Kurman Communications Clients In The News

If you've ever tried to secure media placements, you know it isn't as easy as one may think. You need to think like a journalist, write like a journalist and provide timely, accurate information. You need to be tenacious. Behind what may appear to be luck is a lot of hard work. Over the past couple of weeks, we at Kurman Communications have secured a number of terrific stories for our clients. If you miss any of these articles, we're making it easy to catch-up on your reading.

Chicago French Market (131 N. Clinton St., Chicago; 312-575-0306) is a European-inspired market offering an array of local produce, meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheese and wine, chocolates, pastas, artisan-made goods, flowers and a seating area for customers. The Market has become a huge hit. Check out featured articles below:

• Watch and learn when NBC Chicago covers Chicago French Market.
• Farmer’s Markets are finally in season and Medill reports Chicago has nothing but good things to say about Chicago French Market.
• Sebastien Bensidoun gives background information about Chicago French Market in Today’s Chicago Woman.

This summer, U.S. Equities Asset Management works with three local farmers and Illinois Tollway to create a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) which brings seasonal, local produce to its customers. CSA programs traditionally drop off produce for residents in dense urban neighborhoods but are expanding to serve suburban communities. People who sign up for the CSA program can pick up their produce from Illinois Tollway Oases.

The deadline to sign up for fresh produce is today.

• Local First Chicago interviews Sundee Wislow about making produce sustainable.
• Northwest Indiana Times talks details about Community Supported Agriculture at the Oases.
• Rockford Register Star explains how to pick up your produce on the way home.
• Shore Magazine tells readers how they can support local farmers.
• Get Healthy Magazine informs readers why eating healthy has never been so convenient.
• The Examiner lets people know where to get produce.
• Chicago Now tells readers when the Community Supported Agriculture will arrive at Oases.

For a complete list of participating oases or more information press here.

With Act One Café (1330 W. Morse Ave., Chicago; 773-381-4550) now open and Mayne Stage (1328 W. Morse Ave., Chicago; 773-381-4551) opening soon, the Rogers Park neighborhood is excited to tour its newest entertainment venue and restaurant.

To get a closer look, press on one of the following articles:

• Thrillist thrills its readers with what to expect with the opening of Mayne Stage and Act One Café.
• Find out what chef will be performing- in the kitchen that is- at Act One Café with TimeOut Chicago.
• Metromix makes your mouth water when it talks about some of Act One Café’s contemporary American entrées.
• Chicago Magazine Dish says what new venues to visit, including Act One Café.
• Daily Candy lists Act One Café as one of the must see diversions in Chicago.
• Tasting Table announces Act One Café’s opening.
• Grub Street serves up background information about Act One Café.

Guanajuato (73 Green Bay Rd., in Glencoe; 847-242-0909) is a contemporary Mexican restaurant opening next week. Read the preview article featured in Chicago Magazine's DISH: Check out what chef/co-owner Margarita Challenger has in store at Guanajuato.

If you're interested in reading more stories that have been reported on recently, go to the Kurman Clients In The News tab above or press here.

Chicago French Market presented with Friends of Downtown’s “Welcome to Downtown” Award

Non-profit civic group Friends of Downtown presented Chicago French Market (131 N. Clinton St., Chicago; 312-575-0306) with the “Welcome to Downtown” award at the organization’s annual awards presentation Wednesday, May 5 at ZED 451 in Chicago’s River North neighborhood.

Accepting the award on behalf of Chicago French Market, U.S. Equities Realty and the Bensidoun family were Jennifer Siragusa of U.S. Equities Realty and Chicago French Market manager Leslie Cahill.

“Chicago French Market, U.S. Equities Realty and the Bensidoun Family are honored for the recognition by Friends of Downtown,” said Sebastien Bensidoun of the Bensidoun family, owners and operators of Chicago French Market and other farmers’ and French markets throughout the Chicago suburbs and Paris metro area. “We truly feel we have been welcomed to downtown Chicago.”

Other award winners included “Coolest Things,” The Ledge at Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower (also managed by U.S. Equities Realty); “Best Commemoration,” Burnham Plan Centennial; “Quality of Life,” CTA Bus Tracker; “Best New Open Space,” The Riverwalk Extension; “Life Boat,” Water Taxis; “Best Restoration,” Sullivan Center Ironwork; “Best New Office Building,” 300 N. LaSalle; “Best New Building,” Trump International Hotel & Tower; and “Best Ripple Effect,” Aqua.

Founded in 1981, Friends of Downtown is a not-for-profit civic group that promotes intelligent planning, superior design and awareness of important issues affecting Chicago’s downtown area. Friends of Downtown creates awareness of important issues affecting downtown, enabling citizens to develop their understanding and voice their opinions of Chicago’s physical and social environment. For more information on Friends of Downtown, call (312) 458-9454 or visit http://www.friendsofdowntown.org/.

Chicago French Market is a European-inspired market offering an array of local produce, meats, seafood, breads, pastries, cheese and wine, chocolates, pastas, artisan-made goods, flowers and a seating area for customers. Chicago French Market’s 30 vendors stay open year-round, six days per week, and is located within the new MetraMarket development at 131 N. Clinton St. (between Washington and Randolph Streets). For more information, visit http://www.chicagofrenchmarket.com/.

Chicago French Market opens in West Loop

It isn't everyday that you get to experience history being made. I can't help but think that the opening of Chicagos French Market (131 N. Clinton St.) in our fair city's growing West Loop neighborhood was an historic event. A who's who of Chicago and Paris was in attendance, including the Parisian owners, the Bensidoun family, the vice mayor of Naby le Sec (France) Jean-Paul LeFevre, Mayor Richard M. Daley, Aldermen Brendan Reilly (42nd Ward) and Walter Burnett Jr. (27th Ward), all kinds of politicos, and Robert Wislow, Chairman and CEO and Camille Julmy, vice chairman of U.S. Equities (the developer) and a plethora of other executives from the company. Every Chicago television station was represented and hordes of media as well as Chicago V.I.P. dignitaries were there. A personal note of thanks for the Bensidoun family for extending an invitation to both Lee and I.

Here's why you'll want to run, not walk, there ASAP! One-stop shopping! Whether you're picking up dinner, lunch, breakfast, a snack, food for the office or home, or holiday gifts, you'll be able to find the freshest locally grown, artisan-made produce, meats, fish and seafood, breads, chocolates, and patisseries under one roof, 12-months a year, six days a week (closed on Sundays). Much of the produce is organically certified.

The Chicago French Market is our first year round market, boasting 15,000 sq. ft. of European-inspired shops. It's an exciting destination for locals and anyone traveling to Chicago for business or pleasure.

We are so excited about this for many reasons. Our office at Kurman Communications is two blocks from the French Market. We plan to shop there often. We suggest that you do, too. The re-development of the West Loop has been happening for years but this block seemed to miss out, until now. Clearly, it's a destination with which to be reckoned.

It will serve as the anchor for the MetraMarket, conveniently located just north of the Ogilvie Transportation Center, the new hub of Chicago's West Loop. Lucky us and Chicago commuters, Espression by Lavazza Italian cafe finds its newest home here. Kurman handled the introduction of Espression with their first location in the Drake Hotel. This key location is a welcome addition, with their fabulous coffee creations, grab-and-go, and gelato.

World travelers will recognize the French Market as its owners, the Bensidoun family of Paris, operate 95 open-air and indoor markets throughout the U.S. and France, including 13 seasonal markets in the Chicago area and one of the largest certified organic markets in Europe.

We've always been a big fan of markets: Green City Market, Seattle's Pikes Place, New York's Grand Central Market and San Francisco's Ferry Building have been among our favorites for years. We know that Chicago's French Market will play a starring role on our destination list and look forward to showing off our neighborhood to everyone that's willing to let us brag. Thanks Chicago's French Market. We look forward to being one of your soon to be many glowing fans.