Shoppers to Storm Roscoe Street, Supporting Schools

Roscoe Village customers will be shopping for the good of the children next month, during a two-day event that sends money directly to area schools.

The Third Annual Shop for Schools will be held this year for two days—Oct. 24 and Oct. 25—instead of the usual one, coordinators said. Roscoe Street shop owners will be giving back 20 percent of pre-tax sales to 18 schools participating in the event from all over the area, including, of course, Roscoe Village, as well as some in North Center, Lincoln Park and Lake View.

"It's a win-win for the parents of the school," said Mary Markarian, executive director of the Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce. "It's good for the businesses and for the shoppers, it's like writing a check to the school without paying extra money to do so. We're very excited."

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Shoppers can select their school of choice to receive their donation, Markarian said, creating a bit of a competition among area participants. During the first two years of the event, the chamber awarded a $1,000 prize to the school raising the most money through the initiative. This year, it will honor the first three place-holders, Markarian said.

"We consider that to be the school with the most purchasing power," she said, with a laugh, adding that the 2011 winner was St. Benedict School. "We're excited to spread the wealth a bit farther this year."

Among the businesses participating is Village Paperie, 2217 W. Roscoe St. Frankie Andrae and her sister, Johnnie, participate because they know how important supporting area schools is for building and maintaining a strong neighborhood. As the retail chairwoman for the chamber, Frankie helped coordinate the event. 

"It's a great reach out, it really is," Frankie said. "We used to do this with one school at a time ... Then all of the sudden, it just clicked and we said, 'Let's do all the schools in one day.'"

Frankie said her business is never too busy to support a local school, or a good cause in general.

"We're not going to say no to a local school," she said. "Those students, their parents are our customers. They're our base. We want to take care of them.

Schools wishing to participate are simply asked to contact the chamber. Staff there can sign them up, print fliers on their behalf and include them in social media blasts, Markarian noted.

The revenue taken in during the event last year was around $30,000, bringing school donations to around $6,000, she said. Boutiques joining the effort this year include Pearls and Cake, New Discoveries, Cinnamon, Kickin', Denim Lounge, A Pied, Little Threads, Fixture, Roscoe Village Bikes, Lush, and Glam and Go. 

"The needs at our schools are great every year," she said. "The money could buy foreign language books, go toward saving a program or purchase school supplies. It changes every year. But every bit helps."

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