Potluck Launches Ideas For Empty Lawrence Avenue Storefront

Ravenswood residents witnessed something awesome on Sunday night: more than 100 community members coming together to brainstorm what should go in an empty storefront. 

The space at 1742 W. Lawrence used to house a Jackson-Hewitt Tax Services, but has been vacant since April 2012. 

On Sunday, neighbors filled the building with food, modern furniture and bright graphics asking what they'd like to see in the space. Outside a pop-up sidewalk cafe with lights let residents enjoy the bountiful food brought by attendees. 

Two organizations hosted the potluck: the Ravenswood Community Council and the League of Awesome Possibilities. Created by Ravenswood resident Melanie Kahl, the league is a grassroots collaboration that works to make the neighborhood more vibrant. 

Among the attendees was Mark Jullie, who lives a few houses north of the storefront on Hermitage. He came to the potluck after seeing activity at the space for the first time in months. 

The 8-year resident said he'd like to see a service-oriented business dil the space, something like a dry cleaners, bank or coffee shop. 

All the area needed was an anchor, he said, a big business to attract more businesses. That anchor is the new Mariano's Fresh Market currently under construction at Lawrence and Ravenswood. Jullie, formerly of Uptown, compared the new grocery store to Target opening at Broadway and Sheridan. 

"When Target went in there, you had an anchor all surrounding businesses could feed off of," he said. "Countless people came there because of it."

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One of the businesses Mariano's could attract belongs to Sarah Chalos. Since 2009, Chalos has been making packaged snacks out of quinoa and selling them to food markets and distributors. 

"I Heart Keenwah" can be seen on the shelves of HarvesTime and more than 800 others stores in the country. 

Like her fellow start-up snack food companies, Chalos works out of her home. But recently, she's been thinking about collaborating with other businesses for an office and tasting room. 

"We meet together and share ideas anyway," she said. "It would be nice to have a space we could call home."

Allowing people like Chalos to speak with residents about her idea was exactly the point of the potluck, said Charlie Daas, executive director for the RCC. 

"We wanted to provide an environment where people can think their business is feasible here," he said. "Our whole purpose is to alter perceptions people have about Lawrence Avenue. Right now, it's a thoroughfare, we want people to pause and enjoy the stores."

After the potluck's success, Daas said the next steps involve analyzing the input from residents and researching interested parties. 

Until then, a pop-up shop will feature goods from Neighborhly and Alapash starting in September. 

Sunday marked the second potluck from the RCC and League. In June 2012, more than 40 people gathered at 4639 N. Damen Ave. to entice a new business in the former Bagel on Damen location.

That new business turned into Brew Camp, a supply store and class space for people who brew their own beer and cider. Since moving to the location in October, the business has grown, adding a classroom space a few blocks away on Wilson Avenue. 

Owners Jared Saunders and Whit Nelson attended Sunday's event, where Saunders called the potluck, "the best thing that could have happened to our company."