Tuesday, December 02, 2014

#ShopSmall but #GiveBig on #GivingTuesday

They say "charity begins at home," but we think it can continue to the workplace. We asked the members of our staff what local organizations they support and why.

In support of #GivingTuesday, we will be making a charitable donation to the organizations our employees suggested – Lincoln Square Friendship Center, ONE Northside, The Stone Soup Theatre Project, Growing Home and Funny Bones Improv.

We hope you'll learn more about these great organizations, like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channels. And, most importantly, consider supporting them financially, too.

1) Lincoln Square Friendship Center
The Friendship Center operates two food pantries on the north side of Chicago. North Park Friendship Center - NPFC also distributes free clothing and household goods, offer job training to our volunteer staff, and seek to provide or refer clients to needed services.

2) ONE Northside Violence Prevention Campaign
ONE Northside is a mixed-income, multi-ethnic, intergenerational organization that unites our diverse communities. We build collective power to eliminate injustice
through bold and innovative community organizing.

3) The Stone Soup Theatre Project
The Stone Soup Theatre Project's mission is to offer theater to the communities of North East Chicago providing productions and educational workshops at little to no cost to patrons by enlisting the help of community organizations and local businesses. Stone Soup Theatre Project is committed to building stronger communities and safer neighborhoods by providing access to affordable and relevant theatre, transferrable skills through theatre education, and by taking the stage onto the streets of North East Chicago.

4) Growing Home
Growing Home is a social enterprise based in organic farming that provides employment, training, and community development opportunities to Chicagoans. Growing Home helps people find meaningful careers through skills learned while farming since 2002. Growing Home is Chicago’s leading expert in farm-based training for people with employment barriers.

5) Funny Bones Improv
Funny Bones started with a mission to give the gift of laughter to children and their families while in hospital. Our goal is to provide children with an opportunity to brighten their day, add a smile or a hearty laugh to reduce whatever stress they may face and offer an escape from their worries. Funny Bones performs in Chicago at the Children's Memorial Hospital AND in New Orleans at Tulane Medical and Children's Hospital.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

We've got Halloween Treats for Cool Ghouls, Many Monsters and Zany Zombies.





Urban General Store




Cool Ghouls, Sweet Treats and Zany Zombies?

It must be Halloween!




A Halloween Poem 



'Twas the week before Halloween and all through our shop,
the shelves were being stocked with tricks and treats non-stop.
Sugar skull sweets and sour candy ghosts
right next to zombies and monsters and giant inflatable toast!

Kids of all ages can find disguises and masks
and we'll ship them to you for $6.95, just ask!
So if you're looking for unique Halloween treats and more,
we hope you'll visit ENJOY and URBAN GENERAL STORE.





Candy & Sweets
Muncha Libre Lucha Libre Masks Cookie Stampers and CutterSugar Skull Candy

Zombies & Monsters
Glow Finger Zombies Finger Puppets

Zombies Have Issues Book by Greg Stones




Horror & Screams
Screaming PickleEdgar Allan Poe Action Figure

Masks & Disguises

Creepy Pig Head Masks


Emergency Mustaches - Set of 6








Laura Doherty at ENJOY



Join us for Laura Doherty live at ENJOY, AN URBAN GENERAL STORE performing two free kids shows at 11:30am and 1:00pm on Saturday, October 25.

Kids can trick or treat in costume at participating businesses in the neighborhood for the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce's Annual Halloween Happenings event.




RSVP online. Or email us at mom@urbangeneralstore.com with questions. 


Thursday, October 16, 2014

Laura Doherty Performs Two Free Halloween Shows at ENJOY on Saturday, October 25 at 11:30am & 1:00pm


Laura Doherty
Join us in Chicago for the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce's Annual Halloween Happenings Trick or Treating Event on Saturday, October 25 featuring Laura Doherty performing live at ENJOY, AN URBAN GENERAL STORE for two free shows at 11:30am and 1:00pm.


Laura Doherty-Photo by Phil Onofrio ©2014

ENJOY, AN URBAN GENERAL STORE is excited to once again host two free shows for kids by award-winning children's musician Laura Doherty at ENJOY, AN URBAN GENERAL STORE (4723 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625) on Saturday, October 25 at 11:30am and 1:00pm.

Kids can Trick or Treat in costume at local businesses in the Lincoln Square Ravenswood neighborhood in Chicago on Saturday, October 25, 2014 before and after the shows from 11am-2pm (and at participating Ravenswood businesses from 2pm-5pm). Visit the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber site for more details about the event.


RSVP on Facebook


In a Heartbeat CD by Laura Doherty


In a Heartbeat is Laura Doherty's third Parents' Choice award-winning CD. Now available online from Urbangeneralstore.com and in-store at ENJOY, AN URBAN GENERAL STORE.







Laura Doherty is a nationally touring children's recording artist and award-winning producer with an ear for a catchy melody. Laura’s musical adventures first took listeners into the world of big city living, as seen through a child’s eyes, with her Parents’ Choice winning albums Kids in the City (2009) followed by the equally endearing Shining Like a Star (2011). Laura’s new CD In a Heartbeat is a collection of heartfelt, upbeat children’s songs that keep true to her folk-pop roots, using lots of acoustic instruments.

Nominated for "best Chicago kids act of 2012" in Time Out Chicago, Laura has performed on famed Chicago stages such as the Pritzker Pavilion, Old Town School of Folk Music and Lollapalooza. Laura is a long-time early-childhood music teacher in the Old Town School of Folk Music Wiggleworms program.

Urbangeneralstore.com




Don't live in or near Chicago? Or can't make it to the shows on Saturday, October 25? You can still check out In a Heartbeat and Laura Doherty's other great CD's from Urbangeneralstore.com.

Kids in the City CD by Laura Doherty


Kids in the City CD by Laura Doherty






Shining Like a Star CD by Laura Doherty


Shining Like a Star CD by Laura Doherty





Wednesday, October 01, 2014

Hot Doug's Legacy Lives on in "Hot Doug's: The Book"

Do you know that there are children being born RIGHT NOW who will never get to taste a hot dog from Hot Doug's!

While lovers of encased meat mourn the closing of Chicago's own "Sausage Superstore" Hot Doug's on Friday, October 3 we can help you relish the "old days" of "waiting in a 2 mile long line" for an exotic wild game hot dog and some duck fat fries. Share this great book with your offspring and show them what they missed.

Hot Doug's: The Book

Hot Doug's: The Book
By Doug Sohn with Kate DeVivo.
From Agate Publishing.
$24.95

Available online at Urbangeneralstore.com and in-store at ENJOY, AN URBAN GENERAL STORE.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Ice Ice Baby

We think The ALS Association's #IceBucketChallenge is cool.

Have you been challenged? Need some ice? Buy any of our "ice" products online and we'll donate a percentage of purchase price to The ALS Association (now through 8/30/2014).
Need Ice?