The Chicago Transit Board today approved a lease for a locally owned doughnut shop at the 95th Street Terminal on the Red Line, the latest independent vendor to open at a CTA location.
The 95th Street station will be DAT Donut’s third location on the South Side. DAT Donut’s owners have been in business for more than a decade and offer old-fashioned, hand-cut donuts made fresh daily.
“CTA is pleased to continue to offer more convenient concession choices for our customers while supporting local businesses,” said CTA President Forrest Claypool. Currently, locally owned small businesses operate in nearly half of CTA’s total concession space at its rail stations, he added. “As a local, African American-owned business, DAT Donuts values the sense of community and local commitment the new store will represent,” he said.
The lease is expected to generate up to $674,000 during the 10-year term, generating additional non-farebox revenue for the CTA, and creating local jobs that benefit local communities.
Separately, two leases for locally owned shops were also approved for CTA rail stations in downtown Chicago and in Wilmette. Chicago Kernal will be selling popcorn and related products at the Chicago Red Line station, and Grace Distributions, Inc. will operate a coffee house and convenience store at the Linden station on the Purple Line. The combined rents of both stores are estimated at approximately $28,000 in the next two years.
These businesses demonstrate the CTA’s continuing efforts in pursuing locally owned and minority companies.
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