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 removed from the company website along with the option to order pickup or delivery.
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.
The announcement did not explain why RealGood was closing, but Schiff wrote that he hopes to find workplaces for this staff. He listed members of the company’s administration along with short recommendation letters for each one.
At the end of the letter, Schiff asked anyone interested in “helping keep the brand we built alive” to reach out to him.
Schiff did not respond to requests for comment.
If you were a RealGood employee and want to talk about your experience, email [email protected]
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