Networking With Neighbors

By Helen Kaplow

It was no ordinary meet-and-greet. It was amazing. It was entertaining. It was inspirational. Who knew that a South Loop Neighbors bi-monthly meeting at Grace Place could be so exciting?

The March 11th SLN meeting program was titled "Networking & Referral Night." Attendees were given one minute each to stand in front of the group and introduce themselves and their businesses and/or one minute to make a recommendation of another business or contact they wanted to share with their neighbors. After the formal presentations, there was time for informal mixing and networking.

I expected it to be an informative evening - a chance to learn about the resources available in my neighborhood. But it turned out to be much more. For starters, 60 people showed up. (!) Then 46 stood up to make presentations.

Maybe it was the shaky economy that prompted neighbors to turn to each other for support. Maybe it was that so many people were so delighted to see that so many other people showed up - delighted to discover that their community organization had not collapsed and was in fact alive and well. Whatever the reasons, forces coalesced and a rich community experience was formed.

Partly like kids at Show & Tell, neighbors told their stories and passed around samples. There were samples of a specialty raw food product and samples of faux finishes for your walls. Partly like preachers at church, neighbors testified about miracle solutions to our shared problems. There were financial gurus and real estate seers and lifestyle evangelists of all sorts. Partly like pitchmen in an infomercial, neighbors offered each other bargains and special deals.

There was even an "Our Town" moment, when Roy Svenson of Chicago Community Bank at Dearborn Station stood up and spoke about his affection for the neighborhood. He talked about walking along South Dearborn Street and seeing all the store-front businesses and how "you look up and one story above the street, you find so many good people living upstairs, so many people both living and working in the neighborhood, so many people doing interesting things in the neighborhood... Before you look outside the neighborhood, look inside the neighborhood." To complete the Grovers Corners theme, Roy went on to promote a local play being performed by the students at Jones College Prep High School and invite the neighbors to all attend on the same night, together.

Gail Merritt stood up and spoke about the Alliance for a Greener South Loop. She explained that this was not just one organization but a group of organizations working in collaboration. Simply put, "when people work together, they can accomplish a lot more," she said.

Janice Koerber, of Many Hats Homeworks, was a popular favorite. When Janice stood up to talk about her home repair business, one woman interrupted by raising her hand and declaring, "I offer a referral for Janice! I've used her many times and she's excellent!" In the next moment, five more hands spontaneously shot up and voices from around the room exclaimed, "Me too!"

One young woman stood up who had no business to promote or recommendation to make. She only wanted to introduce herself and say "I love the South Loop! I feel so lucky to live here!" Yup. We do too.

So, if you're in need of a massage therapist or a lawyer or an orthodontist or an interior designer or pet grooming or custom framing or computer repair or a bottle of wine or combined French cooking and language classes, or just about anything else you can think of, check out the list of presenters and referrals from this meeting:

South Loop Neighbors
Networking & Referral Night
Contact List

Made Presentations In-Person:

Chris Adams
Tommy Gun's Garage Dinner Theater
2114 S. Wabash
312-225-0273
chrisgun@sbcglobal.net
www.tommygunsgarage.com

Janis Andersen
What's Your Agenda, Inc.
Life Coach
I Feel Better! Wellness Center
633 S. Plymouth Ct.
312-353-2321
janis.andersen@rcn.com
www.whatsyouragendainc.webs.com

Jack Beebe
Forth Group Real Estate Services
312-379-0400 x104
jb@forthgrp.com

Dennis Beninato
Attorney
Also: Greater South Loop Association, President
312-403-0222
dennisbeninato@gmail.com

William Bigham
Bigham Studio
Custom framing and art displays
1528 S. Wabash Ave.
312-588-1528
whbigham@bighamgalleries.com
www.bighamgalleries.com

Steve Breinling
Rubloff Residential Properties
80 W. Harrison
312-980-5114
sbreinling@rubloff.com

Tiffany Bullock
House of Sole Footwear
1237 S. Michigan Ave.
312-834-0909
info@houseofsole.net
www.houseofsole.net

Linda Correll
@ Properties
212 E. Ohio
312-927-9700
lindacorrell@atproperties.com

Bernadette Doran
Equilibrium, Energy + Education
Director
Dearborn Station: 47 W. Polk St.
Suite M-5
312-786-1882
bdoran@industrialstrengthsoul.com
www.equilibrium-e3.com

Betty Finkbeiner
Designs by Betty
Interior Designer
600 S. Dearborn St.
#507
312-347-0980
renge@sprynet.com

Dan Flavin
pcKare
Computer Guy
47 W. Polk St. 100-247
312-986-8057
thecomputerguy@pckare.com

Kay Garvey
Tryon Farm & Rubloff Residential Properties
312-961-0567
kay@kaygarvey.com

Mary Gerace
Marketing and Publicity
For self-employed and small non-profits
708-345-8045
marygerace@comcast.net
www.marygerace.net

Jaqi Green
Array of Elegance Interiors
Interior Designer
arrayofelegance@sbcglobal.net

Anne Hawk
Hawk Insurance and Financial Services
600 S. Dearborn St.
#309
440-864-2345
ahawk@oberlin.net

Tracye Hinton
Wine Styles
1240 South Michigan Ave.
312-431-9999
thinton@winestyles.net
www.winestyles.net/southloop

Elizabeth Holland
New York Life
Financial Advisor
500 W. Madison St.
Suite 1725
630-605-7896
eaholland@ft.newyorklife.com

Mary Ivory
Life Coach and Counselor
LCPC
312-859-6654
maryivorylifecoach@gmail.com
www.MaryIvory.com

Helen Kaplow
South Loop Neighbors
VP, Membership
312-427-2692
Helen@SouthLoopNeighbors.org
www.southloopneighbors.org

Helen Kaplow
Marketing Communications & Event Planning
print, web, email, video, and live
727 S. Dearborn St.
#212W
312-427-2692
HelenK@rcn.com

Katie Keiling
U IL Institute on Disability & Human Development
Community Support Coordinator
kkeiling@uic.edu

Janice Koerber
Many Hats Homeworks
Home repair, decorating, etc.
727 S. Dearborn St.
#710
312-925-6671
janice@manyhatshomeworks.com
www.manyhatshomeworks.com

Budi Kusnoto
AllCare Orthodontic Center
842 W. 31st St.
312-804-8304
allcareortho@gmail.com
www.AllCareOrthodonticCenter.com

Dan London
Doggie Bath House
724 S Dearborn St
312-922-9663
doggie_bath_house@hotmail.com

Bill Lowe
Macy's on State St. Interior Design Studio
Sr. Design Consultant
312-781-5568
bill.lowe@macys.com

Gail Merritt
Alliance for Greener South Loop
greensouthloop@yahoo.com
www.greenersouthloop.org

Kathleen Moyer
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor
312-753-5029
moyer67kd@gmail.com

Christopher Nolan
Paychex
Sales Consultant
230 W. Monroe
Suite 1020
312-523-5622
cjnolan@paychex.com

Mike Nolan
Attorney
773-710-0910
mjnolan51@gmail.com

Victor Powell
Powell Photography
531 S. Plymouth Ct.
312-922-6366
vpowell@powellphotography.com

Sue Sidun
Wonderful Walls Etc.
899 S. Plymouth Ct.
#407
312-671-3289
sue@wonderfulwallsetc.com
www.wonderfulwallsetc.com

Phil Sitar
Edward Jones
Financial Advisor
25 East Washington St.
Suite 1306
312-578-1006
phil.sitar@edwardjones.com
www.edwardjones.com

Roy Svenson
Chicago Community Bank
Bank Manager
Dearborn Station
47 W. Polk St.
312-588-1327
rsvenson@chicagocommunitybank.com

Jessica Swift
MILA Raw Food
727 S. Dearborn St.
#311
jmsglass@yahoo.com
www.swiftmax.lifemax.net

Marlene Valero
Ameriprise Financial
CFP, CPA, MBA
Dearborn Station: 47 W. Polk St.
Suite 245
312-922-1060
marlene.p.valero@ampf.com

Lynn Ward
The Door Guy
312-906-9313
doorguy6@aol.com

Lynda Young
South Loop Dog PAC
312-264-5630
sldogpac@yahoo.com
www.southloopdogpac.org

Referred by Others

Christine Bertrand
French cooking and language lessons
gborzo@comcast.net
Referred by Greg Borzo (husband)

Penny Cato
Innovative Bodywork
Massage
pennycato@aol.com
312-810-7015
Referred by Helen Kaplow

John Cunningham
Webmaster
john@jbcunningham.com
708-203-6444
Referred by Mary Gerace

Robin DeMarco
In-home Manicures and Pedicures
cuticalls@aol.com
312 953-3677
Referred by Bonnie McGrath

Father and Son Painting
House painting (indoor and outdoor), staining, faux finishes, etc.
312 909-9585
Referred by Bonnie McGrath

Auto Care / Mechanic
Shell Station at Van Buren & Racine
1160 W. Van Buren
Ask for David
312-850-3740
Referred by Helen Kaplow

Theresa Stark, LCMT
Massage Therapist
773-742-9715
633 S. Plymouth Ct.
Plus, other healing professionals at:
www.alreadybetter.com
Referred by Janis Andersen

Suchas
Kundalini Yoga and Walking Meditation Instructor
312-213-0397
633 S. Plymouth Court
www.kundaliniyogachicago.com
Referred by Janis Andersen