Patterson, the lone D209 candidate from Maywood, is seeking reelection
By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Contributing Reporter
Arbdella “Della” Patterson said she was ready to give up her chair on the Proviso Township High School Board of Education, but only if she could find another Maywood resident to run in her place. When she asked around, she said the answer was always all the same.
“I got responses like ‘it’s a thankless position, it’ll beat you up, drag you, no matter what you do you can never do enough’” she said. “And it’s an unpaid position, but for me when I get to see students succeed that’s a form of payment.”
See PATTERSON on page 8
More “I’ll be there.”
Less “Where have you been?”
As you get older, your
As you
More “I’ll be there.”
Meditation for Everyone
More “I’ll be there.”
Less “Where have you been?”
Less “Where have you been?”
As
As you get older, your risk of serious illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV is higher. Vaccines bring your risks down, so you can keep showing up.
As you get older, your risk of serious illness from flu, COVID-19, and RSV is higher. Vaccines bring your risks down, so you can keep showing up.
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vaccines.gov
Made in Forest Park, Nerds Gummy Clusters hit Super Bowl
With growing success, the Forest Park-based candy brand ran a commercial during the game for a second year
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
If you tuned in to the Super Bowl on Sunday – even if it was only to watch the commercials, like so many do – then you likely saw a spot during the first ad break of the third quarter for Nerds Gummy Clusters, made right here in Forest Park
In the 30-second “Wonderful World of Nerds” commercial, Shaboozey sings a rendition of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” The singer walks down a road reminiscent of Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, where this year’s Super Bowl took place, eating from a bag of Nerds Gummy Clusters.
A second line band emerges, with the red anthropomorphic blob Gummy at the helm on a trumpet. Nerds jump down the street, turning Shaboozey’s denim outfit into a colorful one as they pass by. They’re on their way to affixing themselves onto Gummy. Once the Nerds have all attached to Gummy, a whirlwind of color spreads through the streets and buildings.
“When two great things combine, it’s a wonderful world,” Shaboo zey says at the end of the commercial.
Just like the sweet gummy center and tang y, crunchy outside of Nerds Gummy Clusters, Shaboo zey’s multidimensional music style combines hip-hop and country.
The singer’s rendition of “What a Wonderful World” – performed by Armstrong, a New Orleans native – blends his own style with that of a traditional second line band. And Shaboo zey’s growing popularity has coincided with that of Nerds Gummy Clusters.
“His rise to stardom the past year has really been meteoric,” Jenny Chen, a Nerds brand manager, told the Review. “Nerds’ business story over the past few years is on a similar trajectory.”
Shaboozey performed at the Grammys earlier this month. And last year, his track “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks, which tied with Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” for most weeks that a song has been at number one in a year.
When Forest Park-based Ferrara Candy Company bought Nerds in 2018, Nerds was a $50 million brand. Fast forward to last year, Nerds did $850 million in sales.
Chen said much of the company’s growth can be attributed to Nerds Gummy Clusters, which launched in 2020 and, over the last year, have seen a 50.2% year-over-year growth in retail dollar sales
Last year’s Nerds Gummy Clusters Super Bowl commercial was the first for the Nerds brand. In it, “Flashdance…What a Feeling” plays as Gummy leans back on a chair, pulls a chain and is doused with Nerds.
And the commercial got a great response.
Since the 2024 Super Bowl, Chen said Nerds’ household penetration has increased by 4.3% to over 25%. That means about 33 million households in the United States buy Nerds.
Before Ferrara acquired the candy brand, Nerds’ marketing was mainly through social media and digital ads.
“It was when Nerds Gummy Clusters
PROVIDED
came out with such a bang that we started putting a lot more support behind it from a marketing perspective,” Chen said.
Celebrating at Ferrara
Nerds’ national success is visible inside the Ferrara plant at 7301 W. Harrison St. in Forest Park
“We definitely have seen an uptick in production,” Javier Reinoso, the senior plant director, said about Nerds, specifically Nerds Gummy Clusters, over the last year “Nerds by far is our number one product that we do here,” Reinoso said. Ferrara also makes candy like Sweet Tarts, Jelly Belly jellybeans and Lemonheads. But Reinoso said Nerds candy has been the plant’s fastest growing product.
As Ferrara started making more Nerds, it hired 130 employees last year to join the company’s community and expertise. Today, there are over 500 employees at the Forest Park candy factory, many of whom have been there for decades.
“We have a lot of experience, a lot of tenure and a lot of folks that really know how to make candy,” Reinoso said.
Even with years of candy knowledge,
when Ferrara started making Nerds Gummy Clusters in 2020, there was a learning curve.
“It is a more complex product,” Reinoso said. “It’s not as simple as some other gummies because it requires the Nerds to fuse with the gummies.”
The process of learning how to make a new product contributed to the factory producing lower numbers of Nerds in 2020, but Chen and Reinoso largely attribute Nerds’ recent success to its Gummy Clusters.
And perhaps the Nerds brand will grow even more after this year’s Super Bowl commercial.
“We’re all so excited about this ad,” Chen said. “It’s so fun for us to see everything that we’ve worked on, and truly everyone at this company has a part to play in it.”
Reinoso said Ferrara celebrated this year’s commercial as a company with food and raffles. The event honored all its employees and their role in the Super Bowl success, whether or not they actually cared about the game.
“We also are very excited about the Super Bowl ad,” Reinoso said. At the factory, “a lot of people don’t necessarily watch football, but it intrigues them and so they are getting into it. We also celebrate that.”
WONDERFUL WORLD: Shaboozey and ever y happy Nerds Gummy Cluster made Super Bowl appearances.
Death at Harlem Blue Line station
e man was pronounced dead on the scene Feb. 4
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
tor pronounced the man d ead through telemetr y.
Two witnesses told police that they had been riding the train with the man since about 5:30 p.m. the night before, and that he hadn’t moved since then. Police determined there were no signs of foul play.
On Feb. 4, village police were dispatched to the Harlem Blue Line stop around 6 a.m. to assist the Forest Park Fire Department with a man on the train who was unresponsive and not breathing. When police administered sternum rubs to try and wake him, they found his body stiff and cold to the touch, according to the police re port T he fire department c ontacted Loyola Unive rsity Medical C enter, where a doc-
According to the Cook County Medical Examiner Case Archive, the man was 57 years old. Police said he didn’t have any form of identification on him, and they contacted Illinois State Police to request fingerprinting services.
Mayor Hoskins throws support behind merging
CTA, Metra, Pace
He said the proposed Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act could provide a rebrand for local public transportation that promotes r ider safety
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
If passed, the Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act, filed with the Illinois House of Re presentatives last April, would merge the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra commuter trains and Pace suburban buses into one entity.
Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins is all for the proposal. He met with proponents of the act last month to share how it could provide a chance to improve safety on public transportation – and change local perception about it.
Line station Jan. 29. And last Labor Day, four people were found shot and killed at the end of the Blue Line.
“This is an opportunity to rebrand and to enhance our safety mechanisms”
RORY HOSKINS
“This is an opportunity to rebrand and to enhance our safety mechanisms,” said Hoskins, who added that he frequently hears from his constituents about how they don’t feel safe riding the CTA in and around Forest Park
Today, the Re gional Transportation Authority oversees finances and planning for CTA, Metra and Pace. If the Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act is passed, it would create a new agency to oversee these groups. The act would get rid of current service boards and create separate operating divisions for the CTA, Metra and Pace, reorganizing similar presentday divisions to streamline operational inefficiencies and create a unified fare system.
Forest Park Mayor
Consolidating these public transit options could also lessen the RTA’s budget shortfall. As pandemic-era federal funding runs out, the RTA is expecting a $770 million deficit to lead to service cuts next year.
TW O TERMNALS: Forest Park is home to the end-of-the-line terminals for both the CTA’s Green Line and Blue Line
along with communities along the El and Metra train lines.
While Forest Park has an intergovernmental ag reement with the CTA that allows village police to sign up to enforce the law on CTA property during off-duty hours, Hoskins said the Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act could lead to a new, similar partnership. Or even a board that’s more focused on public safety at stations at the end of the train line, like Forest Park
police officers have some support.”
Last month, Hoskins met with the Active Transportation Alliance and the Metropolitan Planning Council, advocates of the Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act. Hoskins said they discussed how to get individuals in government and groups to support the act.
Hoskins mentioned the attempted murder that occurred at the Forest Park Blue
Addressing inefficiencies within the RTA would lead to changes in Forest Park,
“As a town that has two train lines in it and has to secure those train lines, we hope that state and county leaders will think about the burden that places on a small town like Forest Park,” Hoskins said, “and provide resources so our firefighters and
“Change is hard in any industry,” but Hoskins said there are people advocating for the act in Springfield right now. He said there could be hearings on the Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act during the current General Assembly.
“I see a new model as being able to provide a fresh perspective on how to make riders feel safe,” Hoskins said.
D91 makes lease deal with OPRF for large space at Grant White
Farewell, Retail; Our Core Services
Continue
Since 2003, we have been delighted to provide the McAdam Nursery and Garden Center as a vital resource for the community. In addition to serving a variety of retail customers, this has been the setting for countless memories for family-focused events like our annual Pumpkin-Palooza.
But as we prepare for our 47th year servicing your landscape maintenance, design and installation needs, economic and consumer trends have led us to a difficult decision: In the Spring, the center will not be returning for walk-in garden retail business.
The good news is that McAdam Landscaping remains strong and we are eager to launch into another season. With these market changes, we are focused on moving in a direction that will best serve our customers’ needs.
That includes still offering bulk delivery services for your compost, topsoil, mulch and gravel needs. Prearranged pick-up will also be available.
To all our loyal retail customers, we thank you for your trust and patronage over the past two decades. Building on the tradition that my father and uncle started in 1979, we will continue to be here for your landscaping needs.
2001 Des Plaines Ave. Forest Park • 708-771-2299 www.mcadamlandscape.com
Grant White’s rst oor will soon house post-secondary transition services for students with special needs
By Jessica Mordacq Staff Reporter
Vacant for nearly three years, Forest Park’s Grant White Elementary School will soon have a new tenant.
At its Dec. 19 meeting, the School District 200 Board of Education approved a lease ag reement with Forest Park School District 91, which owns the school that is located at 147 Circle Ave. In July, D200’s growing off-campus CITE program for students with special needs will move into Grant White.
“The ability for us to provide more opportunities for the students and grow our program is really exciting,” said Andrea Neuman, executive director of special education for D200.
D200 will pay an annual lease of $117,691 to rent part of Grant White. The lease ag reement runs through June 2028 and can then be extended in one-year increments. Over the 2024-2025 school year, CITE is paying $83,150 to rent space at the River Forest Community Center.
CITE will take up over 19,000 square feet of space on Grant White’s first floor, about 14,000 square feet more than what they use at the River Forest Community Center. Grant White also allows more parking for vehicles that serve program participants.
Community Inte gration Transition Education, or CITE, is a program for adults ages 18-to-22 years old with disabilities. The program offers Individualized Education Program services, therapeutic support and vocational training to about 55 students.
The CITE program also consists of four teachers and 13 paraprofessionals who help them, plus a vocational coordinator, social worker, speech-language pathologist and physical and occupational therapists.
Moving into Grant White gives CITE more space, since the program has been growing since the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, Gov. JB Pritzker signed a law that allows students with special needs
to receive transition planning and attend school through the school year that they turn 22, rather than aging out the day they turn 22. This has increased the number of these students who access transition services during and after high school.
“The number of students needing postsecondary education has grown,” Neuman said.
Around 20 years ago when it started, CITE was hosted in an apar tment. It has always been an off-campus program, separate from high school.
“That’s actually the ideal because we are essentially preparing students for adult services,” Neuman said. “We have a wide range of kids with varying different goals for transition, and so it ends up being a better set-up for what the reality is postsecondary.”
Getting ready for Grant White
Forest Park School District 91 closed Grant White at the end of its 2021-2022 school year because of low enrollment. Since D91 decided to lease out the school last February, several organizations have thrown their hat in the ring for a chance to use the vacant space.
The Park District of Forest Park and the West Suburban Special Recreation Association asked for space at Grant White to host programming for the park district and people with physical and mental disabilities.
When Dominican University announced it was closing the Rose K Goedert Center for Early Childhood Education in 2023, the Goedert Center wanted to move its preschoolers to Grant White.
Mayor Rory Hoskins even pitched moving children and youth programming at the Howard Mohr Community Center to Grant White. Last summer, the community center hosted its summer camp at the school, as it has in past years.
While deciding who to lease the building to long-term, Grant White has been used
for board meetings, after-school and summer programs, adult education classes, and as a parking lot for D91 school buses.
Last May, D200 asked to be considered to move into Grant White. Then at a D200 meeting last August, its board approved a two-year lease with the River Forest Community Center, which expires at the end of June 2026.
The pivot in location was a matter of when space was open to house CITE and planning for the future of the program, according to Neuman.
“Our program is really growing, and so when Grant White became available, we thought it was a good opportunity to be able to have a space that we could grow into,” she said.
So, in November, D200 submitted a proposal to D91 to lease out part of Grant White. A lease ag reement was approved the following month.
As for why D200’s CITE program was chosen over any other community organization, “many advantages come from a community partnership with a neighboring district,” according to the agenda from the D200 board meeting in December. “Being members of the same Re gional Office of Education, permitting processes will be in alignment. Further, site-improvements may be mutually beneficial and allow for cost sharing measures when appropriate.”
“We think partnering with other educational institutions in the area is exciting,” Neuman said.
For the 2025-2026 school year, CITE will be held at both the River Forest Community Center and Grant White. Programming will fully move to Grant white for the 20262027 school year.
D200 and CITE don’t need to prepare much before transitioning over to Grant White later this year. CITE just has to develop its transition plan for its participants and staf f.
Neuman said Grant White “is already an educational space, which is one of the great parts about it.”
Scott McAdam Jr.
Conservative group les legal complaint against Dominican University
Dominican University is under legal scrutiny from a national conservative activist group over scholarship program
By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Contributing Reporter
Dominican University in River Forest is the subject of a federal legal complaint calling for the school to be investigated for its use of scholarship programs to support students of color.
The Legal Insurrection Foundation, a national conservative activist organization, says it has submitted a legal complaint to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights alleging that four of the university’s
scholarships violate federal law.
A Dominican spokesperson said the university is aware of the complaint but has had no contact from the federal agency.
Founded in 2008 by Cornell law professor William A. Jacobson, the group has organized around a variety of conservative education causes, including representing teachers who’ve been fired for expressing anti-LGBT viewpoints and launching a digital tool to track colleges and K-12 schools which it alleged had implemented “critical race theory” curriculum.
“Racial and ethnic discrimination is wrong and unlawful no matter which race or ethnicity is targeted or benefits. All students are entitled to equal treatment without to race, color, or national said in a pr has strong rules. It should li his statement said.
The descriptions
tioned in the complaint all reference there being a “preference” for applicants of one or more specific ethnic backgrounds. The scholarships targeted in the complaint aim to promote diversity either at the school or within a specific professional field, but none of the descriptions for any of scholarships say that students from other ethnic groups were ineligible for selection.
Dominican University Chief Operating Officer Gerano Balcazar said the university was aware of the complaint but had not been notified by the Department of Education mal investigation being pursued against the university.
“We will not comment further on this poal matter,” Balcazar said. omplaint against Dominican is many submitted by the group weeks, with diversity-promoting
programs at Northern Illinois University, University of Wisconsin and University of Minnesota among those challenged in recent months. None of those challenges have yielded further legal action yet, according to Legal Insurrection’s website.
These challenges follow the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Harvard vs. Students for Fair Admissions, which found that race-conscious affirmative action programs violated the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment, overturning decades of legal precedent in the process.
PAT TERSON
Lone Maywood candidate from page 1
Patterson now seeks her third consecutive term on the D209 board. She said it wouldn’ t be fair to her neighbors for the board to go through an election cycle without anyone re presenting Maywood’s interests during board meetings.
“I think it’s important we have some say because Maywood sends the most students, so how are you not going to have Maywood at the table,” Patterson said. “You’d have taxation without re presentation, and that’s a big problem for me. Maywood has very high taxes.”
Patterson said she will continue to lean on her experience as an educator to try and help r un a district that will put its pupils first.
“I know kids, I know when they’re succeeding, I know when they’re somewhat g etting by, and I know when they’re not getting by,” she said. “I know what my hear t is and I know what it means to me to help
young people. It’s still a passion for me.”
Patterson said the biggest challenge for the board members elected this cycle will be to promote stability in the district administration. D209 has had more than a do z en superintendents in the last 20 years, Patterson said.
Some of them have been interim leaders.
“We must have stability and we haven’ t had that,” she said. “Without stability our district will not and can not move forward.”
Patterson was publicly critical of the process that put for mer Illinois State Board of Education interim-director Krish Mohip in the superintendent’s seat, calling for the search to be done over and saying that it had been “unfai r.” Patterson said that her issues weren’ t with Mohip himself, but a lack of transparency during the search.
She said she’s committed to supporting Mohip and making sure his stay in Proviso Township is lengthy and productive
“What we must understand is that the Board of Education’s job is to set policy for the superintendent to implement, the superintendent r uns the day-to-day operations,” she said. “My job as a board of education member is to work with him collaboratively.
“Proviso can be a difficult district, it takes some g rit and know-how. I think he needs to have the right administrat ive team around him.”
Patterson’s service on the board be gan after she’d already established herself as a fixture in the Proviso Township schools across her now 19-year career in the district. She’s enjoyed having a direct role in students’ lives, taking pride in being able to understand young people’s problems and making herself part of the solution. Patterson recalls a class of 2024 graduate from Proviso East she had a particularly important relationship with.
“There was a kid who was refusing to come to school, I said just give me one day, let me talk to him,” she said. “To this day, not one other person than the kid and his f amily and my kids and I know what I did to push this kid through. When I say push him through I mean every morning he was to call me, if he was five minutes late it was ‘get up you’ re r unning late.’ But he graduated last May.”
Patterson said she’s been an advocate for students in all those roles, and that serving on the board is no dif ferent.
“If not me then who,” she said.
“ I know what my heart is and I know what it means to me to help young people. It’s still a passion for me..”
ARBDELLA PAT TERSON
Quality, A ordable, Independent Housing for Seniors
Our beautiful 6-story building provides quality, a ordable, independent housing for seniors. e Oaks o ers studio and one-bedroom apartments, with kitchens and private bathrooms. Amenities include an award winning interior landscaped atrium, central meeting room, library, laundry facilities, computer learning center, internet access, electronic key entry system, and parking.
On-site management includes 24/7 emergency maintenance service and a senior services coordinator who is available during business hours to assist residents in accessing service
agencies and programs designed speci cally for seniors. e Oaks is owned and operated by the Oak Park Residence Corporation and is funded by the US Department of Housing and Ur-ban Development through the 202/ Section 8 Program. Monthly rent is based on the resident’s income, with individuals paying approximately 30% of their monthly income toward rent.
For more information, please visit us at www.oakparkrc.com or contact us at 708-386-5862.
Munch, beloved vegan restaurant, closes after 13 years
By DALAL ORFALI Vibe assistant editor
Munch turned off its music and kitchen lights one last time last Sunday, Feb 2. beloved vegan spot on Marion Street near North Boulevard was a gathering spot many dedicated customers over its 13 Some would drive from Indiana and sin to satisfy their cravings for their plant-based dishes
Munch was opened in 2011 by its late Robbin O’Harrow. O’Harrow was a ve ian herself. She envisioned a space for w some, vegan home cooking in Oak Pa recipes — crafted from scratch — set Munc apart from other plant-based eateries.
After Robbin O’Harrow died as a result of COVID in 2021, her daughter, Sage O’Har row, and Robbin’s husband, Ed O’Harrow, took over the restaurant, determined to keep her legacy alive
However, as time went on keeping Munch afloat became increasingly difficult.
ve getarian restaurants are still needed in Oak Park, but, he said, Munch’s success was tied to his wife’s unique approach — handcrafted, from-scratch recipes that couldn’t be re plicated by competitors relying on premade ingredients. “That’s why it was so labor-intensive,” he said. “It’s hard to be competitive when everybody else’s prices keep going up, but we had to hold ours down to keep our customer base.”
O’Harrow said, “The plan was to close he restaurant right now is for rent and the equipment is there for sale if somebody wants to continue onward with some kind restaurant.” O’Harrow said the business ould be sold in conjunction with the equipment and on the condition that new owners would try to keep the staff.
For Francisco Gonzales, who managed Munch for the past three years, the closure is especially bittersweet.
space for I’ve been working for these guys for many years,” Gonzales said.
“If nobody is willing to get this place, I have to look for another place,” Gonzales said.
Munch had built a base of loyal customers. “We got so many good customers that would come from 40 minutes away, and some came from other states to eat here.” Gonzales said.
David King, a commercial leasing agent who represents the building’s owner, said, “The property will be available for investment on March 1. It’s a great little restaurant space. Has a phenomenal location. And for the most part, it’s a turnkey operation where you can move right in.”
King said the space is being actively marketed, and he has already had three or more showings, with two more being scheduled soon.
“I didn’t make one penny from the restaurant for my time,” said Ed O’Harrow. “So, when the lease came up for renewal, I knew my daughter had other plans, and I had to get back to my business. I had been neglecting my business for two-and-one-half-years to make sure Munch honored its commitment to the landlord. It was just time to let it stop.”
Ed O’Har row believes that ve gan and
Monday, February 24 10am-11:30am
Monday February 24 10am-11:30am
Please join us at George’s Family Restaurant in Oak Park to learn about the Oak Park Arms Senior Living Community
Please join us at George’s Family Restaurant in Oak Park to learn about the Oak Park Arms Senior Living Community
George’s Family Restaurant 145 S. Oak Park Ave, Oak Park 708-848-4949
- limited seating
renee@oakparkarms.com or call 708-386-4040
Please join us at George’s Family Restaurant in Oak Park to learn about the Oak Park Arms Senior Living Community Monday February 24 10am-11:30am
On the Friday before Munch closed, Gonzales was still hoping a buyer would turn up and keep Munch going. “I told my customers to push this guy not too close. But, you know, that’s not my decision and everybody is sad. I’m sad because we’re close here, I love this
Although there is a need for a vegan restaurant in the community, potential investors have many ideas in mind, he said. “One is a Sushi grab-and-go, because it’s a smaller space. And that would work near the train track,” King said. “And I also have a Mediterranean group looking at it. It’s a great startersize of a restaurant”
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CRIME
Dunkin’ sta er and son locked in freezer after armed robber y
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
Just after 2 a.m. on Feb. 3, police arrived at Dunkin’ Donuts, 7660 Madison St. An employee who was there to open the store with her son heard a commotion from the store’s back door, according to the police re port. When she went to check what it was, she found a man in all black with a handgun, police said. He told her and her son to walk toward the cash re gister and took all the money from it, which the woman told police was around $150. The woman told police that the man forced her and her son into the store’s freezer before exiting the building, according to surveillance footage. She called 911 and said that the rear door was locked from the previous night shift, though police observed that it wasn’t. No one has been charged.
Criminal trespassing
The property manager of 7518 Madison St. called police Feb. 3 and told them a woman was on the property who he’d previously told not to return. When police arrived at the site, a construction worker told them the woman was locked in a room down the hall from where they were working and that she’d trespassed on the property almost daily, according to the police re port. At the police department, the woman refused to give her name before hitting officers with her fists. Police discovered the woman had two warrants for her arrest out of Cook County. She was also charged with three counts of resisting an officer, battery, and criminal trespassing.
Embezzlement
A woman came to the police station Feb. 5 to re port that her realty business partner, whom she’s known for a decade, had allegedly embezzled funds. The woman told police that, last month, she wrote him a check for $20,000 to buy a building in Chicago for his LLC. The man told her that he delayed the purchase because he didn’t have the rest of the money. When she asked him for
her money back, he and stopped communicating with her. The woman told police she hired a lawyer, who advised her to re port the incident to police. The woman wanted to sign complaints against the man, according to the police re port
Retail theft
Police responded to Thorntons gas station on Feb. 5, where an employee said she saw a man steal a box of chocolate bars and family-size bags of candy, later valued over $100. In the 700 block of Harlem Avenue, police saw a man matching a description the employee gave. He was charged with retail theft and, after giving police a fake name, obstructing identification.
Suspicious person
A woman living in the 1100 block of Hannah Avenue came to the police station Feb. 6. She told police that, on her surveillance camera, she saw an unknown person come to the side of her residence just after 3 a.m. and leave with an unknown object. Neither her or her neighbor reco gnized the person or the object.
These items were obtained from Forest Park Police Department reports dated Feb. 3 through Feb. 6 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest
Who’s that with Cher? River Forest’s own Kelly Schumann
Schumann pl peasant wi
On the YouTube commercial it was listed as being a Super Bowl ad. But Kelly Schumann, the Ri Forest native w believes it was created only to air in Australia and New Zealand.
So, for our pu as the Kelly Schumann ad featuring Cher. It’s a time tr glammed up 78-year-old Cher wanting to “Turn Back Time” and return to the 80s. The time trav next seen astride a cannon in a ting surrounded the 80s,” she exclaims. with, perhaps, an Australian accent, says, “Tis the 1680s.”
That’s when Schumann arrives in the ad. She is somewhat bent, with blacked out teeth and, of course, carrying a chicken.
“That chicken peed on me all day,” Schumann told Wednesday Journal Friday. “But I kind of enjoyed the chicken. It was a distraction.” A distraction from two days of shooting on very hot California days. “It was sort of grueling,” said Schumann, mentioning both bees and dust.
Schumann was a re gular for several seasons on the “Superstore” sitcom and a recurring guest on “Hot in Cleveland,” with she said, “the great Betty White,” another Oak Park native.
Of course, people want to know what Cher was like.
Schumann, who has been in L.A. since 2008, said she has an approach when encountering major stars. “I might have made this up in my head, but I try not to be a fan in front of her. We’re both there. We’re professionals. She’s been famous for a very long time. She is reco gnized in all
Kelly Schumann in an Uber Eats commercial airing only in Australia and New Zealand.
she does.”
But, said Schumann, “She was great. She was super nor mal. She shook my hand when I introduced myself.” There is a shot of the two of them on social media
Schumann got her start in acting at the old Circle Theater in Forest Park and sold ads for Wednesday Journal as her day job. The past few years have been a challenge in making a living as an actor, she said. First was the COVID pandemic and then a lengthy industry strike. “This is not for the faint of heart,” she commented.
Schumann visits family re gularly in town and talks with enthusiasm about growing up in these villages. “I feel so lucky to be from a place like Oak Park and River Forest. It is a place where the arts are so highly respected,” she said.
SCREENSHOT
Local News
Ten Thousand Villages, fair trade mainstay, is closing
By JESSICA MACKINNON Contributing Reporter
For almost 20 years, fair-trade retailer Ten Thousand Villages has been a resource for local shoppers interested in using their purchasing power for good. The Oak Park nonprofit, which sells hand crafted items from artisans in developing countries, has been struggling since COVID and will be closing at the end of February.
Manager Mike Burris refers to statistics indicating that, in Cook County, retailers selling nonessential items have recovered only 40% since pre-COVID levels.
While downtown Oak Park witnessed several store closings last year, David King, a commercial leasing agent representing many downtown properties, attributes the closings to reasons other than loss of sales, and believes Oak Park remains a vital business community.
“The world is constantly changing and I could not be more excited about what I’m seeing for 2025 and beyond for downtown Oak Park We continue to see a lot of interest in vacant spaces,” said King
Both King and Burris believe Oak Park is in a time of transition. Burris alludes to pressing needs within the Oak Park community that have influenced compassionate residents to prioritize local causes over those abroad, such as the artisans supported by Ten Thousand Villages.
“If you have lived in Oak Park for any length of time, you’ve seen a transition in our neighborhood. We have increasing numbers of unhoused people. We were one of the few towns that willingly took on assisting an influx of migrants, which was amazing. There is an urgent need for support within our community and I think that surpasses anything outside our community. Is that a bad thing? No, but it does detract from mission-based businesses like ours,” Bur ris said.
Ten Thousand Villages was founded almost 80 years ago by Edna Ruth Byler after she visited Puerto Rico and saw a variety of beautiful but undervalued handicrafts. She started buying products and bringing them to the U.S. where she sold them to friends and neighbors and at craft fairs Eventually, with the support of the Mennonite Church, she built retail stores across
the country. At its height, the nonprofit organization oversaw hundreds of retail outlets in the U.S. and Canada selling products from 20,000 artisans working in 20 developing countries. Artisans are paid a fair wage and given long-term contracts to ensure a sustainable source of income.
Oak Park’s Ten Thousand Villages opened in September 2007. Oak Park resident Judy Gaietto-Grace, one of the store’s first volunteers, helped stock shelves and paint walls before the opening and then served on the board for nine years. She continues to volunteer on Fridays.
“Oak Park seemed like the perfect place for a store. The mission of fair trade resonated with me,” Gaietto-Grace said. “The artisans we support are often invisible and we allow them to have dignity and an education and a sustainable living.”
Burris, who had a wealth of corporate management experience at big box retailers, took over as manager in July 2023. He focused on introducing new products, creating stability and business continuity, and revitalizing the décor by using limited resources to their fullest extent.
“As compared to my corporate experience, I quickly learned that the cost of every paper clip mattered because we were dealing with such small volume,” he said.
Because of Oak Park’s unique character,
he was determined to make the store a community resource by featuring local vendors such as Bright Endeavors, a social enterprise that produces candles and other fragrance products to support Chicago-based nonprofit New Moms. Burris states that the store supported 203 artisans through sales in 2024. He also focused on creating a welcoming environment for everybody, including unhoused people who came in for drinks of water and to use the bathrooms
Burris insists that the store’s popularity has been due to its dedicated, globally minded, compassionate volunteers who he believes are representative of the general Oak Park community.
River Forest resident Kathie Walsh has been with the store since 2009, after retiring from her medical practice. She was looking for meaningful, purposeful volunteer opportunities. An active member of the community, Walsh also volunteers with the Oak Park Conservatory and the Migrant Ministry and is a long-time ESL tutor.
“There are so many wonderful, worthwhile organizations in our community that need our help. It is a privilege to have the time and means to volunteer—and you g et so much more out of it than you give It has been my pride and joy to spread the word about Ten T housand Village s,” Walsh said.
TODD BANNOR
Ten ousand Villages Manager Mike Burris w ith his daughter and crew of volunteers on Feb. 7.
OPINION
OUR VIEW
Partial Grant White solution
It is good to see the long-underutilized Grant White School about to be put back to use for an educational purpose. The District 91 Forest Park elementary school board has signed off on a lease with Oak Park and River Forest High School, which will use much of the shuttered school’s first floor to house its program for older students with special needs.
The high school will, over the next year, shift its CITE program from its current location at the River Forest Community Center into the much larger space at Grant White. CITE, which stands for Community Integration Transition Education, is for young adults ages 18 to 22 who require Individualized Education Program services, vocational training and therapeutic support. When the program is fully shifted to Grant White, it will be home base for 50-some students and just under 20 staff members.
We understand that District 91 wants to maintain ownership of the school it closed in 2022 due to troublingly low enrollment. We understand it does not want to sign an overlong lease, which would limit its options. The agreement with OPRF runs through June 2028 and could be extended. And we think that District 200 is a very worthy tenant.
That said, we remain curious about the Forest Park district’s midter m plans for this valued site. There has been interest from both Forest Park’s village gover nment and its park district for a lease arrangement for locally focused programming
We will watch to see what comes next.
Safety at the end of the line
Mayor Rory Hoskins is all-in on a legislative effort to merge the Chicago region’s multiple commuter transit operations into a single entity. The so-called Metropolitan Mobility Authority Act would bring together the CTA, Metra and the Pace suburban bus system. Integrating those entities makes sense on every level. Better planning, less duplication, shared services, more innovation and a regional mindset for a regional challenge is long overdue.
That said, given the nature of fiefdoms, the power of lobbyists and a predisposal to political inertia, we’re not expecting a resolution in the immediate term.
We’re more interested in Hoskins’ take that a shared effort would allow for a rebranding of mass transit, especially with a renewed focus on rider safety. He’s right that Forest Park is in the distinct position of being home to the terminuses of both the Blue Line and the Green Line. And with both train lines ending here, there are specific challenges around safety
The village currently has an intergover nmental agreement with the CTA that allows local officers to sign on to provide security during off hours. But that is not a holistic solution to what is a genuine challenge. So while a major transit merger is interesting, we need more immediate attention to safety in and around the CTA end-of-the-line stations in Forest Park.
1896 Masked ball
The town of Harlem, which was incorporated in 1884, included today’s Forest Park and areas of River Forest. The Harlem Post was a local German weekly newspaper for Harlem’s German population. Its first edition was published on Sept. 12, 1895. The Feb. 6, 1896 edition contained the following news about the Harlem Männerchor (Harlem Men’s Choir):
“The masked ball of the Harlem Männerchor will take place on February 15 in Gaden’s Great Hall. It promises to be a glittering af fair, since the committee has not spared any ef fort to make this a pleasant evening for attendees. We would like to note that tickets can be purchased from choir members only -- no tickets will be available at the door. Floor tickets are 50 cents, gallery tickets 25 cents. Norbert Hepner, who has the masquerade outfits, will arrive with the clothing at 11:00 AM on the day of the event.”
Examples of masquerade out ts
Interim Executive Director Max Reinsdorf
Sta Repor ter Jessica Mordacq
Digital Manager Stacy Coleman
Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan
Assistant Editor, Ar ts & Enter tainment Dalal Or fali
Contributing Editor Donna Greene
Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, John Rice, Jackie Glosniak, Robert J. Li a
Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes, John Rice
Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead
Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea
Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza
Marketing & Adver tising Associate Ben Stumpe
Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls
Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan
Circulation Manager Jill Wagner
Special Projects Manager Susan Walker
Senior Advisor Dan Haley
Board of Directors
Chair Eric Weinheimer
Treasurer Nile Wendorf
Deb Abrahamson, Steve Edwards, Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson, Darnell Shields, Audra Wilson
HOW
TO REACH US
ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-366-0600 ■ FAX 708-467-9066
EMAIL forestpark@wjinc.com
CIRCULATION Jill@oakpark.com
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Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Forest Park Review,141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302-2901. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS No 0205-160)
In-county subscriptions: $38 per year. $70 for two years, $93 for three years. Out-of-county subscriptions: $58 per year.
Drinking at a bar during the day rarely appeals to me. I tried it back in 1994 and it didn’t go well. I went alone to one of the Madison Street joints. I didn’t know anyone there and didn’t exchange a word except to order a pint. It was an older crowd. They were mostly retired guys, with ideal schedules for day drinking
The Urban Dictionary defines day drinking as consuming alcohol between 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. I already knew the pitfalls of day drinking but decided to give it another try. I went to one of the Madison Street joints to deliver extra copies of the Forest Park Review to a reader who had requested them. This time I knew the bartender, who had been a grade-school classmate of my sister I also knew several other guys from my gradeschool days. We reminisced about Ursuline nuns, classmates we knew, and other warm memories of Catholic school. It’s been said that connecting with childhood friends is a plumb line to the past.
Day drinking
were retired tradesmen. It was un spending a lazy after noon watching a Cubs game. The conversation was animated but we didn’t solve all the problems of the world. We couldn’t even solve the problems of Forest Park. A restaurant owner and one of her servers came in and discussed the disturbing incients that have recently plagued Forest Park
Mostly we kept the conversation light and poked fun at the Cubs who looked like they were going to blow the game. More people came in that I knew, including my second cousin whom I had never met. I fit right in with this gray-haired age group It got even friendlier when a colleague from the newspaper stopped by. I rarely see anyone from the Review, so it was a pleasure to revive the camaraderie we used to enjoy. We talked shop and vowed to revive our weekly meetings in the newsroom to discuss story ideas and plan articles. In the meantime, the reader I was waiting for was still an hour away
when you day-drink your third beer. The bar isn’t boring. It’s the greatest place you’ve ever been. The daytime atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable. I once conducted a survey of bartenders in town and found the happiest ones worked the day shift.
Their job gives them the chance to socialize with regular customers and friends. They don’t worry about rowdy patrons or breaking up fights. I wondered whether day drinking might also be a good fit for me. After all, I’m retired and every day feels like Friday. It’s also good to get out and see people, rather than isolate at home. Even watching baseball is more fun when you’re surrounded by fans.
The Cubs pulled out a win and the woman I was waiting for finally arrived. It was approaching 6 p.m., the cut-off for day drinking I had easily conversed with the retired guys, as well as some younger acquaintances. I didn’t feel quite ready to join the Jeopardy crowd, though, which is another cool daydrinking activity.
These were the kind of guys who were familiar with plumb lines. Many of them
This left me little choice but to order another pint. Something magical happens
A LOOK BACK IN TIME
I feel fortunate to live in Forest Park, where there are so many daytime hangouts. Most of these joints are an easy walk from my home So I’m going to give day drinking another try. If you’re looking for retirees to watch sports with, or answer game show questions, I guess I’m now one of those guys.
Valentine Party circa 1913
This photo from the Historical Society archives features a Valentine’s Party that was hosted by the Fieldhouse family at their far mhouse on Roosevelt Road in 1913.
The Fieldhouse family was said to run a truck farm west of DesPlaines (presently part of Waldheim Cemetery). Bertha Fieldhouse Hitchcock, in the top row, would later become a local teacher.
Top row: Esther Nessel, Helen Fieldhouse, Ardyth Tone ges, Clara Berliner, Margaret Krie ger, Bertha Fieldhouse, Elsie Panzer, Hannah Miltz. Middle row: Lavine Anderson, Julia Berliner, Minnie Knickereim, Mildred Kozich, Gretchen Enold.
RONNETTA WARD A/K/A RONNETTA M WARD Defendants 24 CH 04111 2238 SOUTH 15TH AVENUE BROADVIEW, IL 60155 NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIV-
EN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on August 21, 2024, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on February 28, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 2238 SOUTH 15TH AVENUE, BROADVIEW, IL 60155
Property Index No. 15-22-201020-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence.
Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours.
The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition.
The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.
Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.
If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-
1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.
MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 346-9088. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION
One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC
One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088
E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com
Attorney File No. 2417337IL_1022444
Attorney Code. 61256
Case Number: 24 CH 04111
TJSC#: 44-2521
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Case # 24 CH 04111
I3259829
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO BANK OF AMERICA NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR GSAMP TRUST 2007-HE2, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-HE2
Plaintiff, -v.-
KAUNDA BUCKNER A/K/A KAUNDA K. BUCKNER, STATE OF ILLINOIS
Defendants 24 CH 2236
51 51ST AVENUE APT. 8 BELLWOOD, IL 60104
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIV-
EN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 4, 2024, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on March 5, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate:
Commonly known as 51 51ST AVENUE APT. 8, BELLWOOD, IL 60104
Property Index No. 15-08-101048-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $265,925.80.
Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours.
The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.
If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.
For information, contact The sales clerk, LOGS Legal Group LLP Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 2801 LAKESIDE DRIVE, SUITE 207, Bannockburn, IL, 60015 (847) 291-1717 For information call between the hours of 1pm - 3pm.. Please refer to file number 24-100769. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION
One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
LOGS Legal Group LLP 2801 LAKESIDE DRIVE, SUITE 207 Bannockburn IL, 60015 847-291-1717
E-Mail: ILNotices@logs.com
Attorney File No. 24-100769
Attorney Code. 42168
Case Number: 24 CH 2236
TJSC#: 44-3175
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector at tempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Case # 24 CH 2236 I3259726
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.
The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law.
This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals.
To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777. GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA
New brew review
A look at the area’s newest co ee o erings
New co ee shops are in the works — a co ee cart came in from the cold, two cafes are celebrating their rst year, and one local mainstay is making a switch.
By RISÉ SANDERS WEIR Contributing Reporter
You’ll probably need a bingo card to keep it all straight, but oh, what an energizing game it will be to take a sip from each of these purveyors of liquid happiness
Best friends Jose Balaguer and Ryan Klem took over the for mer Brewpoint location at 163 S. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park and renamed it The Coffee Shop. Balaguer says they want their space to be a people can come to disconnect as needed. still serve Brewpoint’ beans with a keen ey out for what a barista brings to the cup.
“We want to make sure that if
a customer orders a cu of coffee today and then come back next day, to a good consistent product, Balaguer said. “We and measure every shot of espresso, every time.”
A unique offering on the menu is call a “walking waffle.”
“We offer a homemade, made-fromscratch, waffle in a sleeve We invite customers to walk our beautiful town. Come summertime, there’s no better place to walk around,” he added.
Espresso Café opened in October at 7501 Roosevelt Rd. in Forest Park. The cafe had long been a dream of owner Fer nando Silva. He had his eye on this for mer branch bank location, across the street from Living Fresh Market. The light filled space is war m and inviting.
“This has been on my mind for 23 years!” said. “There is no other [coffee] shop area. The neighborhood has been rtive. Pastries, empanadas, en bread for sandwiches are all made here.”
hen it comes to brewing, Silva serves Whirlwind coffee, oasted in Oak Park
This winter, Zemi Coffee rt has taken over the Three Spoons Ice Cream location 133 N. Ridgeland Ave., just around the corner from Ridgeommons. It’s a trial run for
wner Dominique Betancourt, onsidering a brick-andlocation to compliment her pedal-powered cart that roams our streets and parks in war mer weather
“I had no winter plans, so I had no idea of what I was going to do,” Betancourt said. “This was an opportunity beta test in a really small location. I don’t have to commit for a year to a lease. One of the many things I learned, is that food is an important driver in a cafe.”
Zemi now stocks a rotation of pastries, including gluten-free ones each day.
In April, the storefront will transform back into Three Spoons Ice Cream.
RISÉ SANDERS WEIR rnando Silva, esso Café RISÉ SANDERS WEIR Dominique Betancourt, Zemi Co ee Cart
customer, because there’s a massive education gap between the farms,” Kristi Ross said. Their highly curated bean selection supports mom-and-pop roasters and farmers too. The menu, which will cover sweet to savory, is in the hands of Michelin-starred chef Nick Fron.
“I’m extremely excited about Nick’s insanely awesome brownie. I don’t even brownies. He hooked me with those for sure,” Kristi Ross said.
Keep an eye out for another opening. Wild Card Coffee has been in the mobile coffee bar biz first in San Francisco, but it’s now moving to a permanent address later this year at 1053 Madison St. in Oak Park. Owner Evan Berger returned home during the COVID pandemic. Along with his wife, Lauren Marmol, the two imagine the new space as a community hub, a café life experience.
A preview of ca einated attractions coming soon to the area
U3 Coffee Roasters will open on Valentine’s Day at 7430 Madison St. in Forest Park Owners Kristi and Craig Ross come from the world of finance and healthcare, but together they have a vision for all the good coffee can do.
“We have a mission to unite the coffee farmer, the coffee entrepreneur, and the end
“Our intention behind the space is to realize that third place, away from home and work,” Berger said. “It’s really important for a healthy community to have this place. It’s my way of creating the life I want for myself and my family.”
Along with that welcoming vibe, Berger wants customers to feel “smarter” about their coffee. “There is going to be a mix-
Evan Berger and Lauren Marmol, Wild Card Co ee
isti and Craig Ross, U3 Co ee Roasters
ture of what I consider the best roast-ers around the country and then also trying to highlight smaller local Chicago roasters,” said Berger. “There will be bakery items, but we’ll also be very focused on salad sandwiches, healthier food options.”
Last, but certainly not the least is Kribi Coffee’s purchase of Sugar Fixe bakery. It’s the newest jewel in the crown of the hyperlocal java juggernaut, which includes three Kribi locations and Buzz Cafe.
“We want to bring Sugar Fixe back to what it used to be – such an amazing place to get a bakery item, treats, and custom cake designs,” said Abbey Brumfiel, Kribi’s director of operations
Alongside regular operations, Bonjour Bakery will be whipping up croissants and other pastries for sale in-store and wholesale out of Sugar Fixe’s kitchen.
“I want everybody to be on the lookout, to give it a second chance, because we’re looking to enhance everything,” Brumfiel said.
With all these options, surely you can find a cup of coffee that suits your tastes at one of the many local coffee emporiums
A NE W CHAPTER FOR OAK PARK
Dandelion Bookshop op ens its doors
New owners,
Jamie
and Kurt Erikson have a vision for community-focused bookshop.
BY DALAL ORFALI Vibe assistant editor
When Jamie Ericson first heard that The Book Table was closing, she felt an immediate sense of loss. The beloved independent bookstore had been a cornerstone of Oak Park’s literary community, and the thought of the neighborhood without a local bookshop was, in her words, “just too sad.”
But rather than dwell on the disappointment, she decided to do something about it.
“I’ve always been a big reader, and I have been working on writing for kids, too,” she said. “I worked with words my whole career in different ways — educational publishing, e-commerce copy editing, and children’s writing.
“My husband and I,” she added, “we’ve been able to start a new business and try to fill the need in this community, because I felt like it was, I’m just too sad not to have a bookstore here.”
As Ericson, her husband, and her 9-year-old son cut the red ribbon by the shop’s glass façade on Oak Park Avenue, Dandelion Bookshop was born The shop, with its sage green shelves, and welcoming vibe, is a labor of love for the Ericsons, who have experience launching startups. Together, they worked to create a space that not only sells books, but also fosters a sense of literary community
Kribi
because that’s my favorite thing,” Ericson said. “But then I realized there would be nothing for the grown-ups, so we’re doing both.”
The shop’s shelves are still evolving, with room for new releases and customer requests. Ericson said that she is open to working with local readers and writers. They can reach out to her through the contact form on the shop’s website, or simply through stopping by.
“We’re excited to work with local people and there seems to be a lot of collaboration happening here,” Ericson said. T he shop is making ef for ts to collaborate with local schools and libraries. Ericson’s son attends the John Greenleaf Whittier after-school progr am at District 97, and she has been volunteering in his school’s library, she said.
Dandelion Bookshop owners Jaimie and Kurt Ericson with their son Teddy cut the ribbon in front of their store
When it came to naming the shop, Ericson said she wanted something meaningful.
“Dandelions represent hope and resilience,” she explained. “The seeds represent wishes. They’re playful, but they’re also stubborn and hard to get rid of. I thought that was a good model for us to follow.”
Ericson said she aims for the shop to be a gathering space where readers and writers could connect.
“We had a survey up when we first signed our lease — there was a QR code in the window, and we got a lot of responses from people with their ideas,” she said. “Eventually, this room in the back will be a community space with a table and chairs for writing groups, book clubs and maybe kids’ classes.”
One of the distinguishing features of Dandelion Bookshop is its children’s section.
“At one point, I thought about having only kids’ books
“That experience has been such a good education in seeing what kids are reading. I met with the district’s librarians earlier this month and let them know we can do bulk ordering or anything they need for the schools. And I’m meeting with someone from the public library next week.”
Although the store is still finding its footing, Ericson said she is excited about the possibilities.
“Anything people can’t find on our shelves; we can order for them. We’re not as big as The Book Table was, but we can get books in a couple of days. The shop will keep evolving based on what our customers are looking for.”
Ericson said that she and her husband, Kurt are working on setting up the website so customers can purchase tax-exempt books using school identification numbers.
“I’m so glad that we’re able to because my husband has built all of the text stuff himself. He can just code it to make it work”
Dandelion Bookshop carries new books only.
“We’re only doing new books because there is a used bookstore in Oak Park still, so I figure we can both coexist together,” Ericson said.
For extra fun, the shop offers its special merch and notebooks for purchase, and working on the possibility of selling gift cards.
With a warm and inviting atmosphere, a strong commitment to community engagement, and a deep love of literature, Dandelion Bookshop is set to become a cherished fixture for all the book lovers in the area.
For more information visit: https://dandelionbookshop.com
TODD BANNOR
18 Forest Park Review, February 12, 2025
Submit events and see full calendar at forestparkreview.com/events
Galentine celebrations For girls who just want to have fun
By DALAL ORFALI Vibe assistant editor
AUSTIN
Aba- Austin Galentine Day Dinner To -Go
■ Thursday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 15
■ Aba Restaurant, 302 N Green St., 3rd Floor, Chicago
Aba Restaurant is making your night ef for tless with a 4-course Mediterranean feast for $52.95 per person (minimum 2 orders). Enjoy Whipped Feta Spread, Seared Ahi Tuna, Grilled Chicken Kebab with Basmati Rice, and Chocolate Cake—all from the comfort of home!
Order by noon on Wednesday, Feb. 12 to enjoy this special offer. Visit https://qrco. de/bfitfq
BERWYN
Kelli Owens Hutton MOMCORE show – featur-
ing comedians Eunji Kim & Chelsea Hood
■ Saturday, Feb. 15 at 8:30 p.m.
■ FitzGerald’s Nightclub, 6615 Roosevelt Rd.
Kelli Owens Hutton brings Rock & Roll and comedy together to create the unique genre of MomCore! Enjoy a night of music and laughter as Kelli sings about life with her dog, kids, and husband—joined by a lineup of stand-up comedians for an unforgettable show.
Find tickets at https://qrco.de/bfitQd
OA K PARK
Galentine’s Day celebration – a womanowned bakery pop -up at Beer Shop
■ Thursday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.
■ Beer Shop, 1026 North Blvd.
The Beer shop is hosting Heart and Soul Bakery’s special pop-up, which will feature cookies, chocolates, charcuterie
Show love to your gal-friends this February with a list of fun activities around the area. We’ve got you and your besties covered!
boxes, and treats for your furry friends. Part of the event’s proceedings will go to help those affected by the LA fires.
Blossoms & Besties with Pickle Hill Parties
■ Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 5 p.m.
■ Spilt Milk, 811 South Blvd.
Gigi Rowe from Pickle Hill Parties will teach you how to make a stunning flower arrangement to take home (or maybe to gift) at her flower-arranging workshop.
Tickets include flower supplies, nibbles and a glass of bubbly, or a hot drink from the espresso bar. There will be a take -home bag of treats with a personalized name tag. Reserve your ticket at www.spiltmilkpastry.com
Lovely Suds Heart Shaped Soap Making
■ Thursday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m.
■ Einnim Candle Bar + Apothecary, 1020 Lake St
Einnim Candle Bar + Apothecary invites you to discover the delightful world of soap. Learn how to make exquisite, colorful, heart-shaped soaps that are also ve gan-friendly, and scented with premium fragrances and essential oils that you’ll get to take home.
Tickets for the event are available at www.einnim.com
RIVERSIDE
Book an ar t class at Riverside Arts Center
■ Dates at times may vary.
■ Riverside Arts Center, 32 E. Quincy St Join an art class with your friends at Riverside Arts Center. T here is a lot to make — from clay to mosaic art, to glassinfused pendants. T he center’s schedule is available at this link https://www. ri ve rsideartscenter.com/2025-winterspring-session
