How You Can Support Local Businesses During COVID-19
Illinois’ shelter-in-place order has impacted the livelihood our local small business owners, restaurateurs, and hospitality industry employees in unimaginable ways. I started A Girl About Chicago many years ago to showcase the vibrant businesses that make this city one I am proud to call home, which is why I wanted to share this post with you all to encourage you to donate and give back to our community in these trying times. Don’t have the extra cash to make a financial contribution? That’s okay, too! Check out all of the innovative ways our local businesses have adjusted to ensure they can continue to operate—the below list is by no means exhaustive, but I hope you’ll join me in supporting our fellow Chicagoans in a way that makes sense for you!
General Tips
Follow your favorite businesses on Instagram, “like” them on Facebook, and engage with their content.
Leave positive reviews on websites such as Google, Yelp, Tripadvisor, etc.
Tell your friends, family members, colleagues, and neighbors about your favorite business or restaurant. Some good old fashioned word-of-mouth marketing never hurt anyone!
Purchase gift cards, order carryout or delivery, book a service for future use (such as a massage, haircut, etc.), and consider rescheduling your reservation instead of canceling altogether.
Restaurants + Hospitality Groups
Heisler Hospitality Group started an employee relief fund on GoFundMe to support their hourly and tipped employees to help sustain them during this time. This is the group behind local favorites, such as Estereo, Pub Royale, Bad Hunter and Lone Wolf. Got $5 to spare? Every dollar will help these employees stay afloat for the next several weeks.
Lettuce Entertain You, the iconic Chicago-based restaurant group you know and love, also started an employee relief fund on GoFundMe. Help them support their $750,000 goal.
Boka Restaurant Group, the legendary hospitality group behind acclaimed restaurants such as Boka, Cabra and Momotaro, started an employee relief fund—100% of all collected donations will go to the amazing people that work for their restaurants. You can donate by clicking here!
Dineamic Hospitality Group is providing a $25 gift card for all carryout and delivery orders as a token of their appreciation. You can redeem for future dine-in use at any DineAmic venue (such as Siena Tavern, Bandit, Prime & Provisions, and Barrio).
Levy Restaurant Group is offering an incredible promotion to all customers—you’ll receive a $25 gift card for every $50 order OR a $50 gift card for every $100 order. Here are the restaurants participating: Cafe Spiaggia, River Roast and Jake Melnick’s Corner Tap.
Maple & Ash, 8 bar and etta are all matching the total cost of your takeout order dollar for dollar in gift cards available for use when they reopen! Talk about an insane deal!
QXY Dumplings, my all-time favorite restaurant for authentic dumplings in Chinatown, is offering 15% off all online orders placed through their website. Just use the code “QXY15” to redeem!
REALGOOD STUFF Co. is offering 20% off all delivery orders when you use the promo code “CORONASUCKS” at checkout! It’s the perfect spot for all your smoothie, juice, salad, and acai bowl needs :).
Little Bad Wolf in Andersonville is selling $150 gift cards for $100, and $75 gift cards for $50. Do not miss out on this incredible promotion and buy online! LBW is offering curbside pickup (call 773-942-6399) and delivering via Grubhub. You can also donate to their GoFundMe to help support their employee relief program!
Middle Brow Bungalow is selling weekly subscriptions to exclusive beer, bread and pizzas available for takeout and delivery. They’re also selling fresh produce and other farms items directly from the farm. If you live in the Logan Square, Bucktown or Humboldt Park area, it’s a great way to purchase locally-grown produce, flour, grits, eggs, etc. along with their beer, fresh baked bread and pizzas.
The Crab Pad in Logan Square is offering 10% off your curbside pickup or delivery order through any delivery app. Please trust me on this and order the garlic noods!
Chiya Chai is offering 20% off all takeout orders through 3/31/20. They have an amazing variety Nepalese and Indian inspired dumplings, curries and small plates at affordable prices.
Graze Chicago is offering 20% off phone orders only—it’s the perfect spot for a healthy snack to fuel your day while you’re WFH.
BienMeSabe, an authentic Venezuelan restaurant with two locations in Chicago (The Loop & Ravenswood), is offering 10% off any online order placed directly through their website!
Tempesta Market is selling their delicious salumi products online for 20% off through March. These are normally only available for wholesalers so grab them before it’s too late!
Reno Chicago is selling 2 for $22 pizzas and 20% off wine bottles for all takeout orders. I mean…look at those crispy pepperoni edges?! DROOL.
Bites Kitchen is offering a whopping 30% off all pickup and delivery orders. This adorable neighborhood fusion restaurant in Lakeview offers a wide variety of Asian-inspired dishes.
Urbanbelly is offering 20% off takeout orders for all Wicker Park residents if you call them directly! Their stir-fried udon noodle bowls are seriously life changing.
Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits is matching 20% of all gift card purchases online! This is the perfect opportunity to stock up now so you can treat yourself to some glorious Bang Bang pies later :).
Imperial Lamian is offering a 25% discount on all orders (no minimum purchase) via Grubhub. Place your order here!
Wow Bao is providing a 50% discount for all Chicagoland restaurant employees on all carryout orders! This is a great deal for any industry folks who are looking to save some money.
S.K.Y., one of my all-time favorite restaurants led by Chef/Owner Stephen Gillanders, is offering their customer favorites available for takeout! For just $39, you’ll get 2 cornbread Madeleine cookies, 2 black truffle croquettes, a choice of salad, a choice of main course and a choice of side dish. Don’t miss out on the chance to try out the amazing dishes from Chef Gillanders and team at a low cost!
Bistro Campagne is offering curbside pickup from 4-7 PM, including beer and wine. Plus, all orders will receive a 20% discount! Get cozy with some decadent French fare tonight.
Pizzeria Bebu is my all-time favorite Chicago spot for a damn good pizza pie. Honestly, it might be one of my favorite pizza joints on the planet. IT’S THAT GOOD. While they’re temporarily closed due to COVID-19, you can help support them by either donating to their GoFundMe page or purchasing a gift card here!
Parachute, the acclaimed Avondale restaurant from Chef & Owner Beverly Kim, is offering takeout options until they return to normal operations. Titled “Bing & Bop,” the new menu takes on their famous big bread and comforting crispy rice dishes. Parachute is also offering family style menus available for pickup, in addition to beer, wine and cider!
Southport Grocery and Café is closed for the remainder of the shelter in place order, but you can call them directly to order a care package/gift boxes to your loved ones filled with delicious goodies from their grocery items!
Daisies is selling Bloody Mary kits, as well as delicious meal kits for takeout and delivery. It’s the perfect way to enjoy their fresh, housemade pasta in the comforts of your own home.
All Together Now is a charming all day cafe and wine bar located in Ukranian Village. They are offering a daily family meal option (for 2 or 4) with the option to add a wine pairing!
Avli is selling family meals for just $40, available for pickup at all locations (River North, Lincoln Park and Winnetka). This is your go-to spot for contemporary and inventive Greek cuisine.
The Publican is also offering hot, ready-to-eat family meals featuring the greatest hits from their restaurant for just $16.25 per person. Order online here!
Frontier is offering nightly family meals available for pickup and delivery. It’s the perfect option to satisfy your comfort food craving throughout the next few weeks!
Dusek’s, a warm and inviting restaurant in Pilsen known for elevated comfort food and honest cuisine, has daily family meal options with a suggested donation of $10 per person.
Crab Cellar, a LEYE restaurant, is offering a to-go family style meal for 4 people! For $150, you’ll get 4 lbs of king crab, 4 prime burgers, mac & cheese, roasted broccoli, hush puppies, boardwalk fries, coleslaw and 4 slices of their famous coconut cake. HUBBA HUBBA!
Small Businesses
Foursided is offering 20% off on all gift cards purchased on their website. It’s the perfect time to stock up now!
Asrai Garden is my go-to destination for luxe apothecary, small home goods, beautiful floral arrangements, and unique jewelry. Use the promo code “LOVETHIS4U” to get $15 off all orders $100+ by shopping their online store!
Toestees is a Chicago-based company selling stylish and comfortable socks with a mission. The company partners with an evolving list of nonprofit beneficiaries working to make meaningful impact in our communities, which is why they donate 10% of the purchase price of all socks to an organization of your choice! Given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on local businesses, Toestees has created the option for buyers to donate the proceeds of their purchase to the CDC Foundation and its crowdfunding campaign to combat coronavirus. You can check out this list to learn more about the various organizations they’re partnering with!
Scratch Goods is my favorite Chicago destination for all things clean beauty and skincare. For every $50 spent online, you will receive $5 available to use at a future date.
SpaDerma provides advanced skincare treatments and cosmetic injectable services, and is currently offering 10% off gift cards! A percentage of sales will go directly to their providers. Use the code “STAYATHOME” at checkout and redeem for use once the spa reopens!
Glowout Salon is offering discounted tan packages online (select “Buy Series” then choose the “Quarant-Tan” option). Treat yourself to a relaxing spray tan when things return to normal!
Matty & Lou launched a great gift card promotion. For every $50 gift card, you’ll get $10 bonus bucks. For every $100 gift card, you’ll get $20 bonus bucks!
Milk Handmade, a beautiful shop in Andersonville for ethical and sustainably produced clothing and accessories made by Chicago makers, is offering 20% off gift cards when you shop online.
Gem Jewelry Boutique, a woman-owned business in Oak Park, is running a digital gift card promotion! Get $20 off unlimited $100 gift cards. You can apply it to your online purchase now or redeem it in-store at a later date once they reopen!
Moon Voyage, an adorable boutique in Wicker Park, is adding $20 to $100 gift card purchases, and $25 for gift card purchases of $150+.
Studio Three, my go-to fitness studio, is offering a 20% discount on all class packages (all packs will have a 12 month expiration). They rarely offer discounts so trust me when I say this is an AWESOME deal. Use the code “CPS320” to redeem!
Pretty Cool Ice Cream is currently selling $50 gift cards for just $40—the best part is that all of these proceeds will be distributed to support their staff! Buy online here.
Foxtrot Market is donating 10% of their sales over the next month to the Greater Chicago Food Depository and the North Texas Food Bank. Order directly from their app for all your gifting, snacking, and grocery needs!
Cocktail Courier is shipping national orders of their delicious cocktail kits to lift your spirits! They are currently offering 20% off with the code “LIFTYOURSPIRITS” as well as free shipping on all orders.
I hope this post has you pumped up about supporting local! These are unprecedented times for so many, and it’s so disheartening to know COVID-19 is likely going to have long lasting impacts on our local businesses. Please share this post to encourage others to participate!
Love,
Sarah