RealGood Stuff, Healthy Food And Juice Spot Born In Chicago, Closes All Locations – Block Club Chicago

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The company is looking for a “Christmas miracle” and its owner said he's open to having conversations with any potential partners that will help them stay alive.
CITYWIDE — RealGood Stuff Co., a Chicago-based fast casual spot serving healthy food, juices and smoothies, announced on Instagram it’s closing all of its locations.
The company was founded in 2014 and has locations in Old Town, Lakeview, River North and Lincoln Park. RealGood Stuff Co. also has juice bars in various Whole Foods stores throughout Chicago.
“I met my wife at RealGood. I even named my dog after one of our favorite smoothies. … So, yes the business means a lot to me to say the least. Which is why it’s so painful for me to tell you that we’re closing our doors,” founder Jon Schiff wrote in an Instagram post.
As of Wednesday, all locations were closed, Schiff said.
A post shared by REALGOOD STUFF Co. (@realgoodstuffco)
The company is looking for a “Christmas miracle” Schiff said and is open to having conversations with any potential partners that will help them stay alive.
“To maintain operations of the current footprints, I’ve been told and advised that it would have to be imminent, over the next day or two. But this is all very sudden and very unfortunate,” Schiff said. “I’m hoping to get the word out and keep the hope going.”
Schiff didn’t give specifics for the reason of the closure but did cite pandemic-related issues related to the economy and disrupted openings as part of the reason for the “forced closure.”
Schiff was previously a trader on Wall Street for 10 years, but he quit to pursue his passion of providing access to organic and locally sourced products, according to the company’s website.
“Over the last decade-ish, we’ve built a community of like-minded people united with a like-minded purpose. From our customers to our farmers, to our suppliers and partners, and our team. They’ve become friends and family to me,” Schiff wrote on social media.
The company most recently opened a 2,500-square-foot store in May at 333 N. Green St. in Fulton Market. Last year, Schiff told the Tribune the company was planning a big expansion, “backed by a $2 million fundraising round completed just before the start of the pandemic.”
The plan was to have more than two dozen locations over the next few years, Schiff told the Tribune. At the time, the company had 80 employees and planned to hire 100 more, according to the Tribune.
Now the company has about 50 employees, which Schiff is trying to help relocate to other jobs or connect with various resources.
“I’ve been on the phones with business leaders in Chicago with various incredible companies to try to get jobs for everybody,” Schiff continued.
On the Instagram announcement, he listed members of the company’s administration along with short recommendation letters for each one.
Those interested in helping to find new jobs for his staff or talk about potential partnerships can reach Schiff at [email protected].
If you were a RealGood employee and want to talk about your experience, email [email protected].
Listen to “It’s All Good: A Block Club Chicago Podcast”:
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