Ox&Pen

Yesterday morning, while making the rounds on Facebook, I noticed a thread of comments with regard to a small business in the West Loop and the loyalty programs in which it is currently participating. A few of the commenters were concerned about what happens to their points (which they racked up over the course of many loyal visits) should the small business discontinue its partnership with a given loyalty app/card/program.

These customers’ concerns were totally valid; with many loyalty apps, the points you earn at any given merchant can only be redeemed for rewards at that particular merchant. Should the merchant and the loyalty program in question sever ties, the customers who have 89,000 points saved up are pretty much S.O.L.

Sadly, this type of situation is not that uncommon. In fact, I think we all know someone who was negatively affected by the decision of a merchant to discontinue use of a loyalty program.

In an effort to mitigate the amount of disgruntled customers, Ox&Pen’s loyalty points are good toward rewards at each and every small business in our network of local merchants. In the unfortunate event that a merchant is no longer part of the Ox&Pen network, all the points you earned at that bar during post-softball team celebrations or extra-fun Sunday Funday brunches (you know who you are) aren’t for naught. Any accrued points at that, or any merchant you visit, can still be used like cash at every other merchant in the network.

There you have it. Loyalty points that won’t “go bad.” If you’re concerned about the loyalty program your favorite bar, restaurant, café or boutique is using—and what will happen to your points if they discontinue use—let them know that Ox&Pen circumvents the issue with universal points.

Interested in learning more about the loyalty network built for small businesses? Download the latest version of Ox&Pen for iPhone® or Android™ and follow us on Facebook. Let us know what you think about a universal loyalty network for small businesses!

Continue reading “What happens when loyalty points go bad?…” »

Like any good Chicagoan, I have a healthy sense of neighborhood pride. Irrespective of whatever hip and trendy eateries and boutiques open elsewhere in the city, I still frequent the restaurants, cafés and shops around Lincoln Park and Lakeview. That section of Clark and Broadway between Fullerton and Belmont is my neighborhood, the place I call home. When merchants in the area do well, so do neighborhood residents. When another huge chain retailer goes up half a mile from my building, I get a little upset. Nothing against that particular chain; it’s just that with each big box that appears, a little bit of character disappears from the neighborhood.

Chicago is a city of small, unique businesses and I know I’m not alone in feeling lucky to live among so many great dining and shopping options.

And I wasn’t alone in my disappointment upon discovering Rahmig’s House of Fine Chocolates, on Broadway, is closing its doors at the end of September, after 70 years in business. cbslocal.com reported that current operator Fred Paillon said “times have changed, with storefront shopping at local establishments having given way to one-stop shopping at strip malls.”

Paillon noted decreased local shopping, one unfortunate side effect of an increase in national chains taking over neighborhood streets. Huge chains have economies of scale working in their favor, as well as sizeable marketing budgets and other factors working as barriers to entry for small merchants.

Small business marketing needs are increasingly a focus of attention, and over the past few years, platforms have emerged, packaged as marketing solutions for local merchants. Arguably the most notable was the daily deals model, which exposed merchants to huge, new audiences, but only when they offered up products at a steep discount. The hope was that consumers would be drawn in by incredible deals and would later return for more—and pay full price! Unfortunately, more often than not, customers didn’t return to pay full price; instead, they waited for the next daily deal and went to a different merchant to again pay half price (or less).

The surge of traffic taking advantage of daily deals was significant, but wasn’t always a good thing. Merchants were often left unprepared, understaffed and under stocked, which hurt both business owners and their customers. In some extreme cases, local shops and restaurants were forced to close their doors, due to cash flow problems stemming from a daily deal.

Long story short: daily deals once seemed like a great idea, but they proved themselves unsustainable. Chicago’s unique neighborhoods are in need of a tool focused on preserving their character. It’s not just municipal officials and federal candidates who are stressing the importance of small businesses in this country; consumers are right there with them. The success or failure of small, independent merchants directly affects the neighborhoods in which we all live and work.

That said, I’m proud to work for Ox&Pen, a company committed to driving traffic to independent merchants. Join us as we do our part to support local, unique businesses. What’s good for local merchants is good for us.

Continue reading “House of Fine Chocolates closes, Lakeview mourns…” »

You get to go on special tours of one of the city’s most celebrated breweries.

On Monday, Ken from Goose Island led us on a private tour of the local brewery’s Fulton & Wood location. Matilda and Sofie lovers – this is where all Private Reserve brews originate, including the aforementioned, Pepe Nero and Lolita.

Warehouse full of bourbon casks for Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout

On the tour, Ken led us through all the typical brewery tour talking points—barley, hops, yeast, wheat and that delicious Lake Michigan water. All of this is necessary information as I train my palate to distinguish subtleties in each beer I sip, but for me, it wasn’t the selling point about the Chicago brewery.

Ken went onto explain how Goose Island can brew so many different families of beer without them all tasting like each other. In many breweries, only one or two strands of yeast (or Hefe, in German) are used for the beers, so if 10 different beers are brewed, those two strands are used for multiple beers from multiple families. At Goose Island, nine or 10 strands of yeast are used, which is why the different families of beer produced have notably distinct flavors—as if the beers weren’t even produced at the same brewery.

Goose Island's Fulton & Wood location

Of all the things Ken divulged yesterday, however, one brewery anecdote stood out among the rest. During the roasting of the barley, the husks of the barley come off, and are essentially useless for the rest of the brewing process. Rather than just chuck those husks into the garbage, Goose Island gives them to a local hog farmer to feed to his pigs. The farmer, in turn, sells his pigs to the brewery, which Goose Island serves in its brewpub locations.

I’m constantly blown away by the efforts of local merchants to support other local businesses. The resulting network creates a sustainable environment in which local, independent businesses can thrive. When merchants are part of a network, they support each other and facilitate local shopping and dining among patrons. After touring Goose Island, we at Ox&Pen were delighted to see our city beer icon taking the lead in participating in a local network.

For more coverage of the Ox&Pen Tour de Goose, check us out on Facebook (and like us while you’re there!).

Continue reading “Reason #87 working for a Chicago startup…” »

In some ways, it feels like it’s been just a couple of months. In other ways it feels like it’s been…well, more than that. It’s been an exhilarating ride here at Ox&Pen thus far. A trip to Great America has nothing on this roller coaster we’ve all been on! Yes, we launched just five months ago. But how do you think all those merchants appeared on our platform on that first day? We’ve been working this from the West Loop since last September.

Perhaps the reason it feels like more than a year, is because it’s really been closer to two years since initially conceiving the idea. Here are a few fun facts as to what has transpired in that time:

Concept to wire frames to functioning site & app

• I have taken on a Dutch business partner
• The idea has gone from concept, to wire frames, to production web and mobile apps
• We’re on our fifth version of the mobile app, and have a few tricks up our sleeve as to how to improve it in the near future…Stay tuned!
• The company has grown from five employees to 14
• We inherited a mascot
• The Ox&Pen merchant base has grown rapidly…and continues to do so
  

  Office mascot, Madison!

• Peter’s hair is twice as long
• …and my hair is twice as grey

But in all seriousness, I am proud to be a part of this group. We have talented and motivated people who have really bought into the vision, yet know they have the voice to consistently challenge it to make it better. Do team meetings get somewhat “spirited” amongst the group at times? ABSOLUTELY. However, the one thing we all know is that whatever happens within these walls at our West Loop headquarters is with the intention of improving your experience. Everything we do is to provide our members with the most comprehensive, yet intuitive loyalty program at their fingertips,  and in turn, create loyal customers for our merchants. “Brick by brick,” as we frequently say here.

So, all this happened in just one year? Well, that’s pretty cool…seems like a lot of good stuff in a short amount of time…a lot of bricks, if you will. However, we’ve just begun to scratch the surface and there’s still a long way to go to establish the presence we’d like. We’re just an infant in this space. It will take a lot more 12-14 hour days from the whole team here to get us where we want to be, and to have the reach we will ultimately need to still be standing at the end.

We appreciate the support everyone has given us, and welcome more feedback on how we can improve.

I look forward to what the next year holds.

Continue reading “Has it been a year already? Really?…” »

This summer, Ox&Pen wants to buy you a drink. Seriously. All members are invited to use their Ox&Pen app to redeem a promotion for a free drink at any of the following local Chicago bars:

• The Fifty/50:  Free house shot
• Roots Pizza:  Free house shot
• Witts:  Free draft beer ($6 value or less)
• Leopold:  Free draft beer ($6 value or less)
• Jefferson Tap:  Free domestic draft or Beer of the Month
• Porkchop:  Free draft PBR

If you’re not an Ox&Pen member yet, becoming one is easy! Simply download the Ox&Pen app for iPhone® or Android™ (search for “Ox&Pen”) and complete the registration process. You can also register here, but you still need to download the app to get your free drink!

Sidenote: if you’re heading out to Wells Street Art Festival, Old Town Art Festival or Rib Fest this weekend, look for Ox&Pen! We’ll be clad in purple and handing out some sweet swag. Come say hi!

Continue reading “Free drinks for Ox&Pen members!…” »

Needless to say, the past two months have been busy since Ox&Pen officially launched, and our mobile apps were released for iPhone® and Android™. We’ve been busy growing our network, working feverishly to increase both our merchant and member base.

Our work hasn’t been limited to forwarding Ox&Pen, however.

As I’ve mentioned before, Ox&Pen is committed to helping promote local communities, from local eateries to local artists to local causes and charitable organizations. In less than three months, Ox&Pen has helped raise over $1,000 for non-profit organizations, including Center on Halsted, Girls in the Game and Alliance for the Great Lakes.

Most recently, the Ox&Pen staff took an evening to help out with The Night Ministry’s Health Outreach Bus. We bought food and prepared meals for 200 people. The most rewarding part of the experience was serving the meals to a sincerely appreciative group. It was incredibly heartwarming to hear the grace and gratitude from the recipients of the meals.

Below are a few photos of our time spent with the Health Outreach Bus. We look forward to the next opportunity to get involved with The Night Ministry!

The Ox&Pen team with The Night Ministry's Health Outreach Bus

Adam and Andrew help serve meals. We served over 200!

Ox&Pen volunteering with The Night Ministry

Continue reading “Ox&Pen donates time, money to The Night…” »

If my Facebook news feed is any indicator, buying local is the new black. All anyone can talk about is locally designed and created goods and farm-to-table dining. There is a seemingly unending surge of support for small businesses. It’s the cool thing to do.

But going local is more than just a trend; it makes sense. Here are just a few arguments in favor of local living:

1.  The Numbers
Let’s crunch some numbers first. A study published on Local First Chicago found that if you spend $100 at a locally owned business, $73 stays in the local economy. Local merchants buy from local suppliers; pay local taxes that support local schools, police and fire services; pay wages to local residents; and make donation to causes within the community.

On the other hand, when you spend $100 at a non-local business, $57 leaves your community. This is because non-local companies get supplies and business services from other organizations outside the region and less of their tax dollars stay in the local economy.

There are other studies out there examining the economic effects of shopping and dining locally. While the exact numbers vary from study to study, the conclusions are consistent: the more you shop and dine at locally owned establishments, the more money you’re reinvesting in your local community. You literally have a hand in supporting local farmers, artists, designers and professionals. Not bad.

2.  Unique Items
When I want a unique item, I look first in the independent shops in my neighborhood. Local business owners often get their goods from other independent, local suppliers who create products in small batches. Corporate chains, on the other hand, must stock several locations across the country; to mitigate costs, they often fill their shelves with mass produced goods.

For example, I know when I visit that local stationery and card shop at Fullerton and Clark, I’ll be able to find original cards, designed by local artists, for every occasion under the sun. The same cannot be said of the selection of greeting cards at the Walgreen’s up the road.

3.  Going Local = Going Green = Getting Fit
Shopping and dining in your neighborhood often only requires a walk or quick bike ride. Not only are you going green, you’re also getting some exercise. Plus you’re taking advantage of this great weather (hello 80s!).

4.  Quality Products & Service
Owners of local shops and restaurants rely on each customer who comes through the door. Therefore, they care about each person’s experience and will do their best to make sure you enjoy yours. Years of informal observation have driven me to the conclusion that independent merchants put a good deal of effort into what they offer and the result is higher quality products and services than their big-box competitors.

So there you have it. Four reasons to shop and dine locally. I barely broke the surface, so please feel free to expand. Do you have any reasons to add to the list?

Continue reading “Going Local…” »

“I’m an Ox&Pen member and I have 1,276 points. Now what?”

First of all, if you have 1,200 loyalty points, holy cannoli! Second of all, it’s time to get out there and use them.

Keep in mind you can earn points with purchases at merchants in the Ox&Pen network. You’re also awarded points when you check in at merchants using the Ox&Pen app, and you get bonus points for sharing the check-in on Facebook or Twitter.

Earn points with purchases, check-ins, social shares and by inviting friends.

If you want to get lots of points fast, invite your friends to join Ox&Pen; you’ll receive 250 points for every friend who becomes a member.*

Once you’ve earned enough points, you can redeem them for goods and services at any merchant in the network. The points are effectively virtual currency on the Ox&Pen platform. Surprise! You have extra spending power you didn’t know you had.

But now that you know you can spend these points on actual goods and services, what types of things can you get?

Every merchant in the Ox&Pen network offers rewards for different amounts of points. To cash in your points, simply find the merchant you want on your mobile app, select the “Use Points” tab and click “Use Now” next to the

Use your points at any merchant in the Ox&Pen network!

appropriate point value. You’ll then scan the merchant-provided QR code to redeem. If you want to do your homework ahead of time, take a peek at the complete list of rewards, found on the Points tab in your Ox&Pen member dashboard within the web app.

Here are examples of what your loyalty points are worth:

• 500 points:  $6 at Roots Pizza, $6 at Bleeding Heart Bakery and Café, free bakery pastry at Dog-a-holics
• 1,000 points:  $10 at Krista K Boutique, glass of sherry at Vera, $15 at Roots Pizza, $15 at Bleeding Heart Bakery and Café
• 1,200 points:  free entree at Porkchop
• 1,500 points:  $20 at The Fifty/50, $18 at Pizza Persona
• 2,500 points:  free pound of dog food at Dog-a-holics, $30 worth of food and drink at Leopold

Now that you have a taste of what Ox&Pen loyalty points can get you, are you ready to take advantage of free stuff?

*Insider info: Ox&Pen partners with merchants on the network every so often to host events to show appreciation for our members. At those events, members typically have the chance to check in and share for a lot more points than normal. For instance, tomorrow there is a free whiskey and gin tasting at Porkchop. In addition to free tastes and 15% off the bill, Ox&Pen members get double points for check-ins and shares! 

Continue reading “What am I supposed to do with…” »

It’s April! The sun is shining, today is Opening Day at Wrigley Field, and that antsy, I-can’t-wait-for-summer feeling is spreading throughout the city. Take advantage of the changing of seasons and spruce up your home and wardrobe with flowers, fashion and accessories from local vendors. Earn loyalty points while you’re at it, and shop at these merchants, which can be found on Ox&Pen:

Blümgarten & Co. Floral Design

Blümgarten & Co. Floral Design
Spring is here! As Chicagoans, we suffer through the winter months, clinging onto the hope of sunnier days in April and May. Whether or not Tom Skilling brings us perfect weather, bring the sunshine to you by decking out your home and office with stunning floral arrangements. Don’t rely on delivery; buy local for instant gratification. Head to Blümgarten & Co. Floral Design at 114 N. Aberdeen, and celebrate spring the right way!

Cram for Kids
Cram for Kids is the boutique in East Lakeview which offers specialized, fashion-forward pieces; from tops and bottoms to dresses and great accessories, this place has it all. This gem boutique doesn’t only carry apparel; they also offer an array of all-organic toys such as: Green Toys, Miyim, Sophie the Giraffe and Apple Park. Definitely a one-stop boutique for someone looking for great (and reasonably priced!) gifts, Cram for Kids is located at 3343 N. Broadway.

Bourdage Pearls
Striking designs, unbelievable colors and locally-made, eco-chic fine jewelry is what to expect at Bourdage Pearls. Whether gifting for wedding or graduation, or enhancing a professional wardrobe, customers are guided by the friendly and knowledgeable staff through the pearl-selection process to ensure their selection is exactly what they want. Situated in the heart of the bustling Southport Corridor at 3530 N. Southport, Bourdage Pearls is Chicago’s pearl hub.

décollage

décollage
décollage owner Kelsey Tanner-O’Connor was hooked on vintage fashion from the age of 18. Since then, she’s been slowly building a personal collection of vintage and designer treasures as well as stockpiling for the boutique she would one day own. The collection contains pieces from as far as Asia and as near as around the corner. Chosen with care and restored when necessary, each piece at Décollage is unique and inspiring. Check out the collection at 1219 W. Madison or online at www.shopdecollage.com.

Continue reading “Local options help Chicago shoppers do spring…” »

On Monday, March 26, Ox&Pen will be fully functional. At that point you’ll be able to take advantage of promotional offers and
redeem loyalty points at any of the local merchants in the network. If you don’t have any Ox&Pen loyalty points, that’s OK; nobody does…yet.

The first chance to earn loyalty points is this Saturday, March 24, from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Ox&Pen soft launch party. Join us in celebrating at the studio of acclaimed Chicago artist Armando Pedroso at 4043 N. Ravenswood, Ste.221.

Complimentary drinks and appetizers will be served by Limelight…food illuminated, and Pedroso’s latest urban abstracts will be on display and available for purchase at a promotional rate for Ox&Pen members. Ten percent of all proceeds will be donated to Center on Halsted, the Midwest’s most comprehensive community center dedicated to building and strengthening the LGBT community, located in Lakeview.

And of course, as I mentioned, attendees will have the opportunity to earn 1,000 loyalty points. Here’s a breakdown of how to earn them:

• 500 points for those who download the app and register to become a member prior to attending the event.
• 250 points for using the Ox&Pen app to check in at the party.
• 250 points for sharing the check-in on Facebook and Twitter.

To download the mobile app, visit the App Store or Google Play (formerly the Android Market) and search for “Ox&Pen.”

If you can’t make it to the soft launch party, no worries. You can still become a member and earn loyalty points with full-priced purchases, check-ins and social shares, and keep an eye on your inbox for information about future events!

For more information, and to RSVP, please reach out to us at concierge@oxandpen.com.

Continue reading “This weekend: earn Ox&Pen loyalty points!…” »