Kate McDermott 2023-12-09 09:58:13
Partnering with these minority- and women-owned local businesses can bring a fresh perspective to your event. VENUES The Quarry Event Center is an event venue and community center in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood. Owned by Yvette Moyo’s Real Men Charities nonprofit, the venue encourages local residents to hold their celebrations and gatherings in their own south side community. The space can host events of up to 150 guests and offers in-house catering and bar packages. Family-owned Galleria Marchetti continues a legacy of Italian American entrepreneurship that goes back a century. JP Marchetti and his wife Corey transformed his family’s classic car showroom into this beautiful event venue, with a lush outdoor courtyard, a pergola with a retractable roof, and a 6,500-squarefoot tented ballroom. Bronzeville Winery is an inclusive restaurant and community hub that elevates local voices in wine, art, and culture. Co-owned by local entrepreneurs Eric Williams and Cecilia Huff, this space is an incubator for aspiring hospitality professionals. Browse the curated wine list that highlights bottles from woman, minority, and Black-owned labels, along with seasonal comfort foods. Opened in Chinatown in spring 2023, King Karaoke’s 12 unique karaoke rooms invite visitors from all over the world to pick up a microphone and sing. Choose a song in English, Korean, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai, German, Russian, Spanish, or French. In between sets, guests can sip craft cocktails and snack on bao and Chinatown-style nachos. CATERERS Helmed by acclaimed pitmaster Dominique Leach and her wife, Tanisha Griffin Leach, Lexington Betty Smokehouse serves delicious, tender barbecue and soulful sides. Pick a combination of meats like smoked chicken, pulled pork, and juicy brisket, plus gooey gouda mac ‘n’ cheese or sweet candied yams. Or reserve the Betty Food Truck for catering on wheels. Woman-owned and operated Paramount Events brings exceptional, restaurant-quality dining to Chicago events. To keep their menus as sustainable and local as possible, Paramount has an on-site greenhouse where they grow produce year-round. Their mixology team can create custom cocktails to further personalize your event. For morning events, plan a coffee bar or fresh-pressed juices. Bring authentic Michoacán cuisine to your Chicago event from Atzimba Catering & Events. Executive chef and owner Atzimba Perez makes rich moles, Jalisco-style beef birria, and indulgent tres leches cake. Her food has been enjoyed by the Mexican Consulate in Chicago and served at the National Museum of Mexican Art. Chef-owner Veah Larde of Two Sisters Catering makes lighter versions of Southern favorites. Her homemade buttermilk cornbread, ground turkey meatloaf, and herb-baked chicken are popular favorites. For dessert, don’t skip the Louisiana crunch cake, a family recipe topped with evaporated milk frosting, coconut flakes, and chopped pecans. GIFTS Give the gift of sweets from award-winning Sugar Bliss. This cheerful bakery by founder and CEO Teresa Ging offers boxes of perfect French macarons in pastel colors and creative flavors. Or order boxes of cupcakes by the dozen — including gluten-free and vegan options — topped with her signature Sugar Bliss bloom made from rich frosting. Create custom merchandise for your company or event with TeeMart Decorated Apparel. You can source t-shirts, hats, jackets, mugs, tumblers, and more from this Black-owned, mother-and-son shop. Get as creative as you like with screenprinting or embroidery, and send your team home with something they’ll use again and again. Family-owned Kikwetu Kenya Coffee Company has brought the richness of Kenyan beans to Chicago. Their specialty-grade coffees include bright Boma AB, fruity Kibano, and smooth Gakurari, each sourced from small farms and co-ops in Kenya that support the local community. Share their rich brew with your team through gifts of whole or ground coffee, along with signature stoneware mugs. Declare your Chicago pride with hip local merch by Latino shop CHICAGOMIDWESTMADE. The Maldonado brothers create hoodies, tees, and joggers proclaiming their love for their hometown. This Pilsen shop also does custom orders, so you can create your own wearables and sticker packs to promote your brand. SERVICES Woman-owned destination and event management company ETHOS Event Collective takes a personal, purposeful approach to event planning. Each event is uniquely tailored to your brand, your attendees, and your goals for the biggest impact. They also focus on ethical and sustainable events, connecting with local experts to create authentic experiences for their clients. Keep event attendees in the know with signs and messaging from ef Design Group. This Black-owned design and printing agency creates impactful visuals for trade shows, conferences, and more. Think event maps, brand booth signs, product packaging, and promotional materials. Owner Walter Freeman has also helped incubate other minority businesses through product and brand development. e3 Photography coowners Beth Hollander and Elizabeth Fraiberg combine their expertise in film and photography to create polished and professional videos and photos. Their high production values show off your event in its best light, creating both beautiful memories and valuable assets for next year’s marketing efforts. This Chicago-based pair has brought their keen eyes to events and shoots around the world. GCJ Hospitality Resources has been delivering hospitality staffing solutions for more than 10 years. Only the best staffers are sourced, using GCJ’s exclusive recruiting and hiring process. GCJ can provide everything from hospitality staff that includes bartenders, chefs, and servers to convention support services, such as service desk management, registration professionals, and booth models. TOURS Local historian Shermann “Dilla” Thomas shares the fascinating history and culture of the city with Chicago Mahogany Tours. These tours highlight Chicago’s south and west side neighborhoods like Bronzeville, Englewood, and Pilsen, sharing the cultural importance of these diverse communities. Dilla was named Choose Chicago’s 2022 Chicago Tourism Ambassador of the Year! Culture City invites Chicagoans to explore worldwide cultures without leaving the city. Search their event listings for gatherings from a variety of heritages, like Indian yoga, Chinese New Year celebrations, and Ethiopian dinners. Find restaurants and vendors from specific cultures, and use their mobile app to seek out diverse experiences on the go. Connect with Choose Chicago’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion program.
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