CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The South Side’s 7323 Chicago Café was recently burglarized for the second time in less than one year, and its owner is once more turning to neighbors for help in restarting his business.
Marquinn Gibson opened the café in August 2022 in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood.
Less than two months later, Gibson said 7323 was burglarized. That’s when he started a GoFundMe and raised the money to make needed repairs.
Gibson finally reopened in June 2023, but his restaurant was burglarized again on July 31, 2023.
Earlier this month, Gibson — who said he lives in Woodlawn — launched another GoFundMe to help cover the cost of repairs, security upgrades and new equipment.
“We are committed to continuing to serve our community, and we are confident that we will overcome this challenge,” Gibson wrote on the GoFundMe. “However, we are struggling to come to terms with the fact that this has happened to us again. We are feeling angry, violated, and scared.”
He added that the 7323 team is “worried about the impact this will have on our business.” Gibson included a full list of items he said were taken from the restaurant: a generator, a cooler, two speakers, a garbage can, two panini presses, two waffle makers, cleaning supplies, dry food goods, paper products, their point of sale system, an Alexa Echo, and a blender.
As of Thursday, Gibson’s GoFundMe had raised $2,830. The goal is to raise $3,500.
“We know that you are our customers, but we also hope that you consider us your friends,” Gibson wrote.
Related
Related
Listen to our new podcast Looped In: Chicago
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram