sarah Hollenbeck

Listen to Episode 29 with Lynn and Sarah!

Here are some references from Episode 29 that you may want to check out:

• Women & Children First (WCF) was founded in 1979 by co-founders Ann Christophersen and Linda Bubon. Learn more about the history here.
• Lynn started at WCF as a book seller and was later promoted to manager. She had worked at the store for six years before purchasing the business. Before working at the store, Lynn worked in the book publishing industry for about 25 years. She was on the editorial side and worked for some major publishers.
• Sarah, before becoming co-owner at WCF, worked as a bookseller at a number of bookstores, including Barnes and Noble, Borders and other independent stores. Before that, she also worked for a local publisher called Independent Publishers Group.

Sarah at the Featured Feminist Non Fiction section in the store.

• Lynn and Sarah bought the store from Ann and Linda in 2014, and since then they have not only renovated the space, but they have also built on the foundation that was already there. They have kept programming and events consistent, now aiming to also attract a younger crowd. They have updated the store’s vision of feminism by focusing on more current events and having a more intersectional perspective. Check out their upcoming events here.
• The feminist bookstore movement in the late 70s and early 1980s was a response to the lack of books by women in most libraries and general bookstores.
• Laura references Episode 26 of the podcast when Jean Cate, owner of Martha Mae: Art Supplies and Beautiful Things (5407 N. Clark), mentions walking into Women and Children First and knowing afterward, that this “neighborhood was made.” Sarah mentions that WCF was recruited to Andersonville back in 1991 to serve as a community hub for people to learn, read, hang out and have a good time.
• WCF runs the  Women’s Voices Fund, a grantee of the Crossroads Fund, which was established in November of 2005 to help support feminist programming at the bookstore. The fund allows for WCF to bring both celebrity authors and more marginalized authors who haven’t found their home or audience quite yet.

A few of the portraits Lynn and Sarah mention in the episode.

• Upon walking into WCF, hanging above the front door, you’ll notice 15 portraits of authors like Margaret Atwood, Maya Angelou, Alice Munro, and Hillary Clinton and other notable writers, poets, performers, activists and authors who have read at the store. Lynn and Sarah added these portraits as a gift to departing owners Ann and Linda to acknowledge all of the amazing work they had done. Sarah and Lynn would love to add a portrait of Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist. WCF hosted Gay for both a reading in the store and later for a larger event in conversation with Gloria Steinem.
• Lynn and Sarah split the store responsibilities. Sarah takes care of events, programming, marketing/publicity, social media and some of the adult book buying, and Lynn handles a majority of the rest of the book buying for the store.

“Besides being a feminist bookstore, we also try to be a feminist workplace. It’s challenging and hard, but well worth doing.”
– Lynn Mooney

• On Sunday, October 21 from 1-3PM, the bookstore is hosting Chelsea Clinton to sign her new book, Start Now! The book is written for children ages 7-12 and it is an activism guide geared towards that age group. Tickets cost $23 and are available for purchase online here. One ticket admits up to 4 family members and includes a copy of the book!
• WCF will celebrate 40 years in 2019! They are planning to celebrate all year long with certain special events to be determined. The 40th Anniversary logo will launch around the holidays this year.
• If Lynn could switch places with any business in Andersonville she would switch with George’s Ice Cream & Sweets (5306 N. Clark) because she loves chocolate or Taste of Heaven (5401 N. Clark) for their scones. Sarah would switch places with Taste of Lebanon (1509 W. Foster) because she loves the falafel and the lentil soup or Winifred Grace (5642 N Clark).
• Lynn in currently reading a new novel called Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver, and Sarah is reading Rebecca Solnit’s new essay collection, Call Them By Their True Names. She is also reading a novel called The Great Believers by Chicago author Rebecca Makkai and An American Marriage by Tayari Jones.

Lynn and Sarah pose for our 2018-19 Neighborhood Guide. Photo by Mike Rivera.

Visit Women & Children First on the following platforms:
Online: womenandchildrenfirst.com
Facebook: facebook.com/womenandchildrenfirstbooks
Instagram: @wcfbook
Twitter: @wcfbook

This week, Laura and Sara are joined by Mark Robertson and Mike Sullivan, founders of Root Collective and owners of The SoFo Tap at 4923 N. Clark St, as well as the newly opened Meeting House Tavern, located at 5025 N. Clark St. Both establishments offer a relaxed atmosphere,  comfortable decor, and an array of events and nightlife designed to appeal to various demographics of the LGBTQ+ community.

Mark Robertson (left) and Mike Sullivan (right), owners of The SoFo Tap and Meeting House Tavern are featured on this week’s episode of the podcast.

“We are part of Andersonville and one of the beautiful things about Andersonville is diversity. SoFo Tap really exemplifies that diversity”
– Mark Robertson and Mike Sullivan

Listen to Episode 28 with Mark and Mike!

Here are some references from Episode 28 that you may want to check out:

• Mike grew up on the East coast but has lived in Chicago for 25 years. Mark grew up in western Illinois but moved to Chicago 23 years ago to attend DePaul. Mike was initially an attorney and Mark was used to be an accountant for the bar and restaurant industry.
• The two acquired The SoFo Tap in 2011. SoFo gets its name for ‘South of Foster’. Mark says that when they moved in that year, it would have been weird to see people walking down the street, and the neighborhood South of Foster has changed so much since then. It was when they launched their Bear Night that they really saw an influx in people coming to the south end of Andersonville. Bear Night is hosted at SoFo every Sunday. View this week’s event here.

The SoFo Tap is on the corner of Clark and Argyle.

• In reference to South Andersonville changes, Mike mentions the popularity of their neighbors including Chicago Magic Lounge (5050 N. Clark), Bar Roma (5101 N. Clark), the new Graham Cracker Comics (5028 N. Clark), and Full Kit Gear (5021 N. Clark) nearby. Sara also references past interviews on our podcast including Episode 20 with Joey Cranford of Chicago Magic Lounge and Episode 24 with Todd Mack of Foursided, both South of Foster businesses.

The outdoor beer garden hosts Doggy Days every Saturday at SoFo Tap!

• The SoFo Tap is the quintessential Chicago neighborhood bar, according to Mark. It’s a relatively small space, but the property boasts a large backyard beer garden that is very popular in the warm months. Mark says you can expect an open-minded, laid-back environment if you come to SoFo.
• SoFo is dog friendly and hosts Doggy Days every Saturday from 12-3PM. Generally, dogs are always welcome at SoFo if it’s not too busy. Check out this week’s upcoming Share the Love Doggy Days event!
• SoFo Tap runs a featured artist program which allows artists to showcase their work on the walls of the establishment. The featured artists rotate every few months. Mike and Mark wanted to give local artists a space to present their work to local families. The bar is currently featuring the neighborhood artwork of Brad Fellows.

The upstairs bar area at Meeting House Tavern.

• Meeting House Tavern’s name came from years of talking to customers at SoFo and the former Crew Bar and Grill. People in the neighborhood wanted a “town center” type of place. Meeting House acts as a place to come and hang out with your friends, grab a drink and play board and card games, shuffleboard, skeeball, darts, and pool.

“I did not realize so many people had this untapped passion to play skeeball.”
– Mike Sullivan

• Customers are big fans of the signature margarita and the slushies!
• Mike and Mark have teamed up with the staff at Cards Against Humanity. Every Thursday, the staff brings over new, never seen before cards that are still under development. So in some regards, Meeting House Tavern is like an experiential playground!
• The pair are looking for a new location for their LGBTQ+ sports bar, Crew Bar and Grill. Mark has a passion for sports, and they are looking for the perfect location to continue the legacy that it began 13 years ago.
• Every other Tuesday,  Meeting House Tavern hosts a drag-in movie night. A drag queen hosts and  brings her own style and trivia and games to the bar. They also feature karaoke every Thursday with Bradley K8 Olsen, who also happens to manage our neighborhood AKIRA (5228 N Clark)!  Check out this week’s upcoming karaoke night here.
• Mike would switch places with George’s Ice Cream & Sweets (5306 N. Clark) for the day. Mark would choose to switch places with Chicago Magic Lounge.

Meeting House Tavern is one of the businesses sponsoring the upcoming South Andersonville Post-Construction block party on Thursday, October 4! Check out the details here.

Visit The SoFo Tap and Meeting House Tavern on the following platforms:
Online: thesofotap.com | meetinghousetavern.com
Facebook: facebook.com/TheSoFoTap | facebook.com/MeetingHouseChi
Instagram: @thesofotap | @meetinghousetavernchi
Twitter: @sofotap | @meetinghousechi