Fira Andersonville [ celebrate

5 WAYS TO LOVE A LOCAL BUSINESS

SHOP THE SITE

Andersonville businesses are accessible through their fantastic websites and sell their products online. They work hard on maintaining these sites year round. Now is a great time to discover what’s available from the comfort of your couch.

ORDER DIRECT

Many of Andersonville’s local restaurants and cafes are able to deliver food straight to your home, or will allow you to order food for pick-up curbside with the ease of an app or a quick phone call. Make sure to check in with the restaurant on their delivery service of choice, and visit andersonville.org/updates for who’s providing which services.

LOVE. LIKE. SHARE.

What do you love about Andersonville? Now is the time to show these businesses some love in your social media feeds. Tag the business, tag us, and tag a friend who should check it out in the future. Also, don’t just follow your favorite businesses on social; like their posts and leave a comment too. All of this will help to boost a businesses’ visibility.

USE YOUR VOICE

Now is a great time to catch up on reviewing your favorite shop, eatery, healthcare provider, or service business. Your positive reviews on Google, Yelp and Facebook will start building positive momentum for the months to come.

ANDERSONVILLE IS ACTIVE. ADAPTING. ALWAYS.

As the news changes each day, our businesses are making the difficult choices on how to adapt and continue operating in new capacities. We cannot stress enough; Andersonville is still open and active in many online and digital ways, and purchasing a gift card directly from your favorite businesses, or following any of our other tips, directly supports them during this difficult time.

In May 2020, the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce launched the Always Andersonville: Small Business Made campaign, once again reiterating messages of support for the local business community and highlighting stories of resilience in our own backyard. The Andersonville Chamber made safety a priority for visitors brave enough to come out when businesses were finally allowed to reopen, including chalking the entire Special Service Area (SSA #22) with #6FTSAFE social distancing sidewalk markers for use when queuing for curbside pickup. The campaign continued throughout the remainder of 2020. Enter the tentative, but hopeful promise of 2021. The vaccine is here and slowly, Chicagoans are starting to see light at the end of this tunnel. But, we aren’t out of the woods yet. If you’ve picked up this Guide at a local retailer, restaurant, health & wellness office or service provider, we thank you for your continued patronage. If you received your copy in the mail, we ask that you continue to support our Andersonville businesses online and with curbside pickup. We know the future is uncertain, but with your commitment to this neighborhood, there is hope. During the 2020 Holidays, businesses were forced to get creative to service customers. Simon’s Tavern owner Scott Martin (left) bottled his famous hot Swedish Glögg to sell to a daily line of thirsty supporters.

Rättvisa Andersonville

[ diversity, equity + inclusion ]

In 2020, we were emboldened to take a hard look at our privilege: our privilege as white individuals, our privilege as a north side organization, and our privilege as a predominately white business district. Despite Andersonville being known as a LGBTQIA+ safe haven, and despite our efforts at inclusivity, we fall short in meeting the needs of the black and brown communities here in Chicago. The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce is committed to becoming an antiracist organization by engaging our BIPOC members and partners. We will use our collective voice and influence to drive racial equity impact and change and to advocate for those whose voices have historically been discounted or silenced. We pledge to actively work against the internalized racist worldview by:

Using data and best practices to create systems that add a lasting antiracist lens to Andersonville Chamber operations, recruitment, retention, culture, and Board leadership in order to achieve greater diversity and representation in all of these aspects of our work.

Working to understand the unique needs of BIPOC-owned businesses, patrons, and residents so that we can be an effective partner and advocate for policies that support a more equitable and inclusive business district.

Educating our membership by providing impactful tools on anti-racism in the workplace and encouraging them to join us in raising our collective voices and taking action to support racial equity.

The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce values diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Andersonville Business District. We live in an unjust society, one with a long history of cultural and systemic discrimination. All are welcomed, respected, and supported here, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, mental or physical ability, and learning style.

In partnership with Alderman Andre Vasquez, 40th Ward Chicago, the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce hosted more than 20 BIPOC and Trans/GNC artists the weekend of August 8 & 9, 2020 to paint the message, “BLACK TRANS LIVES MATTER” as a street mural at 1500 West Catalpa Avenue between Clark and Ashland. The mural was dedicated on August 22, 2020.