Chicago Sun-Times: All posts by Erica Thompson

Dusek’s to close as Thalia Hall seeks to expand building

2023-12-13T18:01:03.352-06:00

Dusek’s Tavern and Dining Room opened in 2013 inside Thalia Hall at 1807 S. Allport St. in Pilsen.

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Dusek’s Tavern and Dining Room will join a recent string of beloved, longtime Chicago restaurants closing their doors this year.

The Pilsen eatery (a former Michelin starred restaurant), located inside entertainment venue Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St., announced Wednesday via Instagram that it will shut down at the end of dinner service on New Year’s Eve after a decade of operation. Thalia Hall, as well as the Tack Room and Punch House businesses located inside, will remain open, Dusek’s said in the post.

A public notice from the city of Chicago, seen on the window on Wednesday, indicated that an application was filed Nov. 1 to change the zoning to build a “two-story addition and outdoor cafe and continue the existing Thalia Hall mixed-uses including entertainment, retail and residential uses within the existing building.”

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Hospitality collective 16” on Center (16OC), which has operated Thalia Hall and Dusek’s since 2013, told the Chicago Sun-Times in an email that a cafe would not be replacing the restaurant, but said “no other details are available.”

A spokesperson for Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez (25th) said the application was filed for an outdoor patio with indoor space built above for storage and an elevator, but did not have information about how the patio would be used, or a replacement for Dusek’s.

“It truly is the end of a decade, and the support has been amazing,” Bruce Finkelman, partner at 160C, said in an email to the Chicago Sun-Times.

“Dusek’s was the blood, sweat and tears of so many talented people over the years who lived and breathed it. If anyone would have told me that our little slice of Pilsen would have lasted for almost 11 years, I would have never believed it. We achieved everything we set out to do and more. From Michelin stars and other accolades, to serving some of our favorite artists and friends, to a family of staff that believed in what Dusek’s was all about.”

Finkelman also thanked the employees and hinted that “when one chapter closes, another begins.”

One of the partners behind Dusek’s Tavern and Dining Room said it was “the blood, sweat and tears of so many talented people over the years.”

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

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On Instagram, the restaurant acknowledged its patrons.

“During these 10 years, so many wonderfully talented people have made Dusek’s the special neighborhood place that welcomed all,” the restaurant wrote on Instagram. “Thank you, Pilsen. Thank you, our amazing employees. And thank you, our cherished customers, for letting us serve you. Stay tuned for what’s next.”

Fans of Dusek’s expressed their sadness via the post.

“Thank you for always being there when friends ask me ‘what’s one of your favorite places in Chicago?’” @mingchen37 wrote. “Many great dinners and memories for sure.”

“We got married at Thalia and have the most beautiful memories inside Dusek’s and serving your delicious food to our guests,” @ashleymkane_ wrote. “Thank you for everything.”

Dusek’s closure follows news of several other popular, longstanding restaurants shuttering or announcing impending closures, including Belli’s juice bar in Pilsen; the Signature Room and Grand Lux Cafe on the Magnificent Mile; Vesecky’s Bakery in Berwyn; Duk’s Red Hots in West Town, and Metropolitan Brewing in Avondale.

A public notice from the city of Chicago posted at Dusek’s Tavern and Dining Room notes a request for a zoning change.

Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

Angelica Hale starring in ‘Boop’ musical, finding her own path in music

2023-12-12T18:00:00-06:00

Angelica Hale (left) stars as Trisha and Jasmine Amy Rogers stars as Betty Boop in “Boop! The Musical” at the CIBC Theater.

Teenage singer and actress Angelica Hale recalls writing her first song at 7 years old.

Titled “What’s It Like” — which would later become the name of her 2020 EP — the song was borne out of Hale’s desire to make it big like Whitney Houston, Ariana Grande and the performers she saw on the Disney Channel.

“[It was about] feeling trapped and wishing to be something,” Hale said. “Seeing someone and wishing you could be like that, but being like, you can’t achieve what they are, or you’ll never be as great as them.”

Betty Boop

‘Boop! The Musical’

When: Through Dec. 24

Where: CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St.

Tickets: $28-$106

Info: broadwayinchicago.com

Several years later, at 16, the Atlanta resident is on her own path to stardom as a cast member of “BOOP! The Musical,” which is continuing its pre-Broadway run at Chicago’s CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe) through Dec. 24. The show is directed by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell, with a book by Tony-winner Bob Martin and music by Grammy Award winning composer David Foster and Tony-nominated lyricist Susan Birkenhead.

Based on the classic 1930s animated character created by Max Fleischer, the musical follows Betty Boop (portrayed by Jasmine Amy Rogers) as she moves from her black-and-white cartoon world into the colorful modern age. Hale plays Trisha, a Boop superfan who befriends her idol.

Gorgeous ‘Boop!’ builds a colorful, tuneful, graceful world for cartoon heroine

Growing up, Hale said she saw images of Betty Boop, but only recently went into a “rabbit hole” watching the short films featuring the character.

“I was more of a ‘My Little Pony,’ ‘Littlest Pet Shop,’ ‘Dora [The Explorer]’ kind of girl,” Hale said.

But Boop is now an inspiration for both Hale and Trisha, the young actress said.

“She basically boosts my confidence and she consoles me and tells me that I can do these things that I keep telling myself I can,” Hale said of Trisha’s story line. “That’s really how I see Betty Boop — just as this caring and compassionate and confident girl. And that’s who I try to aspire to be one day.”

Hale has achieved and overcome enough to help guide her in that aspiration; before she amassed more than 1 million Instagram followers and completed stints on “America’s Got Talent” in 2017 (she was runner-up at 9 years old) and “America’s Got Talent: The Champions” in 2019, she received a life-saving kidney transplant at 6 years old from her mother.

“When I was about 4 years old, I was coming down with an illness, and we all thought it was the flu,” Hale said. “I finally went to the hospital and they diagnosed me with double pneumonia and sepsis. So that was really hard. I had a lot of internal bleeding and multiple organ failure. And I lost 20% of my right lung.”

This year, Hale celebrated 10 years “kidney strong.”

“I’m forever grateful that I get to be here today and fulfill my dreams,” she said. “It’s honestly such a blessing. It’s good to wake up every day with gratitude for the things that you get to do.”

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Hale said she hopes to record her first full-length album before she turns 17, but for now, she is focused on the rigorous “Boop! The Musical” schedule, which she said she found daunting at first.

“I honestly have never gotten tired of performing,” she said. “It’s always that jittery excitement every night.”

So far, in the Windy City, Hale said she has visited Giordano’s, the Nutella Cafe and the Chicago Riverwalk, but hopes to go to the Art Institute of Chicago.

And these days, she is no longer focused on wondering what it’s like to be in the shoes of other celebrities.

“Now, I’m finding my own path and I’m gaining new experiences,” she said. “There’s no current artist I want to specifically be like right now. Just being able to perform onstage and share my passion for music with other people and seeing them connect to that is really one of the most important things to me.”

Singer Angelica Hale helps Macy’s and Make-A-Wish launch the annual Believe Campaign at Macy’s State Street store with the 111th annual Great Tree Lighting ceremony in 2018. The teen actress is currently starring in “Boop! The Betty Boop Musical” at the CIBC Theatre.

Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images

Black Kitchen Initiative helps 3 Chicago chefs elevate their restaurants

2023-12-11T08:00:00-06:00

Quinton McNair, an Army veteran and owner of Strugglebeard Bakery, presents some of his baked goods in his Hyde Park location.

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

During the pandemic, Quinton McNair was pursuing two goals — grow out his beard and perfect his baking skills.

“The beard was struggling,” said McNair, 47, a recently retired Army veteran who lives in Matteson.

“The cookies were struggling. I was struggling with depression and PTSD.”

But he slowly improved his craft, which not only became “therapy” but also drew a growing customer base that eventually allowed him to open Strugglebeard Bakery in Hyde Park’s Harper Court in October.

Still, the struggle continued — especially as he brought on employees.

“That first payroll rolled around, and it was actually more than my rent,” he said.

Fortunately, McNair was able to forge ahead with a grant from the Black Kitchen Initiative, which awarded $1 million in total to 62 Black food business owners this year.

Strugglebeard Bakery is one of three Chicago restaurants that received support from the project, overseen by the Kentucky-based Let’s Empower Employment Initiative nonprofit, the Heinz company and the Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice coalition.

Untitled

Cleo’s Southern Cuisine, 4248 S. Cottage Grove and 190 N. Wells; cleossoutherncuisine.com

Strugglebeard Bakery, 5221 S Harper Court; strugglebeardbakerycom

Dozzy’s Grill, 1811 W Harrison St.; dozzysgrill.com

Entrepreneurs such as McNair received $15,000, while legacy businesses operating for at least 20 years received $25,000.

“I’ve been dipping into my retirement and disability check every month to help pay for things for the bakery,” McNair said. “That grant allowed me the freedom to actually operate.”

The partners behind the Black Kitchen Initiative noticed the disparities faced by Black-owned restaurants during the pandemic, as reports showed they were receiving Paycheck Protection Programloans at lower rates than other groups, said Lindsey Ofcacek, co-founder, managing director and mentor with the LEE Initiative.

And funding is still a challenge today, with 37% of Black small-business owners struggling to access new capital and financing — 14 percentage points higher than nonBlack entrepreneurs, according to a 2023 Goldman Sachs “10,000 Small Businesses Voices” report.

Since its inception in 2021, the Black Kitchen Initiative has awarded $3 million to grantees who submitted applications.

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Ofcacek said the project is part of the work the LEE Initiative does to “ensure that the restaurant industry is kinder and more sustainable, and a better place to be.”

“We try to fill those gaps,” she added. “The Black culinary voice is so important, especially to cuisine in this country.”

Some of the cookies and cupcakes served at Strugglebeard Bakery in Hyde Park including the Charles Anthony and the Dr. GQue cookies (both at left) and the strawberry lemonade, red velvet and Golden Child cupcakes.

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

For his part, McNair is contributing whimsical treats, everything from strawberry lemonade cupcakes to cookies such as the Dr. GQue Rocky Road, named for family and friends.

“I enjoy people enjoying stuff that I make with my own hands,” he said.

Demystifying West African cuisine

While McNair mastered his technique through a lot of “trial and error,” chef Chiedoziem “Dozzy” Ibekwe learned how to cook West African cuisine from his mother and grandmother while growing up in Aba, Nigeria.

“We made everything from scratch,” said Ibekwe, 43, of the South Side, who received his second $15,000 grant from the Black Kitchen Initiative this year. “We had a garden in front of our house.”

Chiedoziem “Dozzy” Ibekwe, owner of Dozzy’s Grill, presents the Big Boy platter composed of Afrobeet salad as well as chicken, shrimp, vegetable and beef suya, or skewers — all staples at his West African restaurant in Chicago.

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

Ibekwe immigrated to the United States at age 14 and studied hospitality at Roosevelt University. He worked in restaurants and as a concierge for several hotels, including the Warwick Allerton-Chicago, formerly Allerton Crowne Plaza Hotel; the Kinzie Hotel, formerly Amalfi Hotel; the Ritz-Carlton; and others.

“I’ve helped people make millions,” Ibekwe said. “I’ve helped some restaurants get successful. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to do it myself.”

He launched Dozzy’s Grill — specializing in West African fare — in a ghost kitchen in 2020, but had to shut down several months later.

“I had no online real estate,” he said. “I had no visibility. I didn’t quite see the volume that I needed to maintain my occupancy and prime costs.”

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Ibekwe reopened in 2021, paid off some debt and sustained a six-month residency at Retreat at Currency Exchange Café on the South Side, with the first grant.

Today, he is in Crockett Cookies Food Venue in the Illinois Medical District, but hopes to have his own space.

He said receiving the funding from the Black Kitchen Initiative was “like Christmas.”

“Occupancy costs are pretty high,” he said. “Access to loans or financing can be challenging. … I’ve been working hard on the business so we can do our work.”

Da G.O.A.T jollof is served at Dozzy’s Grill.

Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Sun-Times

That work includes providing excellent customer service and creating dishes such as chicken, beef and shrimp suya, or meat skewers; Da G.O.A.T. jollof, or long-grain rice in tomato sauce with boneless stewed goat shoulder; and Afrobeet salad, featuring organic red beets, cherry tomatoes, red onions, orange, fennel and toasted walnuts in orange paprika vinaigrette.

“It’s knowing how to showcase a cuisine, making it relatable, approachable,” Ibekwe said of his menu. “It helps when it’s affordable. That’s some of what we do at Dozzy’s Grill to help demystify West African cuisine.”

Soul food with Creole flair

The average American diner is certainly more familiar with soul food, which is offered with Creole influences by Cleo’s Southern Cuisine, another $15,000 grant recipient.

“I was speechless, really,” owner Kristen Ashley Harper, 34, of Bronzeville, said of receiving the money, which will help her move her flagship Bronzeville restaurant to a bigger location a few blocks away early next year. Harper also has a location in the Loop, and just signed a lease for a space in a ghost kitchen in Avondale.

She said she also plans to use the grant to provide her staff with Christmas bonuses.

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Chef Kristen Ashley Harper, shown at the Loop location of her restaurant, Cleo’s Southern Cuisine, said she hopes to move her flagship Bronzeville location to a bigger spot next year.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Harper’s signature dishes include chicken and waffles, the Hot Honey chicken sandwich and the Fly Over, which features Creole-friend catfish filets and chicken wings topped with Creole-butter lump crab and house-made remoulade sauce.

“Those are the three things that people just fall in love with,” she said.

She also created a 24-karat gold butter sauce that covers her signature muffins and can be ordered on the side.

Cleo’s visibility is rapidly growing. This year, the restaurant received a visit from popular TikTok food critic Keith Lee and was featured in a Google ad for Black-owned businesses starring actress Keke Palmer. (The chef said she does not know how she landed on Google’s radar.)

“It has just been insane,” Harper said. “Tickets just pouring off the table, the lobby packed, the phones ring at both locations. It has just been amazing.”

Prior to opening her first restaurant in 2019, the former college basketball player was a sports journalist. But she decided to pivot and pay homage to her late grandmother, Cleo, of Mississippi, who cooked soul food dishes.

“Everything that I do, or everything that I make, it’s always like she’s working through me,” Harper said.

The Hot Honey chicken sandwich at Cleo’s Southern Cuisine.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Reflecting on those early days, Harper said getting initial financing was not easy.

“I went to different banks, and they were not willing to take a chance on a young Black girl,” she said.

“It’s hard for Black and Brown people to get traditional loans or any kind of help from these big banks. So, these organizations like the LEE Initiative — when they partner with a brand as big as Heinz, it gives some kind of peace of mind that, OK, somebody’s paying attention, somebody understands we need a little bit of help. We don’t need a handout; we just need a little bit of help.”

‘Massive’ One of a Kind Holiday Show draws tens of thousands to Chicago to benefit small businesses

2023-12-09T18:58:38.243-06:00

Donzell Gordon, founder of Donzell Creative Works, wraps a wooden gnome for a customer on Saturday during the One of a Kind Holiday Show at the Merchandise Mart.

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

The first year Donzell Gordon exhibited at the One of a Kind Holiday Show, he was worried he wouldn’t make enough to cover the booth rental and turn a profit.

The self-taught woodturning artist was quickly put at ease when a single customer offered to purchase 11 of his handmade wooden bowls.

The experience was so worthwhile that Gordon, who operates under Donzell Creative Works, said that he has returned for a second year.

“You get more leads, just more eyes on your work, and it’s just a beautiful thing,” said Gordon, 52, of Avondale. “This will carry me again until the rest of the art shows start back up again.”

Shoppers mill around Saturday at the One of a Kind Holiday Show, which features about 500 vendors this weekend at the Merchandise Mart.

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

The show, now in its 22nd year, opened Thursday and will run through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at The Merchandise Mart. It features about 500 other artists from across the country — 200 of them new exhibitors — and has become a holiday shopping destination for an estimated 50,000 patrons.

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First-time visitors are not quite prepared when the elevators open on the seventh floor and they step into a virtual mini-city of makeshift shops divided into “districts” and “markets,” with thousands of people milling about under the bright lights.

“This is massive,” Abby Bisi, 29, said she thought upon entering the event.

With friend Claire Bennett, also 29, the pair took a couple laps to collect vendors’ cards, making notes of which they wanted to return to.

Both of the Wicker Park residents said they enjoyed supporting entrepreneurs.

“That’s the coolest part,” Bennett said. “I got my boyfriend a sail bag, so it’s made out of recycled sails. And what’s cool is now we have this story [to tell], like the guy who founded it was a German sail-maker.”

Customers have a range of items to choose from, including jewelry, furniture and greeting cards, clothing in the Fashion District, baked goods in the Gourmet Market and art in the Fine Art Gallery. The event also includes free art-making workshops, live music and cafes and bars. Additionally, there are sections for emerging artists and up-and-coming food entrepreneurs.

Holiday Guide 2023

The event has become a major source of business for Serious Lip Balm, which is based in downstate Jacksonville, and exhibiting for the second year.

“We have had the most amazing time here,” said Khara Koffel, who owns the shop with Megan Luckey. “People are coming back and it’s awesome because you get to see people that you recognize from the first year. People are seeking us out.”

The event has been such a success for the women that they have been able to limit their participation in similar markets to just one other per year.

“It helps us be able to earn money for the business... but also it allows us more time with our families so that we’re not traveling every weekend,” Koffel said.

Khara Koffel, co-founder of Serious Lip Balm, talks to a customer about skin products Saturday.

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Show organizer Kathleen Hogan said she enjoys providing a platform for artists in the winter when there are less opportunities to exhibit at markets.

“I think that the city really supports these artists and you’re seeing that this weekend, specifically,” Hogan said. “It’s been a hard road since COVID. Some artists had to shift and get other jobs. I just want to be able to maintain this platform for them and for the city. What I’m also seeing is that it’s become a tradition for people. It’s now part of their holiday tradition.”

Wooden gnomes by Donzell Gordon, founder of Donzell Creative Works, are for sale Saturday.

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

Christkindlmarket’s back: Here’s everything you need to know about it

That is the case for Amanda Walker, 48, of Atlanta, and her 10-year-old daughter, Eliza, who have been attending the event for several years with their family from Springfield.

“There’s different stuff and it’s one-of-a-kind and you find new things every time,” said Eliza, who purchased lotion, lip balm and putty, for herself and for holiday gifts for her friends.

As for her mother’s purchases: “Her favorite place is the Fashion District,” Eliza said.

Patrons can use maps to navigate the event, which can be a lot to digest — even for experienced vendors like Donzell Gordon.

“Last year, I got lost going to the bathroom,” he said. “I’m like, ‘This isn’t my booth.’ … It’s a big event. It is overwhelming, but wear good shoes and enjoy yourself.”

CosMc’s open outside Chicago, marked by long lines, hours-long wait time

2023-12-08T17:12:58.407-06:00

McDonald’s has launched its first CosMc’s, a new beverage-focused, drive-thru-only restaurant.

Erica Thompson/Sun-Times

Customers were up early Friday morning — or, perhaps, didn’t go to sleep — in Bolingbrook to get their first taste of CosMc’s, the beverage-focused, drive-thru-only concept just launched by McDonald’s.

A company spokesperson said cars began lining up as early as 3:30 a.m., and when the drive-thru opened at 6 a.m., 20 cars rolled in with drivers ready to place their orders.

By noon, about 150 cars were waiting in a line that stretched south from the yellow-and-blue restaurant at 285 N. Weber Road and wrapped west around the shopping plaza to the opposite end.

Workers wearing yellow coats and beanies and blue gloves guided drivers who waited about 2.5 hours, despite the three-lane drive-thru access. Police officers eventually helped direct traffic.

McDonald’s announced in July that it would test out the new concept, based on its alien character CosMc that appeared in commercials in the ’80s and ’90s.

The Bolingbrook location marks the first CosMc’s. The Chicago-based chain plans to open about 10 more pilot locations in Texas by the end of 2024, before determining a further expansion of the test sites.

The restaurant offers a variety of lemonades, teas, blended drinks and coffees. Customers can also customize their drinks with flavor syrups and energy or vitamin C shots, among other additions.

It also serves sandwiches and sides, such as a spicy queso sandwich, savory hash brown bites and pretzel bites, as well as McDonald’s classics like Egg McMuffin sandwiches and the McFlurry.

The TikTok factor

Some customers, including Joanna Staffa, 40, of Glendale Heights, said she learned about CosMc’s on TikTok.

Waiting in the car with Staffa was West Side resident Dana Matundan and Rea Unalidia, who was visiting from Virginia. Staffa said they added a stop at CosMc’s to their agenda, which included a trip to Christkindlmarket.

“It’s been like one and a half of a Taylor Swift album,” Staffa said of their wait time. “So, we’ve done ‘1989.’ We’re now halfway through ‘Red (Taylor’s Version).’”

Staffa said they planned to order a long list of items and were determined to wait as long as it took — and that they were used to being patient.

“I waited six hours for a hot dog once,” Matundan said.

“We’ve done the Taylor Swift queue on Ticketmaster,” Staffa added.

Cars began lining up as early as 3:30 a.m. to try out McDonald’s new CosMc’s drive-thru-only concept in Bolingbrook.

Erica Thompson/Sun-Times

Kevin Jackson, 32, of Westmont, also saw videos of CosMc’s on TikTok. Halfway through the line, he ran low on gas. He got out of line to refuel and said he returned to the line.

“It’s worth it,” Jackson said. “It’s probably better to go today than any of the other days. Most people are probably at work today.”

He said he planned to order the Sour Cherry Energy Burst drink and S’mores Cold Brew.

Unlike Staffa, he didn’t intend to put his purchases on TikTok.

“I don’t like to post, but I like to watch.”

So, how do the drinks taste?

Customers can buy a trio of drinks for less than $20. For example, the blueberry ginger boost green tea with vitamin C cost $5.39; the tumeric-spiced latte was $4.89; and the sour cherry energy burst, a slushy with tapioca balls, or boba, was $5.89.

The blueberry ginger boost was the standout — sweeter with each sip and characterized by a kick of ginger. The sour cherry energy burst was even more refreshing, with sweetness cutting through the tangy taste, and delicious boba accentuating the drink. The tumeric-spiced latte — recommended hot instead of iced by an employee — was a bit bland.

Another popular drink among customers on Friday was the churro frappé ($5.79).

And of the food items offered a favorite of the day was its spicy queso sandwich.

Tumeric-spiced latte (from left), sour cherry energy burst with boba and the blueberry ginger boost green tea are among the drink menu items at CosMc’s.

Erica Thompson/Sun-Times

City invests in cultural programming with $1 million in grants to Chicago organizations

2023-12-05T15:21:15.972-06:00

Children show their support for Uhuru Shule Cooperative, a Bronzeville workshop program that is one of 27 grantees in the Neighborhood Access Program.

Amirah Rahman

Community organizations and artists on Chicago’s West and South Sides will be getting a boost for cultural arts programming, thanks to $1 million in city grants.

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) announced Tuesday that grants from the Neighborhood Access Program have been distributed to 27 recipients, 89% of which are in West Side and South Side neighborhoods .

The grants range from $10,000 to $50,000 each, with seven grantees receiving the maximum award, according to DCASE.

“Our city is a city of neighborhoods, each of which has its own unique flavor and contributes to what I like to call the ‘Soul of Chicago,’ ” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a release. “With this commitment, we continue to invest in people and uplift the organizations and communities that need our support the most.”

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The funding will help the diverse group of recipients fund programming that includes everything from music performances and murals to storytelling and skating events.

Sandra Bivens, executive director of the 51st Street Business Association, said she was “ecstatic” when she learned the South Side organization had received $44,000 for its monthly “Brown Derby Jazz Series Part 2,” which will take place at Bronzeville Winery beginning in March.

“We’ll be putting at least 40 people to work next year,” Bivens said.

“Under [the Neighborhood Access Program], you can do a lot of different types of things. We’re doing a cultural, musical piece, but somebody else might be keeping their theaters open or their art galleries open. But it all focuses on communities that are trying to become more viable, to get the neighborhoods more involved.”

Christmas tree ship arrives at Navy Pier in Chicago

2023-12-02T14:29:29.283-06:00

The crew of the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw offloads 1,200 Christmas trees Saturday at Navy Pier for families in need.

Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times

There are some unmistakable sensory hallmarks of the annual “Christmas Ship” event at Navy Pier.

The cold air brushing against your face.

The “thwack” of Christmas trees landing on the ground after sliding off the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw.

And the rich smell of pine.

There’s also the “warm” feeling of helping others, according to 18-year-old high school senior Nick McDonald, who volunteered at the 24th event Saturday.

The crew of the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw offloads Christmas trees Saturday at Navy Pier.

Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times

“You know the feeling in your stomach when you’re like, ‘I did something great today?’ That’s the feeling it gave me,” said McDonald, who attends Lincoln-Way Central High School in New Lenox, and participates in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.

McDonald joined a long line of volunteers to help offload 1,200 Christmas trees for families in need as part of the initiative, which is spearheaded by the Coast Guard, Chicago’s Christmas Ship Committee and the Chicago-based Ada S. McKinley Community Services organization. The trees were transported to Navy Pier from the Coast Guard home port in Michigan as members performed their mission of maintaining buoys on Lake Michigan.

At Navy Pier, crew members of the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw prepares to offload more than 1,200 Christmas trees for families in need on Saturday.

Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times

Volunteers snagged the baled trees after they traveled, one at a time, down makeshift chutes propped against the ship, and carried them to trucks for delivery.

Launched in 2000, the event known as “Chicago’s Christmas Ship” has become a prominent way to kick off the holiday season in the city while giving back to the community and honoring local maritime history.

Holiday Guide 2023

The event pays homage to the Rouse Simmons, the original “Christmas Ship” led by Capt. Herman Schuenemann. On Nov. 23, 1912, the ship was lost during a gale while transporting 5,000 trees to Chicago.

It was important to the Coast Guard to create an event with the same positive impact and cultural significance, said Cmdr. Jeanette Greene, the Mackinaw’s commanding officer.

As part of the event, Greene is able to interact with students, including some who tour the ship.

“I get to meet a lot of kids who maybe don’t know anything about the Coast Guard,” she said. “My favorite part [of the day] is letting kids know that this is out there, and hopefully one day they may decide to join the Coast Guard, too.”

Cmdr. Jeanette Greene, commanding officer of the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw, mingles with the crew and volunteers offloading 1,200 Christmas trees at Navy Pier.

Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times

Back in 2002, the event certainly made an impression on Sonny Thatch, then a high school cadet with the Chicago Military Academy in Bronzeville.

Thatch joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary the following year, and has been volunteering for “Chicago’s Christmas Ship” off and on ever since.

Volunteer Nick McDonald, 18, a student at Lincoln-Way Central High School in New Lenox, helps the crew of the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw offload Christmas trees Saturday at Navy Pier for families in need.

Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times

“I’m a product of the Chicago Housing Authority, and so the mission of the Christmas ship to provide these trees for needy families in Chicago so they can have a nice Christmas, that’s a mission that resonates personally with me,” said Thatch, now 37, who is district commodore for the 9th Western region of the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

“So anything I can do to support that, as well as provide some relief to the active duty crew that is bringing the trees in, just sign me up.”

The Christmas trees are purchased through donations, which can be submitted through christmaship.org. Ada S. McKinley Community Services works with other nonprofits to identify recipients.

“The Christmas tree is one of the most recognized symbols of the holiday season,” said Eric Edquist, senior vice president of Ada S. McKinley Community Services. “And, if a family’s interested, they should be able to have a Christmas tree in their home. It’s where family, friends, loved ones gather to create memories, to spend time with each other. And all the partners are happy that we can deliver that.”

Petty Officer 1st Class Craig MacClugage, dressed as Santa Claus, helps crew members from the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw offload 1,200 Christmas trees Saturday at Navy Pier.

Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times

Volunteers Sophie Burke (left) and her friend Annabelle Frieh help the crew of the Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw offload Christmas trees at Navy Pier.

Ashlee Rezin / Sun-Times