Members

The story of Tapster began in England in approximately 1617, when the nickname tapster first referred to a bartender serving alcoholic drinks (mostly beer) from a tap. This nickname lived on in remote English villages for about 200 years before slowly dying out in the 19th and 20th centuries. And just as the long waits for bartenders reached a feverish pitch at the beginning of the 21st century, tapster was reborn in Chicago. Unlike in Old England, however, the new tapster has become each and every one of us (each of us over the age of 21, of course).

The Bristol, a contemporary American restaurant, is a staple for Chicago’s local dining crowd, off-duty chefs, and visiting gastronomes looking for a great dinner or weekend brunch. The menu features handmade pasta, farm-fresh produce, and a nose-to-tail approach to cooking. Beverages include handmade cocktails, a worldly wine list, and local craft beers. Your experience at The Bristol will be met with a smile, warmed with hospitality, and filled with outstanding food and drink.   

Classic & contemporary plays are presented at this 200-seat theater with a bar & comfy lounge.

A neighborhood spot for the kid in all of us, offering pizza, burgers, soft serve ice cream, and a full bar, in a fun & friendly environment.

Blake Mycoskie is the Founder and Chief Shoe Giver of TOMS, and the person behind the idea of One for One®, a business model that helps a person in need with every product purchased.

A simple idea has grown into a global movement: TOMS Shoes has provided over 60 million pairs of shoes to children since 2006, TOMS Eyewear has restored sight to over 400,000 since 2011 and TOMS Roasting Company has helped provide over 335,000 weeks of safe water since launching in 2014. In 2015, TOMS Bag Collection was founded with the mission to help provide training for skilled birth attendants and distribute birth kits containing items that help a woman safely deliver her baby. As of 2016, TOMS has supported safe birth services for over 25,000 mothers.

TOMS humble beginnings happened unintentionally. While traveling in Argentina in 2006, Blake witnessed the hardships faced by children growing up without shoes. His solution to the problem was simple, yet revolutionary: to create a for-profit business that was sustainable and not reliant on donations. Blake's vision soon turned into the simple business idea that provided the powerful foundation for TOMS.

Over the course of its first five years, TOMS was successful enough in providing shoes for children in need. But Blake, having recognized other vital needs during his travels around the world, realized that One for One® could be applied to more than shoes. He developed the idea for TOMS Eyewear in which for every pair of eyewear purchased, TOMS would help give sight to a person in need. One for One®.  In the fall of 2011, Blake released his first book, Start Something That Matters, offering his own amazing story of inspiration, and the power of incorporating giving in business. He references other companies and individuals who have been motivated and inspired to integrate philanthropy into their profession as well as their personal lives. The book became a New York Times best-seller. More importantly, it is Blake's hope that Start Something That Matters inspires others to turn their passion and dreams into a reality.

From shoes to eyewear and now a book, Blake's unique approach to business has awarded him with numerous accolades. In 2009, Blake and TOMS received the Secretary of State's 2009 Award of Corporate Excellence (ACE). At the Clinton Global Initiative University plenary session, former President Clinton introduced Blake to the audience as "one of the most interesting entrepreneurs (I've) ever met." People Magazine featured Blake in its "Heroes Among Us" section, and TOMS Shoes was featured in the Bill Gates Time Magazine article "How to Fix Capitalism." In 2011, Blake was named on Fortune Magazine's "40 Under 40" list, recognizing him as one of the top young businessmen in the world.

Before TOMS, Blake, a native of Texas who always had an entrepreneurial spirit, started five businesses. His first was a successful campus laundry service, which he later sold. Between business ventures, Blake competed in the CBS primetime series, The Amazing Race. With his sister, Paige, Blake traveled the world and came within minutes of winning the $1 million dollar grand prize.  Blake is an avid reader and traveler. He is passionate about inspiring young people to help make tomorrow better, encouraging them to include giving in everything they do. His hope is to see a future full of social-minded businesses and consumers.

Transit Tees takes visuals from Chicago's metropolitan landscapes and transforms them into fashionable artwork. The brand was founded in 2001 by Tim Gillengerten, a creative director who aspired to build an apparel line that reinterprets subway maps, street signs, city seals and flags in ways that the public had never seen before. Today, Transit Tees is an official manufacturer for the Chicago Transit Authority and locally designs, fabricates and retails their signature brand online and at their two storefronts in Wicker Park and Andersonville.