BRAVO 1.0

an elgin culture magazine

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Special Section

Media Guide with the VENUES and BUSINESSES Express Yourself

Elgin Open Mic Scene pp. 6-7

Photo ©Bill O’Neill. Used with permission.

pp. 8-14

BRAVO

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A Word From the Publisher

Print: A Medium of Place In my line of work, I often hear the phrase “print is dead.”

Newspapers are shrinking, telephone books are extinct, and magazines now pay for readers instead of the other way around.

The variety and immediacy of digital media is irresistible compared to ink and paper.

Yet the ability to share experiences instantly from around the globe means we can be virtually everywhere—or nowhere—at any time. In cyberspace, we lose our sense of place.

Facebook.com is a “site,” but Elgin, Illinois is actually a place.

This experiment in publishing is an attempt to reestablish that sense of place, by sharing words and images by, for and about Elgin. And you can only get this experience of Elgin culture by showing up at a local place to pick up a free copy.

At BRAVO magazine, we define culture in terms of these three things.

a premiere chamber music series in Elgin

Taste We’re defined by what we choose for ourselves, and while true on so many levels, the old cliché “You are what you eat” is only part of the story.

In addition to food and drink, our tastes include our personal

style, our choice of surroundings, and the things we devote our attention to.

Expression We’re also defined by the messages we send to others: our language, our stories, our visions. This is the realm of the arts, where we communicate not just with words, but with paint and pathos, music and motion.

Shared Values There is already enough that divides us. Therefore, we won’t report bad news here, encourage criticism or take a stand on controversial issues.

Instead, our mission is to bring people together around things we can agree on, like peace, freedom, friendship; love for people, respect for the community, and care for the environment.

For as long as this project is a living thing, don’t be alarmed by changes in name, appearance, or attitude. And we invite you to join us on the journey by sharing your events, ads, artwork, stories and photos. See you around!

Jeffrey R. Pierce Publisher jeffrey@marqueemedia.net

❝ We define culture

Be the first to hear about our 2015-16 season announcement!

ChamberMusicOnTheFox.org

in terms of these three things: Taste, Expression, and Shared Values.

BRAVO

July 2015

Language Arts

About BRAVO

What do outstanding performances, bold personalities, spicy food and a historic river share in common? Here’s something: you’ll find them all in Elgin.

It’s a lesson we are fortunate to learn and practice every day here on the banks of our own great river.

Here’s another: bravo.

Get Amazing Socks Every Month Give Amazing Socks Every Month

Get Help Now

630-415-5296

We are The Rescue Squad for Troubled Taxpayers

Bravo is also a name given to the great river (Rio Grande) that separates North America from Latin America. In more ways than one, the river is rough in some places.

Permanently Resolve Your Tax Problems Today!

From top: El Rio Bravo del Norte; ESO Music Director Andrew Grams; Alice and Bill Moring; tacos bravos.

With one of the Nation’s Leading Experts in Tax Negotiations and Mediation Schedule your FREE Consultation

B R A V O Magazine

pjntaxsolutions.com

published by Marquee Media (224) 513-1220 bravo@marqueemedia.net Publisher: Jeffrey R. Pierce Cover photo by Bill O’Neill

For Ever y Pair We Ship Out We Give A Pair To Someone In Need

& SOULS w w w. s o c k s a n d s o u l s. c o m And so we set as standards for our magazine to be courageous, clever, and done well; to flow together in the same direction; And to be fiercely supportive of a place by a river.

Along a river, the elements from both sides meet, combine, and flow together in the same direction.

STAND OUT

SOCKS

This Spanish and Italian expression has a variety of meanings including “well done,” “beautiful,” “courageous,” “ferocious,” and “clever.” Think of the English word fierce and all its modern connotations, and you get the idea.

But El Rio Bravo del Norte also connects the Americas.

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B R A V O is Earth-friendly.

167 N. Spring St. • Elgin, IL 60120

BRAVO

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Downtown Art Gallery Hemmens, 45 Symphony Way, 847.931.5900. Exhibits.

Introducing The FEED We believe that one way to measure the vitality of a place is by the number of events happening on any given night or weekend.

From artist receptions to zoo programs—and everything in between—the surging number of things to do in Elgin was the inspiration for BRAVO. So we dedicate the most space in our magazine to a comprehensive listing we call “The FEED.” We load up our database with event listings collected from your websites, social media posts, published calendars and direct submissions, and print it in an

easy-to-use, color-coded format.

Details will include date, time, location, price and more.

In this startup issue, we devote The FEED to a listing of places in Elgin where you will find events happening: venues.

FEED.venues Gallery

Restaurant/Bar

Auditorium

Museum

Hall

Other

Search the Largest Elgin Area Business Directory at:

ELGINCHAMBER.COM

ArtSpace 51 S Spring St, 847.214.2922. Exhibits, events.

Blue Box Cafe 176 E Chicago St, 847.697.2583. Themed events, live music, open mic.

Centre of Elgin 100 Symphony Way, 847.531.7000. Classes, events.

The Haight, 166 Symphony Way.

Chicago Street Studios 201 E Chicago St, 224.489.6320

erside Dr, 224.325.4382. Meetings, classes.

Chooch’s Pizza 64 S Grove Ave, 847.888.0211. Live music.

Exhibition Hall Hemmens, 45 Symphony Way, 847.931.5900. Meetings.

City Hall 150 Dexter Ct, 847.931.6100.

Meetings.

Festival Park 132 S Grove Ave, 847.931.6123. Live music, fireworks, festivals.

Computer Training Room GBPL, 270 N Grove Ave, 847.742.2411. Classes.

Danny’s on Douglas 231 Douglas Ave, 847.742.5400. Live music, open mic.

Elgin Art Showcase 164 Division St, 847.741.1515. Exhibits, live performances, events.

Elgin Books 66 S Grove Ave, 847.695.2680 Elgin Public House 219 E Chicago St, 847.468.8810. Themed dinners, Beer Fest.

Elgin Room GBPL, 270 N Grove Ave, 847.742.2411. Events.

Elgin Technology Center 73 S Riv-

Fox River Room GVC, 250 S Grove Ave, 847.494.2795. Meetings, banquets, events.

Funky Rooster Studio 73 S Grove Ave, 224.828.8849. Exhibits.

Gasthaus 15 N Grove Ave, 847.695.8828. Live music.

Grand Victoria Casino 250 S Grove Ave, 847.468.7000. Live music, gaming.

Heritage Ballroom Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way, 847.531.7000.

Meetings, banquets, events.

HOTI Gallery 51 S Spring St,

BRAVO

July 2015 630.880.9467. Exhibits, events.

events.

Main Stage Hemmens, 45 Symphony Way, 847.931.5900. Elgin Symphony, Elgin Short Film Festival, live performances.

YWCA Elgin 220 E Chicago St, 847.742.7930. Meetings, programs.

Martini Room 161 E Chicago St, 847.741.0349. Live music, themed events.

Medusa’s 209 E Chicago St, 847.488.0320. Night life.

Next Door Theatre 15 Ziegler Court, 847.429.2276. Live music, live performances.

Ola la Ijorere 51 S Spring St, 312.401.3956. Live music, themed events.

Prairie Rock Bar & Grill 127 S Grove Ave, 630.883.8799. Live music.

Rediscover Records 9 S Spring St, 847.961.8445. Live music.

Side Street Studio Arts Gallery 15 Ziegler Ct, 847.429.2276. Exhibits, live performances, events.

Simple Balance Holistic Centre 221 E Chicago St, 847.468.6012. Classes, lectures.

East Side American Legion Post 57 820 N Liberty St, 847.741.1684. Fish fry, Bingo, parties.

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Sears Gallery Theater Elgin Academy, 350 Park Street, 847.695.0300.

Live performances.

Thulin Performance Hall Judson Univ, 1151 N State St, 847.628.2500.

Live performances.

Randall Corridor

Eagle Lounge Judson Univ, 1151 N State St, 847.628.2500. Meetings, events.

Carmina’s Restaurant 1055 N Randall Rd, 847.760.6000. Banquets, parties.

Elgin History Museum 360 Park St, 847.742.4248. Exhibits, meetings, events.

Dutch Inn West 36W610 Foothill Rd, 847.888.9560. Live music.

Elgin Public Museum 225 Grand Blvd, 847.741.6655. Exhibits, classes, events.

Elgin Turners 112 Villa St, 847.697.4431. Fish Fry, Haunted House.

Fire Barn Museum 533 St Charles St, 847.697.6242. Exhibits.

Herrick Chapel Judson, 1151 N State St, 847.628.2500. Events, live music.

Soulful Sparrow 10 Douglas Ave, 224.223.7718. Artist exhibits.

Kimball Street Theater Elgin Academy, 350 Park St, 847.695.0300. Live performances.

South Elgin Room GBPL, 270 N Grove Ave, 847.742.2411. Meetings.

Lord’s Park 225 Grand Blvd, 847.931.6123

The Haight 174-184 Symphony Way, 224.801.4166. Banquets, receptions,

Lords Park Pavilion 100 Oakwood Blvd, 847.931.6123. Banquets, events.

Hawthorne Hill Center 28 Brookside Dr, 847.931.6123. Banquets, events, live music.

D Hangout 550 S McLean Blvd, 847.717.0510. Live music, open mic.

E. Max Von Isser Gallery ECC, 1700 Spartan Dr, 847.214.7405. Exhibits.

Estrellas del Millennium 850 N State St, 847.871.3636. Live music.

Heritage Room ECC, 1700 Spartan Dr, 847.931.3925. Meetings.

John R. Grady Gallery ECC, 1700 Spartan Dr, 847.214.7405. Exhibits.

Safety-Kleen Gallery One ECC, 1700 Spartan Dr, 847.214.7405. Exhibits.

SecondSpace Theater ECC, 1700 Spartan Dr, 847.214.7140. Live performances.

Jimmy’s Charhouse 2290 Point Blvd, 847.783.0200. Parties.

Seigle Auditorium ECC, 1700 Spartan Dr, 847.931.3925. Live performances, lectures.

Porter’s Pub 1250 Bowes Creek Blvd, 847.214.5877. Live music.

Spartan Auditorium ECC, 1700 Spartan Drive, 847.931.3925. Events.

Taylor Family YMCA 50 N McLean Blvd, 847.888.7410. Classes, programs.

West Side Alumni Room ECC, 1700 Spartan Dr, 847.931.3925. Meetings.

Blizzard Theater ECC, 1700 Spartan Dr, 847.214.7140. Concerts, live performances.

Books at Sunset 1100 South St, 847.888.1860

VFW Post 1307 1601 Weld Rd, 847.888.9809. Banquets, parties, events.

Walnut Speakeasy 214 Walnut Ave, 847.695.2420. Live music.

Wing Park Band shell 1010 Wing St, 847.931.6123. Summer concerts.

Community Room ECC, 1700 Spartan Dr, 847.931.3925. Meetings, banquets.

THE HAIGHT

Elgin’s Newest Event Space!

THE HAIGHT was built in 1890-Today THE HAIGHT offers it’s guests the quintessential “rustic/warehouse/loft” experience, all from a centrally located building. Our guests choose THE HAIGHT because it is truly the unique experience they are looking for their event.

It’s a one of a kind venue in Kane County with its look and, most importantly, it’s vibe. It’s unique in a non-intimidating way; welcoming and comfortable. And classy.

360 Park Street 847.742.4248 www.elginhistory.org OPEN Wednesday–Saturday from 11am to 4pm

Preserving Elgin’s Heritage For more information or to schedule an appointment

please visit www.THEHAIGHT.net

BRAVO

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fat cat custom guitars repairs accessories custom shop

57 Douglas Ave Downtown Elgin Tue-Fri 12-6 Saturdays 11-5 (847) 888-0000 fatcatcustomguitars.com

FEATURING

Deli Sandwiches Soups & Salads Baked Goods Breakfast

Locally Sourced Coffee & Tea

Mon-Thu 7am - 7pm Friday 7am - 8pm Saturday 8am - 9pm

176 E. Chicago St. Downtown Elgin (847) 697-2583 theblueboxcafe.com private events and catering available

WEEKENDS

Podcasts Movies Games

Check our calendar

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Freedom of Expression

Elgin’s Open Mic Scene Whether you’re a comedian, a poetry reader or a solo musician, the first line of an open mic gig is often the same.

“Check ... check ... Hi, can everybody hear me okay?”

But what comes next is an endless variety of material prepared and performed by people who receive no introduction, no paycheck, and sometimes very little applause.

“Poets, plate-spinners, cat-jugglers ... anyone with a talent to share is welcome,” said Charlie Rantz from the stage on a recent Tuesday night at Danny’s on Douglas.

Rantz is the host of this weekly event that is believed to be one of the longest-running open mic nights in the northwest suburbs.

“We get all ages and all skill levels. We’ve had ear-splitting live bands, and 11 year old girls singing about pets.”

On a busy night, more than a dozen acts will take turns on the stage for about fifteen minutes each. Some have called ahead, but most just show up with an instrument and add their name to the performers’ list.

“I once got a call from a drummer on tour with a national act,” says Rantz. “He was staying at the Holiday Inn and wanted something to do. That night, he showed up here, borrowed a

Kyle Perez and Jason Kilgore jamming at D Hangout during Wednesday Night Open Mic. guitar and sang about five songs.

He was amazing.”

The mystery artist asked to be called “Bob” and never revealed his true identity.

On the other hand, some artists are trying to make a name for themselves, like the local band The Clowder, who once worked Danny’s open mic and are now playing Milwaukee’s Summerfest.

Across town, the mic is open Wednesday nights at D Hangout on McLean Boulevard, where Clowder bassist Jason Kilgore is the MC. Though the stage is smaller, the after-9pm vibe is better suit-

FEED.data Danny’s on Douglas Open Mic Tuesday nights, 7PM, hosted by Charlie Rantz. 231 Douglas Ave. Free. On Chicago sports nights, performances limited to before and after televised game coverage, and during intermissions. 847.742.5400 D Hangout Open Mic Wednesday nights, 9PM, hosted by Jason Kilgore. 550 S. McLean Blvd.

Free. 847.717.0511 Blue Box Cafe “Live at the Blue Box” Schedule of live podcasts, open mic and theme nights varies. Watch The FEED for details. 176 E. Chicago St. Free. 847.697.2583

BRAVO

July 2015

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(L to R) Chris Mau, Edward Lee and Rob Southgate of Southgate Media host a live podcast of “This Week in Geek” at the Blue Box Cafe.

ed for straight-ahead blues, rock and gritty vocals.

The open mic format has also been featured at Blue Box Cafe, where guests can enjoy coffee and deli sandwiches instead of pizza, beer and televised sports.

This more intimate venue has been popular with under 21’s and the literary set.

At the BBC, the First Friday open mic formerly shared by folkies, songwriters and poets has been taken over by Saturday night live podcasts.

For three hours, pundits from Southgate Media Group host live

discussions of off-beat pop culture topics that stream live over the internet. Audience participation is generally welcomed.

The Danny’s on Douglas Tuesday Open Mic stage provides an excellent sound system for groups of almost any size, including a full drum kit if needed.

D Hangout Wednesday Open Mic also has a fully equipped stage and sound system, with drums, guitar and bass available for musicians.

Rantz and Kilgore both described how particularly lively nights often lead to an open jam session with vocalists and a full band of mixed instrumentation.

We offer resources for startups!

Desk and Meeting space Mentorship & Training Professional Networking Business Referrals

ConneCt Create Collaborate

It’s this freedom and spontaneity of the open mic format that inspires and encourages performances, and provides a much needed outlet for experimentation by artists without access to paid bookings.

Charlie Rantz performs at Danny’s on Douglas for Tuesday night Open Mic.

This is vital to an arts-friendly community, and for free live entertainment on a weeknight, there’s no better place to be.

FRIENDLY PEOPLE

COLD BEER

DAILY DRINK

SPECIALS

VIDEO GAMING

Currently booking bars, festivals and private events

http://www.facebook.com/SamDandals

Corner of Chicago St. & State St. • ELGIN

BRAVO

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Media Guide

For all the things that matter ...

The Elgin Marketplace: Businesses with Highest Growth Potential

• Your Home • Your Car • Your Life

Talk to a Farmers® Agent

962 N. McLean Blvd.

Elgin, IL 60123 (847) 219-5790

Emily Martinez

MR. CHEAP’S CHEAP NOT CRAP!

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Follow Us!

MATTRESSES AND MORE ...

Quality Used Furniture Decorative Art Furniture Sales Tax Included in Your Price When You Show This Ad!

SHOP OUR HUGE NEW LOCATION 80 N. State St. (Rt. 31) • ELGIN (847) 289-8500 • Consignments Accepted

It’s a fact: the majority of your customers can be found within five miles of your store. For Elgin businesses, most of that area falls well within the city limits.

Elgin’s Above-Average Consumer Spending Potential by Sector Investments (+19%) Computers & Accessories (+10%)

Who Elginites Are

Restaurants (+8%)

According to experts*, our city consists predominantly of two broad segments of American lifestyle, each of which have their own characteristic buying habits.

Education (+8%)

Soccer Moms, Handy Dads

TV/Video/Audio (+2%)

These are married-couple families with two incomes and growing children, who spend a lot of time on the go and rely on time-saving conveniences like smartphone banking, and fast food restaurants. Their expenses include home and car maintenance, loan payments and wellness. When at home, weekends are consumed with home improvement and family activities.

Latino Blends These are multicultural households of two or more generations of hard-working, style-conscious families. Many were born abroad, and some speak only Spanish. The majority are renters trying to get ahead, who choose working before higher education and devote their available free time to gardening, automotive interests and family life.

An Elginite’s work ethic generates considerable spending power. Household incomes here are higher than the U.S. average, and those dollars are searching for a particular set of goods and services close to home.

Our consumer spending potential is above the U.S. average in nine specific areas, shown in the table to the right. The forecast

Travel (+7%) Car Maintenance & Repair (+7%) Entertainment/Recreation (+6%) Groceries (+6%)

is bright for businesses serving these buyers.

Keeping Dollars Here Though we’re part of a larger regional marketplace, our local economy reflects some key gaps between supply and demand.

The absence of local providers of the following goods and services means that more than 50% of local demand is being satisfied outside of Elgin.

Elgin’s Most Undersupplied Goods & Services Clothing & Accessories (83%) Sporting Goods, Hobbies, Books & Music (81%) Electronics & Appliances (73%) Furniture & Home Decor (54%)

For local businesses in any of the listed categories, the dollars are nearby and the demand is real. Our community wants the local economy to thrive, so make sure you reach people when and where they’re engaged in buying activity­—namely, when they’re picking up a free copy of BRAVO in a local store, boutique or cafe. *2014 data prepared by Esri and collated by Elgin Development Group.

BRAVO

July 2015

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Media Guide

BRAVO Readers: Influential Consumers who are Ready to Buy In media terms, BRAVO magazine falls into the category of an “Alternative News Weekly.”

A recent study by NOP World [Roper] found that 56% of alternative weekly readers are “influentials”: the 10% of the general population who tells the other 90% where to shop, dine, and how to spend their discretionary time and income.

They consume and recommend cultural and recreational activities (food, shopping, film, music, books, travel, theater, and art) at a far higher rate than the general public.

In short, they’re the ones that turn your well-placed messages into an organic word-of-mouth advertising machine.

Important decisions are made every day by these folks, and now is the time to start a longterm relationship with them.

traditional women’s magazines have suffered steady declines, and this pattern spans multiple generations.

The Acquiring Kind

Not Your Mom’s Magazines

Thousands of future BRAVO readers make up an important advertising audience: acquisition phase individuals.

Research by Condé Nast* demonstrates that “millennials” (people ages 18-34) are actually choosing print media at nearly double the rate of people the same age ten and twenty years ago, but only magazines devoted to culture: the arts, fashion, dining, entertainment, and health.

With Elgin’s median age of 31.4 years, BRAVO magazine is geared to grab the attention of this large and influential age group.

These are people at an important time in their lives — they land their first job, buy their first car, get married, have their first child, buy their first home, and shop for all of the things that fill that home.

News weeklies, business journals, home & garden and

No other media outlet in the area is as cost-effective at delivering cultural content paired with high-quality color advertising as deep into this local market as BRAVO magazine. *Source: GfK/MRI Doublebase

Become an Owner On the web: sharedharvest.coop Wondering what all of this Shared Harvest stuff is about? For starters, it’s a grocery store, but we’re a unique kind of grocery store. We’re a grocery store that is all about community.

From the products that we will sell to concern for community is our priority.

Join the movement and join Shared Harvest today!

As a shopper you can feel good knowing a majority of the money you spend is reinvested to support your local economy.

As an owner you are not only making an impact financially, but you also have a voice in decisions made.

It’s YOUR community, isn’t it about that cares about what YOU care about?

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Media Guide

How to Advertise in BRAVO Magazine

Like This

We intend to produce a great-looking magazine, with interesting local content and an Elgin events calendar that’s second to none. But we understand that it’s you, our advertisers, who pay the bills.

That’s why we aim to make your advertising experience as fast, easy and cost-effective as possible.

Where To Begin Obviously, print advertising is different from websites, blogs and social media. It’s not exactly “free,” and the graphics quality standards are higher than they are for the internet.

To make it easy for you, we include basic design and layout services in our ad rates.

Just send us images from your smart phone, a logo (preferably as a computer file) and/or some verbiage and we will produce a spiffy ad in one of our standard sizes.

Since 1939

AUTO SERVICE $1.00. from every OIL CHANGE donated to charity July-Sept. 2015:

PADS of Elgin

• Family-owned for Four Generations • Complete Car Care • Servicing All Makes & Models • High Mileage Car Specialists • Appointments Available • Walk-ins Welcome • Early Bird/Night Owl Key Drop • Monday-Friday 7:30 - 5:00 • Saturdays 7:30 - 12:00

217 Symphony Way • Downtown Elgin

(847) 741-5457 • autoelgin.com

If you send us print-quality finished ad layouts that you (or your designer) have produced, you can take a 15% discount off your rate.

Layout Details Our standard ad sizes are shown on the next page. Your design can fill that entire area, as no bleed is required. No extra charge for full color either, so live it up!

Review our specs below to make sure your ads meet our standards.

Deadlines We print on Wednesday, and distribute on Thursday. Order your ad no later than 5pm Wednesday one week before the magazine prints.

Ad artwork that you supply is due within 48 hours (by 5pm Friday).

Ads that we produce for you will need your approval within 48 hours (also by 5pm Friday).

Contracts and Stuff Just once, we’ll have you sign off on advertising terms and conditions, and we’ll keep the form on file. We all basically promise to behave ourselves!

After that, you place your ad in BRAVO, we print it and give you an invoice. You pay the invoice promptly by check, online with PayPal or credit card, etc.

Getting Serious Ask us about frequency discounts, cross-media integration (like QR codes), content repurposing, co-op claims, circulation audits, and pro bono work.

Also please invite us to give our pitch to your local trade group, business association, event committee or arts board.

We want to see you succeed.

Ad Production Specifi cations Basic Ad Specs

Extra info for Premedia Nerds

• File format: PDF • Color Space: CMYK • Image resolution: 240 dpi or more • Fonts embedded in PDF • No bleed required

• PDF/X-1a:2001 preferred • No trapping required • OpenType fonts preferred • Avoid rasterized type • Maximum ink coverage 240%

Send ads to: bravo@marqueemedia.net

BRAVO

July 2015

HALF PAGE

PAGE

VERTICAL

VERTICAL

4 1/2” W 10 3/4” H

2 1/8” W 5 1/4” H

EIGHTH

2015 Ad Rates

$39

$99 FULL PAGE

QUARTER

9 /4” W 10 3/4” H

4 /2” W 5 1/4” H

VERTICAL 1

QUARTER

PAGE

9 1/4” W 2 1/2” H

$69

HORIZONTAL

EIGHTH

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$69

HORIZONTAL

$39

HORIZONTAL

9 1/4” W 5 1/4” H

2015 Ad Rates

4 1/2” W 2 1/2” H

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$99

$169

15%

DISCOUNT for pickups and ads built to our specs

Fine Decorative Painting Specializing in Era-Specific Room Design

~ 34th Annual ~

Historic Elgin House Tour

Saturday, September 12, 2015 from 9am to 5pm Great Living, Traditional Neighborhood, Vintage Style.

Gilded-Lily

Historical Finishes

Susan Giugliano 847-791-5102

http://gildedlily.shutterfly.com

Seven historic homes on the NE side–never featured on the tour before!

Faux Woodgrain Marble, Leather Gilding, Glazes Textures Polychrome Custom Stenciling

BUY TICKETS ONLINE AT GPAELGIN.ORG $15 Adult, Advance Ticket $10 Seniors (65 and up) & Juniors (12 and under) Presented by The Gifford Park Association www.gpaelgin.org | Check the website for details and updates! www.facebook.com/ElginHistoricHouseTour

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Your Ad Should Look Like This: Ever wonder why the ads for your small business don’t get results?

It’s because you’re too concerned about your “brand” ... and you’re not asking for results.

B

Start off with a surprising headline to catch my eye.

Then write lots of friendly, persuasive copy using the pronoun “you” (like I am doing now). Give me one or two reasons why I should call or visit your store today.

Make it worth my while.

Offer me an attractive free bonus that’s connected only to this specific ad.

Media Guide

Getting Your Events Listed for Free in The FEED Publishing and promoting all the things to do in Elgin is why we started BRAVO. We are eager to fill our pages with your events, concerts, festivals, lectures, arts happenings and more.

What We Don’t Want Commercial messages, like “$9.99 Friday Fish Fry” or “Happy Hour 5-7pm” or “Open Late on Wednesdays” belong in your ad, not in the FEED.

At BRAVO, we want your ads to look great, but more importantly, we want your ads to get results that you can measure. To prove our point, we’re making this bold offer. If you place one prepaid ad with BRAVO before July 15th, we’ll run two ads: one that looks the way you want it, and one that looks like this.

Basic design and layout are included in our incredibly low rates. Place one prepaid ad before July 15th and get a second one* free. bravo@marqueemedia.net

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Since BRAVO is freely distributed to the general public, private events should not be listed.

Repeating Events Some kinds of meetups or clubs meet regularly, like bird watchers or French conversation groups. If these events are open, they are welcome in the FEED. We have just one rule for these repeating events: you must submit each one to the FEED yourself. We won’t automatically publish a repeating event if you don’t submit it each time. Sorry.

Basic Event Submission Visit our online event submission page and fill out the form.

Fill in all your event details, along with your own contact info in case there are questions.

Automatic Submission Fortunately, we have a means of collecting events from certain kinds of schedules you post on your website or social media.

You simply keep doing what you always did (filling up that event calendar with cool programming) and we essentially download the data to the FEED. We’d all appreciate it if you keep your information accurate and up-to-date! This applies to all of the following automated submission techniques.

RSS feed If your website has a built-in calendar feature, there’s a good chance that your scheduled event data can be accessed over the internet, in a form that’s conducive to publishing in the FEED. The technology is called RSS (Really Simple Syndication). Ask your webmaster about it.

Then tell us the URL (web address) of your calendar RSS feed, and we will take it from there.

Facebook Events We can access the events you create in your Facebook account, provided they are open, public events.

FEED.links http://www.marqueemedia.net/events Fill out the form with your event title, date, time, location, phone number, short description, and price. Your name, email and phone number are also required in case we need to double-check your details! http://www.findmyfacebookid.com Go to the Facebook profile page for your business. Copy the URL (web address) shown in your browser’s location field.

* In a later issue.

Go to findmyfacebookid.com and paste your profile page URL into the box at the top of the screen. Click Submit. The next screen will display your Facebook ID. Send us that number.

BRAVO

July 2015

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FEED.events Bands & Music

Causes & Community

Exhibits & Film

Theater & Dance

Kids & Families

Lectures & Learning

Other

All we need is your Facebook ID, which is a number consisting of 10-15 digits. You can determine this number by following the tips at findmyfacebookid.com (see link below).

Google Calendar If you have a Google account, you have free access to a suite of useful tools, including a calendar that can be accessed as an RSS feed.

Edit your calendar settings and make your calendar public (or share it with us). You can obtain the URL of your calendar’s RSS feed by clicking the “XML” button. Boom! Send us that URL!

Other Methods Getting your event data in some form via computer is still better than keystroking it by hand, provided the data is organized in a tabular format.

Sat.Jul.18 2nd Annual Shred Day with State Rep. Anna Moeller’s Office 9a-12p, City Hall. Free Adventures in the Zoo: Camouflage 12p-2p, Elgin Public Museum. Free Andrew J. Meeuwen Gallery Opening 6p-9p, Elgin Art Space. Free Circle of Fifths 9p, Danny’s on Douglas. Free City of Elgin Special Committee of the Whole Meeting 9a, Hawthorne Hill Nature Center

Comic Book Mania: Comic Book Storytelling 11a-12p, GBPL Elgin Room 847.111.8989. Free Comic Book Mania: Cosplay Basics 3p-4p, GBPL Elgin Room 847.111.8989.

Free Comic Book Mania: The Secret History of Kids Reading Comics! 1p-2p, GBPL Elgin Room 847.111.8989. Free DJ Dubloadz Summer Shakedown 9p-3a, Medusa’s 847.877.9151. $20

For Nerds Only

Habitat for Humanity Work Day 8.30a, First Presbyterian Church 847.742.6365. Free

Reading the FEED The FEED is sorted by date, then by event title. Our unique color-coding approach is designed to help readers find the types of events they like.

Check out this sample of a day in the life of the FEED. Amazing, right?

For more details visit www.ElginCityChurch.com

Comic Book Mania Convention 10a-5p, GBPL Meadows Comm. Rms. A-B-C. Free

Microsoft Office users can send us an Excel spreadsheet with event data. Use a separate column for title, date, time, location, phone number, short description and price.

Yes, we will accept CSV, tabbed or delimited text, or XML. If you have an enterprise system where your treasury of cool events is stored, we might work with you to get it in the FEED.

We’re all about following Jesus. Religion? We’ve had enough of that, thank you.

We’ve found it’s the relaaonships with Jesus and with each other that mean the most. Want to feel good about going to church again? Come. Find out. You’ll be glad you did.

Drop-In Genealogy Help 9a-11a, GBPL Genealogy Area. Free Gary Allan Live in Concert 7.30p, Festival Park. $30, $59.50, $65

Manga and Anime Club for Grades 6-12 1p-3p, GBPL South Elgin Room 847.111.8989. Free Northern Kane Fest 11a-6p, East Dundee Otto Parking Lot. Free SCORE! 2015 Original Opera by Hamilton Wings 7.30p, ECC Blizzard Theatre 847.622.0300. $10 Second Hand Soul Band 9p, GVC. Free Summer Theatre’s Next to Normal Show 8p, Hemmens Cultural Center. $15

So many stories to be read and Stories to be shared ...

The most indelible are those of our own past, and most treasured are those we share with the next generation.

Wink ... and whisper “Bravo” after wandering our book aisles and receive 20 % off your in-store purchase!

Publish Your Memoirs

Continue your legacy with a “Forever” gift for those you love. Link with us & Hallows House Studio to capture those moments in both digital and print form.

Call (847) 888-1860 for details!

Books at Sunset A Gently-Read Bookshop 1100 South Street

Elgin

BRAVO

14

1.0

Media Guide

BRAVO Free Distribution: You Put the “Place” in Placement Considering the effort and expense involved in producing a quality magazine like BRAVO, it should cost something.

But it doesn’t—it’s free. It has no cover price and no paid subscriptions. Why? Our purpose is to engage people and inform them of the stunning array of cultural events and activities that are taking place all around Elgin. The goal is to raise awareness, appreciation, and attendance.

Setting Information Free Charging a cover price puts an obstacle in the way: not just the amount money, but the retail sales process itself.

Paid subscriptions, delivered into homes by drivers or the postal service, would be a nice convenience, but subscriptions weaken a powerful mechanism of the on-site distribution method.

If people want BRAVO, they have to show up somewhere to get it. Getting people to show up in businesses and places of culture is central to our mission.

Benefits for Your Business By simply agreeing to be a distribution site for BRAVO, you become a magnet.

Suggested presentation

We will publish your location in our free listings of distribution sites, in the magazine and online, directing foot traffic to your door.

❝ If people want BRAVO, they have to show up someplace to get it.

Every time BRAVO is published, our team will bring a stack to your lobby, vestibule, reading rack or other high visibility location. You watch them disappear into the hands of happy customers.

It might be the easiest thing you’ll ever do to surprise and delight your regular customers and those new ones as well.

#PartnershipWins We realize distributing BRAVO at your place of business also means you won’t want to see your competitor’s ad outshine yours inside the magazine. We get that.

To give you the edge, we can make you a “Premium Partner.” For a one-time fee of $99, we will supply you with a display rack, decals for your door or window, and a perpetual discount of 15% off on all your advertising (in addition to our print-ready discount).

Let’s Do This We’ll be visiting all the high-traffic locations in Elgin to set things up. In the meantime, call or email us to discuss how we can work together.

Call or text: (224) 513-1220 bravo@marqueemedia.net

Landscaping by Jose Call 224-400-7351

Free Estimates

BRICK & STONE PAVING CUSTOM PATIOS YARD CARE

BRAVO

July 2015

15

ASSIGNMENT BOARD This is where we post assignments for volunteer writers, photographers, and artists. We tell you what material we need, and you send in your work. We can’t compensate you properly (yet), but we give credit where credit is due, and excellent contributors have a way of getting our attention. So when those paid assignments do come along, well, we know who to call ...

9 S. Spring St. Downtown Elgin, IL

(847) 961-8445 Open 7 Days

BRAVO 1.1: Painting & Steak Burritos Deadline: Wed. July 22, 5pm Cover Art: Gorgeous color painting, Elgin theme preferred Stories about local fine art painters (300 words) Taqueria reviews (50 words each) Photos of steak burritos (500 x 500 pixels)

BRAVO 1.2: Fringe Fest & Films Deadline: Wed. August 26, 5pm Cover Art: Fringe Fest poster or local film poster Stories about local films & film makers (300 words) Interview with Fringe Fest performers (300 words) Elgin Filmography (infographic) Photos from Elgin Fringe Fest 2014 (1200 x 1200 pixels)

Submit to: bravo@marqueemedia.net

HELP WANTED Freelance Producers (1-2) Produce an entire issue of BRAVO Magazine once every 4-6 weeks. This requires Adobe Creative Suite 6 on Macintosh, and advanced premedia skills. The position involves everything except ad sales, photography and writing, but those chops are valued, too.

Freelance Distributors (1-2) Pick up BRAVO magazine from the printer on a Wednesday, and deliver bundles to pre-arranged distribution locations in grocery stores, restaurants and retail stores on Thursday. Requires a car, valid driver’s license, and knowledge of Elgin.

Freelance Ad Sales People (1-2) Sell ad space in BRAVO magazine to Elgin businesses, non-profits and professional offices. Work as much or as little as you want, and keep a percentage of what you sell. Multilingual preferred.

Freelance Print Ad Designers (1-2) Create awesome advertisements for BRAVO advertisers, suitable for print. Must be fast, accurate, highly creative, and equipped with tools to produce CMYK PDF files with vector and raster art.

Write to: jeffrey@marqueemedia.net All positions are for freelance contractors, not employees. You must be self-employed and have a means of producing an invoice for your services to Marquee Media.

rediscoverrecords.com

• New Releases • Re-Releases • Vintage Albums • Rare Vinyl • Turntables

78 45 331/3

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healing heart massage therapy Jil Bondi, lmt 164 Division St. Suite #708 office hours by appointment

(847) 814-4325

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Publish your events for free in The FEED http://www.marqueemedia.net/events

Elginet Aerial Photography Everything looks better from the air!

Media Real Estate Fire & Disaster assessment Contact Bill@elginet.com for more info

soulful sparrow 10 D ougl as Ave D ow ntow n El gi n ( 224) 223- 7718 s oul ful s par r ow.c om Ar tisan Made Jewelr y Exclusive Apparel Decorative Paint & Paper Vintage Home Decor Tu e, Th u , Fr i 1 1 - 6 Sa tu r d ays 1 1 - 4 Su n d ays 1 2 - 4 M o n d ays ... ... By C h a n ce