Support ENJOY, AN URBAN GENERAL STORE in Mission: Small Business℠

We are getting down to the wire.... ENJOY, AN URBAN GENERAL STORE needs 250 votes to qualify to compete for a $250,000 grant from Chase and LivingSocial. And while Mission: Small Business feels a little like Mission: Impossible right now, we are undaunted.

We are asking for any of our fans, customers, enemies, family, friends, pets, classmates and followers to visit https://www.missionsmallbusiness.com/, login with their Facebook credentials or sign up for an account, then search for ENJOY in Chicago and then vote. That's it. Also, you can vote for more than one business. Why not search for your other favorite small business?

But, we are in Chicago… just campaigning for votes doesn't seem like the old "Chicago Way". We'd like to make you an offer you can't refuse. But the rules prohibit any discounts or giveaways.

But we'd love to know that you supported us. So cast your vote for us at wwww.missionsmallbusiness.com then write "I Voted" on our Facebook Wall (or tweet "I Voted" to @ENJOYChicago or email mom [at] urbangeneralstore.com).

You have our eternal gratitude.

Let Your Pop Know He's Tops

Father's Day is Sunday, June 17.

Remember your dad this Father's Day with a funny, cute or useful gift from Urbangeneralstore.com and ENJOY, AN URBAN GENERAL STORE.

Our special Your Pop's Tops section features brand new super high-quality playing cards from Theory11, lots of cocktail accessories including the clever Whisky Stones and a tongue-in-cheek celebration of Fathers from the 1970s and 1980s in the Dads Are the Original Hipsters Book.

Whether your dad is a rocker, a fixer, a geekster or one of the original hipsters, there are 100's of gifts to thank your Dad and let your Pop know he’s the Top Dog.

Here are some more great gift ideas for your Dad…

Facebook Father's Day Card
from Ecka & Pecka

Garbage Socks
from Sock It To Me

Reclaimed Sailcloth Card Case (Tarjetero)
from FlowFold

Don't Forget Grandpa
Every Grandfather started out as a Father. He’s our past and our future. The family storyteller and keeper of memories. Remember Grandpa on Father’s Day with “Grandpa. His Stories. His Words”. This handsome fill-in-the-blank journal features 80 pages of questions designed to help create a treasured family keepsake. Also available for Dads, Moms and Grandmas.

Grandpa His Stories His Words
from Compendium

Everybody's Free (To Graduate)

ENJOY would like to share a post by our Social Media and eCommerce Manager, Stephanie Edwards (author of 101 Things a College Girl Should Know and 101 Things a College Guy Should Know). Below is the commencement address that she would write if she were asked to write one that she hopes will be incorrectly attributed to Mary Schmich as Kurt Vonnegut.

To the Class of 2012:

Congratulations. You did it. 

I know that any advice that you receive in these dewy, salad days of your pending adulthood is probably just wasted on you--like your youth[1]. 

That is ok. You are supposed to be young and carefree. Besides, when you are saddled with $1,234,756 in student loan debt in a few years, you won't even be able to buy a clue. But I will give you two little nuggets of wisdom (for free): 

1) Be kind.  

Yep, it is that simple. Bad things rarely, if ever, come from being kind."Kind", according to the New Oxford American Dictionary, is defined as "having or showing a friendly, generous, and considerate nature".When in doubt, choose to be kind. If being kind is not an option, wait until it is.  

2) Don't put anything on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LiveJournal[2], Tumblr, Flickr, Instagram, etc. that you wouldn't want plastered on the side of a bus.  

Like the bus traveling at 35 MPH down a street, things posted on social media sites fly by and are not seen by everyone in real time. But like that bus, postings on social media eventually arrive at a bus stop. And then imagine that your grandmother is at that bus stop, waiting for the bus to take her to the Jewel. And she's all like "Look, that's my granddaughter/grandson on the side of that bus and, oh my..". 

You get the picture. Be discreet. And if you can't be discreet, don't post it. 

That's pretty much it. You'll have to figure the rest out as you go.  Good luck, be kind and, please, wear sunscreen.

[1] Paraphrased from Mary Schmich's "Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young" published in the Chicago Tribune in her column on June 1, 1997. In her introduction to the column, she described it as the commencement speech she would give if she were asked to give one. The column soon became the subject of an urban legend, in which it was alleged to be an MIT commencement speech given by author Kurt Vonnegut in that same year (in truth, MIT's commencement speaker that year was Kofi Annan).  


Despite a follow-up article by Schmich on August 3, 1997, in which she referred to the "lawless swamp of cyberspace" that had made her and Kurt Vonnegut "one", by 1999 the falsely attributed story was widespread.


Schmich published a short gift book adaption of the essay, Wear Sunscreen: A Primer for Real Life, in 1998. A tenth anniversary edition was published in 2008 by Andrews McMeel.


[2] Ask your older sister or brother.

Happy Workers Day

Take a break and ENJOY these videos celebrating all things "work" featuring The Members, Billy Bragg, Carly Simon and Missy Elliott. 

When you're ready to get Back to Work, shop these office essentials (and nonessentials) from Urbangeneralstore.com.

Get Along With Your Co-Workers Tea from Blue Q

Manifesto Notebook from Wild and Wolf, Ltd.

Oh! My Goodness - Shhh... It Happens 

Before-You-Go Bathroom Spray from PooPouri

Everyday is Like Earth Day

The single tear of the Native American reminds you to "Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute" the Third Planet because like Q-Tip Says, "Joni Mitchell Never Lies" and you "won't know what you got till it's gone".

Take care of your home. Because everyday is like Earth Day.

The winner of Merch Madness 2012 is...

The Mini GurglePot

It was close. Very close. But the quirky Mini GurglePot Gurgling Fish Water Pitcher beat the clever Winestein Beer Stein Wine Glass, the functional Guitar Pick Punch Tool and the wacky XL Beer Glass.

The Mini GurglePot will be 20% off until April 30 at ENJOY, AN URBAN GENERAL STORE and Urbangeneralstore.com.


Thank you to all who voted in our Merch Madness contest. We really ENJOY coming up with fun contests, competitions and events so we encourage you to join our eNews List and keep in touch with us via our Facebook Pages, on Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Yelp!, Google+ and keep reading the Blog. Need anything else? Simply email our team of customer service savants, the Masters of Merchandise, at mom [at] urbangeneralstore [dot] com and we'll do whatever we can to assist you in all matters of gift giving and buying. 


Till next year's big dance...

Vote Today for Merch Madness Final Round

Vote today!

Merch Madness 2012 Final Round. 

The hipster cool Winestein Beer Stein Wine Glass is taking on the venerable Grand Dame the Mini GurglePot. Vote online at http://a.pgtb.me/cJ9q or in-store at ENJOY, AN URBAN GENERAL STORE. All voters will be entered for a chance to win one of the champion products AND the winning item will be 20% off in April.