Page 7 - Chicago Market Community - Action Plan

PROJECT BACKGROUND

CLIENT OVERVIEW

Chicago Market is a community-owned food cooperative (co-op) focused on bringing healthy, local, and
sustainable food choices to the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago -- and beyond. Its vision is to build a
better food community and create meaningful connections between local consumers and food producers
in the Midwest region. As a cooperative business guided by its individual owners, Chicago Market is driven
more by impact than profit, and measures success on a triple-bottom line of people, planet, and prosperity.

After its founding in 2013, the cooperative grew to over 600 co-owners within the first year. It then began
the challenging journey toward its ultimate goal of opening a full-service, community-owned grocery
store. In the interim, Chicago Market focused on growing its ownership pool, forming a robust governance
structure, and fundraising for store construction. After an extensive search, Chicago Market identified the
historic Gerber Building as its future home. In 2018, Chicago Market secured a lease with the Chicago
Transit Authority (CTA), which owned the newly rehabilitated former "El" train station.

Even without a permanent retail store, Chicago Market maintains an active presence in the community,
operating a thriving weekly farmer's market in warmer months, hosting seasonal events, and remaining
active in community events and local partnership building. Today, the cooperative has just over 2,400 co-
owners and aims to be around 3,500 at its opening.

With the help of a recent $5 million grant from the
City of Chicago that fulfilled capital needs, the
Market is ready to enter its next phase -- opening
and operating its permanent grocery store in late-
2024. The Market will employ around 60 full-time
staff and a network of dozens of local vendors
and farmers with whom they already have a
close working relationship. Once operational, the
13,000-square-foot grocery store is projected to be
one of the highest-grossing start-up cooperatives
in the US. In addition to local, sustainably-farmed
produce, meat, and dairy products, Chicago Market
will sell dry goods, bulk foods, frozen and prepared
foods, alcohol, and everything else you expect from
your neighborhood market.
The Gerber Building Today (Image Chicago Tribune)

CHICAGO MARKET SUSTAINABILITY ACTION PLAN 7