A Dose of April Francis (Profile)

From the second floor of the Chop Shop, April Francis looked over the first floor of the event space, where a fresh crop of small businesses were selling their creations for the Mother’s Day edition of Dose Market.  Pharrell’s “Happy” echoed throughout the room. Freshly brewed coffee and tomato soup scent the fresh spring air. It’s the first Dose Market of the Spring, and the Chop Shop is filled to capacity.

Dose Market, a marketplace of curated clothing, art and food that occurs almost every Sunday, attracts a diverse crowed of people that look for the finest selection of products picked by Francis.

After graduating from the University of Michigan eight years ago, Francis, 32, packed her bags and moved to Chicago. Even though Francis has her Bachelor of Arts in English language and literature, it’s no coincidence that she became a self-started entrepreneur.

“My whole life my dad was like, ‘Why would I work for anyone else?’” Francis said. “So I was like, okay, why would I work for anyone else?”

Francis’s father is a small business owner, and she’s always had a love for small business owners.

“I love people that have an eye for something they’re passionate about,” Francis said.

Prior to Dose Market, she worked at a variety of different markets over the past decade: the Ann Arbor Art Fair, Market Days in her hometown and Capsule in New York and Paris. It was her most consistent work experience; she loved beautiful flea markets because of their ability to bring a cohesive collection of people together.

In 2010, a friend of Francis’s said to her, “You should do a market at the River East Art Center.” Her experience and love for markets made this off-hand idea a reality: Dose Market.

Dose Market was founded to bring small businesses, entrepreneurs, artists and designers together. Francis wanted a space where small businesses could sell their products like new fragrant soaps, a spring collection of new clothing designs, or a new flavor to soup to the public and receive immediate feedback.

“People who create things inspire me,” Francis said. “People who do not create things underestimate the intense effort it takes to bring something to market.”

Dressed in acid washed jeans with a denim jacket tied around her waist, Francis walked up to Shelby Steiner, a contemporary women’s wear designer in Chicago. Steiner has been “Dosing” since the very first Dose – almost three years ago at the River East Arts Center. Francis strolled past the handmade toffee and stood in front of an iMac with the word “Dryv” typed in red on the screen.

Not only does Francis manage the overwhelming stress of owning Dose Market, but also she’s a strategic employee for Dryv, an on-demand dry cleaning and laundry service. She’s able to come up with creative business ideas without using too much of the budget.

“She’s a hustler and a grassroots type person,” Chris Elipas, 29, Co-founder of Dryv said.

Francis joined the Dryv team almost a month ago, and she’s already secured a television spot on Fox Chicago for the company.

“She’s never afraid to approach someone, but it’s not ‘salesy’ or off-putting,” Elipas said. “When she looks at a problem, she not going to throw all this money at it. Instead she looks at the parameters of how can I do this the best way.”

Through a couple of connections and a call, Francis is able to make Dryv the sponsor of almost any event.

“At the end of the day, business is people, and I think she understands that,” Elipas said. “It’s not like a cold accounting calculation in her mind. She’s able to juggle both sides seamlessly.”

Managing Dose Market and Dryv can be overwhelming and incredibly time consuming for Francis.

“It’s important to turn the computer off and exercise, eat well, have time with family and friends,” Francis said.

With The Lakeside Punch in her right hand, and her iPhone in her left, Francis seemed relaxed on this Sunday at Dose. Once this Wicker Park market closed at 4 p.m., it was right back to work to plan for part two of Dose Market’s “May Dose A Deux.”

Belmont Overpass Proposal Stirs Controversy (Opinion)

Six men dressed inCubs jerseys stumbled into Beer on Clark Street after a winning game at Wrigley Field. A train screeched past the roof of the bar.  The windows were opened, giving a peek into the dimly lit bar. Hunter Tankersley, 22, walked up to the bar and requested “solo cups and your cheapest beer.”Tankersley and his buddies played beer pong like it was their first night in the dorms again.

Above Beer lay two CTA tracks – one of which runs 24 hours a day. Across the street above Johnny O’Hagan’s Irish Pub and Restaurant are two sets of Brown line tracks. Many CTA customers complain about the lack of frequent Red, Brown and Purple line trains, including countless delays. The CTA has heard these complaints and concerns and has decided to take action.

The CTA recently proposed a solution to solve the congested Clark Junction: an overpass would organize the Red, Purple and Brown line trains, allow for more trains to run and have less delays during rush periods. However, the proposed construction would require almost 20 Lakeview buildings to be demolished to make room for the bypass.

On April 17, Mike Witt, 39, bartender at Fiesta Cantina, was working behind the bar when two men carrying black binders and a stack of letters walked through the door. They asked to speak to the owner.

“The other bartender said he had a meeting to go to,” Witt said. “I had to look it up to see what was going on.”

The $320 million project would include helping the existing businesses move to another location, but doesn’t include remodeling or re-licensing costs.

“Just [to save] four minutes [?” Witt said. “It ain’t worth all that work.”

Unclogging the Clark Junction and reduce the delayed Red, Brown and Purple Line trains would save approximately four minutes of commute time. But is that four minutes people are willing to save to tear down almost 20 properties while spending millions of dollars to get the job done?

“I don’t think that’s a very smart idea,” said Mackenzie Huges, a 22-year-old who rides the CTA through the Clark Junction every day for her morning and evening commute.  “If they’re going to give each train their own tracks, then they should run 24 hours, not just half my day.” The Red Line operates 24 hours a day. However, the Brown Line stops service from Kimball to Downtown at 1 a.m.

Careid Surprenant, 35, front desk attendant at Moksha Yoga Center, heard about the proposal about a month ago. She found out through the CTA first, and then was followed up with a swarm of calls and visits from reporters.

“As a company, it’s not the worst thing in the world,” Surprenant said. “It’s unfortunate that it will affect the business, but it will probably give us an opportunity to grow.”

The CTA spokeswoman Tammy Chase said the acquisition of the properties isn’t finalized and community meetings will be held, according to the Chicago Tribune.

“When there’s an eminent domain, you can’t really fight that too much,” Suprenant said. “They’re [CTA] going to get what they want no matter what.”

While Moksha Yoga is trying to put a positive spin on the unfortunate proposal, customers are worried.

“There’s definitely some concern there because they know it’s happening and they may be affected more than maybe the business,” Suprenant said.

However, when Moksha Yoga relocates it’ll be somewhere in the area so they can further meet their clients’ expectations. Not to mention, they have multiple locations and have been looking to relocate for a while. The Lakeview businesses that only have one location are more concerned.

“We’ll have to reapply for a license, remodel, modernize…it’s just a lot of work and money that’s not worth it,” Witt said. “But we gotta do what we gotta do.”

Bar hopping around the Clark Junction is a tradition that would be broken for many Lakeview residents if the proposed Belmont overpass were approved. Saving four minutes by spending $320 million doesn’t seem to add up in the heads of many concerned Lakeview residents.

“It sounds like a huge waste of money for the result that we’d be getting,” Hughes said.  “I think what they should work on is investing in new train cars. People should feel good about riding the CTA. And I didn’t think that knocking down existing buildings would do the job. They should work on expanding the lines to new areas instead of working on what they already have.”

Residents have expressed their concerns about the CTA proposing to spend money on a solution that not all agree with.

 “If Chicago wants to be a city that attracts more people, they should focus on helping everyone, because everyone here relies on transit,” Hughes said. “They’re just continuing to delay people even more with all this construction.”

In his favorite bar on Clark Street, Tankersley aims the white Ping-Pong ball at the left corner of the wood table.  He shoots. He scores. He can’t imagine a Cubs game without ending the night at Beer bar. He’s made memorieswith his life-long friends at the Clark Junction. Like the time the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup and Chicago residents flooded Clark Street, or simply grabbing a slice of pizza after a night out from Beggars Pizza.

If residents, businesses and customers band together, they might stand a chance against the CTA. “If we all come together, we might have a chance to win,” Witt said. He wants to band together with the other store and restaurant owners, but he’s not sure if there will be enough support to save the Clark street junction.

DePaul student learns life lessons the hard way

If at First You Don’t Succeed… (Kyle Tyrrell Profile)

Kyle Tyrrell was about to start his third year at DePaul University. He was the first student to move into the student apartments on campus, and he was the first student to ever get kicked out.

After countless parties over the summer, noise complaints and underage drinking, Tyrrell and his roommate were asked to move out. 

“I went into a phase of drinking…life got pretty crappy,” Tyrrell, 28-year-old DePaul junior said.

Forced to move back home in Glenview, he got a job at “The Valley Lodge,” a restaurant in his hometown.

“Welcome to the family,” his new boss said on his first day of work. Tyrrell had never experienced something like that.  He’d never met his real father and never had a father figure in his life.

One Monday night, Tyrrell went out for a night of drinking, knowing in the back of his mind that he had a double shift the next day.

The next day: No call. No show.

“No one knew where I was,” Tyrrell said.

After a few days of staying silent, he finally went back to the restaurant. But after his misconduct, his bosses didn’t want him there anymore.

“I lost something that was important to me,” Tyrrell said. “I gave it away become of my own selfishness.”

Tyrrell admits that he made a mistake, but it was a very pivotal moment in his life. About a month after the incident, his boss called and said that he could come back to work.

“We want you to succeed at this company,” his boss said. “We want you to succeed at being a man…you can’t keep doing this.”

Tyrrell was grateful for a fresh start that he thought he didn’t deserve.  

“Even the most intimidating men can still have empathy,” Tyrrell said. “They gave me a second chance.”

Several years later, he still continues to work “The Valley Lodge” for the same two men that gave him a life do-over. After getting his life straight in his mid-twenties, he’s on track to graduate from DePaul University next year. 

HOMELESS IN CHICAGO: LOWER WACKER TRANSFORMED, LONG WINTER

Steel fences and concrete walls on Lower Wacker Drive have displaced homeless people amidst a harsh winter. (Photo credit: Bob Bailey)

Audio Slideshow: The presentation gives a look into the changes of Lower Wacker Drive and how those modifications, along with a particularly harsh winter, have affected Chicago’s homeless population.

Homeless in Chicago Facing a Long Winter

By Amy Notestein and Bob Bailey

 During the peak of the winter season, wind chills below negative 45 are nothing short of normal. For most Chicagoans, it’s an annoyance or an inconvenience, but for the homeless, it can be life threatening.

 There are numerous homeless shelters throughout the city that offer a place to sleep 24 hours a day during severe weather conditions. Some shelters even keep their doors open two or three days straight just so people can have a place to stay, away from the below zero temperatures.

Although the city provides housing for the homeless, these opportunities are limited, and those who qualify sometimes choose otherwise anyway. They rather sleep on the streets. But when the streets are covered in snow and the wind chill is below zero, where do they go?

Blue Demon Dance to be held at Bridgeport Art Center

Listen to the audio introduction, then vote in the poll.

Map of 2009 Lincoln Park Muggings

This map details a series of muggings that took place in the Lincoln Park neighborhood in Chicago during the summer of 2009. According to the Chicago Police Department, five of the seven muggings were linked. Police are still investigating if the two other muggings were related. No arrests have been made.

All victims were men in their 20s. Each were walking alone when they were confronted from behind. The attackers, also in their 20s, asked for the victims’ wallets, then beaten in the head and face. Two of the victims were hospitalized.

If you have any information about the attacks, contact the Chicago Police Department or call the Chicago Police Department Hotline at 312-746-4276.

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