Windy City Liquors?

I hope not, too, but my neighbor did mention to me about a week ago that there was a slew of cops in front of the place -- one looking particularly stern pacing back and forth in front of the place while others were carrying black bags in the store. Total hearsay, but thought I'd respond...

You know what? I DO remember seeing about three cops outside the store about a week ago, but I don't recall any other activity. I hope nothing bad happened!

I saw cops outside the store, too, during my walk home from my Brown Line commute. Assumed they'd been held up... Thanks for the head's-up! There were nice people in there.

I'm pretty sure that the business has been for sale for a couple of years. I have seen it on Craig's List quite a few times.

Really? That's surprising, they never seemed like they wanted to sell or mentioned it.
It makes sense that they could have been held up, what with all of the police activity that day. I just assumed they had busted some kids selling pot on that corner, as I've seen them do before.

Think this is when I saw the cops outside:
http://chicago.everyblock.com/crime/jul08-robbery-strongarm-no-weapon-4112960/?utm_campaign=email&utm_medium=email&utm_source=email

Information that I have heard from neighbors around me ... The older guy (owner I guess) was robbed and beat up pretty bad on Friday night, July 8th. Then the son (in his 20's to early 30) was in Lake Geneva and drowned the very next day. If this information is wrong please do not shoot the messenger ... Just passing word along as to what I have heard in regards to this sad situation. They are really nice people and I really hope this post is proved very wrong.

That's just horrible. How sad...

Complete tragedy, first they are robbed then they lose their son. They are such a nice family, my thoughts are with them.

So, I did some quick Google research and confirmed that their son did in fact drown in Lake Geneva. I don't want to post links out of respect for the family. I can't confirm the robbery though.

I was really, really hoping my information was completely wrong. I feel so sorry for the family. What a tragedy.

This is such a tragedy. I go to Windy City multiple times each week and the family are such nice people. My thoughts are with them.

I'm not familiar with the people, but am sympathetic to the loss of a child. Very sad.

Maybe we can do a fund raiser for the family or something? Im not really sure how to do something like that as I never had - but I would definitely help out in anyway..

Good suggestion, BDub. I would definitely be happy to help out, also.

So sorry to hear this. I just moved out of the neighborhood but used to stop in often. My thoughts are with the family too.

I'd also like to help out any way that I can!

I'd really like to help as well. I just dropped flowers off at Windy City and they were open. I talked to the father for a while and it sounds like it's been pretty tough with the store closed for the past week.

That was very nice of you!

On that note, we really should organize something for them. Any ideas? Maybe a garage sale with the proceeds going to the store?

Just throwing it out there, we get a collection together, let's say we put what ever you could afford together slip it in a card and slip under the door when closed. I'm sure it would be awkward for him to accept money from us. This way it's anonymous, though still from the community.

I'm in for $50

Let me know if this sounds plausible, and we could meet up and get something together.

Great idea! I definitely wouldn't mind throwing $20 their way.

I'm definitely in. I've heard from a few other people around the neighborhood that they would like to help out as well. I tried to slide a condolence card under the front door yesterday but there's no space. I'm not sure how we could deliver it anonymously but I think it would be good to get something together sooner rather than later. Any ideas?

For those of you looking to gather money and sign a card, might I suggest you create a Meetup, so you can all meet at a specific date and time? Might make things really easy!

Also, you can use Everyblock's meetup group to create the meetup, and not have to pay any fees.

http://www.meetup.com/EveryBlock-Neighbors/

we have something good going. I know a few round the neighborhood, I'll ask around and see what i can muster.

It's not the donation, but the thought.

Any suggestions on a meeting place and time?

oh no! how terrible! I live a couple blocks away and stop in there every once in a while too. We could also use http://www.giveforward.com/ to collect donations. I used it once to help a friend who got doored by a car while on his bike.

Giveitforward.com looks great - and it would be easy to spread the word by sending the URL out!

Anyone know more about the family? I am setting up a fundraiser on Giveforward.com, but I would really like to have names to give this to, rather then something anonymous.

No worries. It's great to see you guys all coming together to help out the owners.

BDub, you can also turn on your neighbor e-mail so people can contact you directly. http://blog.everyblock.com/2011/may/16/email/

I'm sure there may be a number of EveryBlock readers who haven't commented yet but are following this thread, so please feel free to continue to post updates for folks who might want to get involved.

Scratch that, email me at at windycityfundraiser@gmail.com . Becca, can you delete the other post with my email. :)

@BDub, I have the info. Emailing you now.

can someone post the link for the fundraiser

I am waiting to confirm the address for the Pecis. Otherwise I might just address it to the liquor store, which isn't ideal.

Hey BDub,

I just emailed the address info is to the gmail address

@ FMS,

Could you email me the address info too?

Hi DGA,

I'd be happy to send you the info. I just don't want to post it in a public forum. Can you send me a msg through my Everyblock profile? Once I receive it, I'll forward the address info to you.

http://www.giveforward.com/pecifamilyfundraiser

Here is the link! Let me know if anyone wants me to add anything to this.

Oh wow! Not even up an hour and someone donated $100. The good in people makes me happy!

hey, just checked the site, maybe you should raise the cap, at this pace i think we'll sur-pass it very soon.

I just donated and shared the link on facebook. This is what community is about. Thanks BDub for putting this together.

Yeah, I think raising the cap is a good idea. They could probably use the money after having the store closed and the funeral costs.

i talked to the family, the funeral costs where steep. This is the least we can do to help out a nice family in a troubled time

I agree, it might not be a bad idea to raise it. It's nice to see everyone pulling together. The family are great people and it's good to see everyone stepping up for them.

Raised! You all are amazing!

I stopped in to say good-bye to the owner before I moved (end of June) & we talked about what nice people live in the neighborhood. It's so great to see just how true that is!

Wow, this is so awesome! I never thought posting a simple question would have such a great effect. Thank you guys for being such thoughtful neighbors.

Seriously. This is just awesome. Again, please spread the word on Facebook, twitter, however.

Also, I am thinking about setting up a fundraiser at a bar maybe? Hopefully we can get a community bar to want to participate. Maybe Gio's? Or Big Joes? Some turtle races to raise funds? Please send me suggestions!!

I vote for Gio's! I'm sure they would be supportive being just a block away. Great job so far :)

I think Gios would be good

Alright. Im going to try and stop in there tomorrow and see what we can do.

Otherwise, I know the new owner of Celtic Crown (montrose and western) pretty well, and I think he would help out too.

Either way, suggestion are still welcome!

$415 dollars in less then 24 hours? Wow! Keep up the good work!

I just wrote about you guys on the EveryBlock blog. http://blog.everyblock.com/2011/jul/25/fundraiser/

I don't know if it will turn into anything, or help in any way, but I just submitted this story as a news tip to the Chicago Tribune.

Ladykills82, can you please send me an email through my profile here? It doesn't look like you have the option enabled. I'd like to ask you a couple questions. Thanks! And sorry, I didn't know how else to get a hold of you.

No problem, I didn't know that it wasn't set up. You can go ahead and message me.

Just got off the phone with the Tribune.. they are interested in the fundraiser!

She just emailed me as well! She's looking for a phone # for the Peci's, do they know we have this set up for them? Or will it be a total surprise if she's able to get a hold of them?

I haven't had a chance to go in and talk to them. If anyone who lives right in the area wants to stop in and let them know (if they don't already) that would be awesome!

just my 2 cent. It may not be a good idea for the paper to call them. It's only been a week, i'm sure they are grieving and the last thing they want is people calling confirming things. We should let them have their time as a family without everyone getting in their business.

As far as the fundraiser, maybe the paper may want to interview with us only.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Plus, I want to make sure they know this is set up before the paper starts asking questions..

I agree. They definitely need to know what's going on before they speak with anyone.

I know them personally, and i think inquiring about their sons death, is an invasion of privacy let alone insensitive to their feelings. Though all intentions may be good from the paper.

I think a newspaper article and a story about how much their neighbors care might be a great way to honor their son. I think someone should let them know, and then let the reporter bring this very touching story to the city as a whole. I'm sure the reporter will use discretion and compassion in covering the story.

I'm with dfrost on this one. On a personal level, I know the family pretty well and this has been extremely difficult for them. I just spoke to Eduard and, while he's doing his best to hold up, his wife is having a very bad time.

I was able to explain that the community was raising money and he was very thankful but it's still a difficult time for them. They have trouble speaking and understanding English and I think a strange person asking them about a painful situation could be quite overwhelming.

I considered Gejrgji a pretty good friend and, honestly, I'm still quite shaken up by this. I feel that we should let the family grieve on their own and in private. I think it's fantastic how everyone is coming together to help out and, right now, I think it's really important that the Pecis realize that neighborhood and community is behind them.

I know that there would be good intentions behind an article but, based off my personal relationship with them, I really don't feel good about involving a reporter and having their pain showcased for all too see. I might feel differently about this in a month but right now everything is just too fresh.

FMS, would you consider broaching the subject with them?

No, I'm not going to approach them about this.

As stated in my earlier message, this has been a very difficult time for the family and I just want to let them know that people are thinking about them and that there is support from the community.

Other than promote the fundraiser (which would be great), I don't know what a newspaper article would do other than showcase a tragedy and subsequent outpouring of community support to the readers. To me, it's about the family, and not us coming together to make a charity case about a family who has asked for nothing.

Again, I think it's fantastic to see so much support but I just don't know to what end the article would be working towards.

That, by the way, was the reason I even thought to submit the tip: promoting the fundraising for the family.

I can't say the reporter won't follow through on the family, all I did was submit the tip, but however things turn out, I hope it's accepted in the spirit it was intended.

I agree with dfrost and FMS. This newspaper reporter thig seems a little crewel to me. Once something is in a reporters hand, no one knows what they may do. Please think of some of the tragedies that have been cause by the reporters themselves. I remember a couple of times reporters have driven someone already in a tragedy to commit suicide in order to escape. I, for one, know this would not be my intension and if the mother is a shaken as indicated this could just be too much for her to bare right now .... just my 2 cents as a mother :-)

This newspaper idea makes me very uncomfortable. The fundraiser is a very kind gesture, but there is no need to make them a spectacle. The fact that people who know the family personally are against it makes me pause.

I talked to the reporter on the phone, just to see what she wanted. She asked about the fundraiser, what it was for, and how I felt about the community coming together. That was basically it. It was probably a 5 minute or less conversation. I told her I wasn't sure if the family knew about the fundraiser as I hadn't had a chance to stop in since they reopened, however, we as a community wanted this to be something we gave to them because we cared, not because of the hype in some news story.

I'm very grateful to have come across this site, and to know how many amazing neighbors we have! We live across the street from Windy City Liquors and shop there regularly, and were so sad to hear about the robbery and their son's passing. Organizers of the fundraiser, if there is anything we can do to help with logistics, please email me! Also, my husband and I took some food to the family this past weekend (I'm an Iowan, food's what we do in times of tragedy), because I'm sure cooking and eating are the last thing on their minds right now. What about inviting fundraiser attendees to bring a "dish to donate" so we can stock their freezer?? Just a thought.

I just joined EveryBlock and am glad I got on in time to find out about and add to this fundraising effort. Thank you to those who have organized these efforts to support the Peci family in this difficult time in a way that respects their grief and privacy.

If we're still going to explore having a fund raiser at a bar, someone may want to talk to Frank at Leadway. He's a good guy and he's involved in the community. I spoke to him yesterday and he said that he would be interested in helping out. I would try to organize it, but I'm a pretty disorganized person. Plus I didn't want to mess up anything that might already be in the works since someone had mentioned having one at Gios.

Gina,

Message me, we can work together on this.

I exchanged a few text messages with Jason from Gio's the other day and it sounded like something could be done there as well. I'm going out of town this afternoon and won't be back until Sunday night. I can talk to Gio's next week to see what can be done.

It sounds like we have a lot of options so I'm sure we'll be able to figure something out!

Well, we made the tribune....

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-windy-liquor-death-20110728,0,1249847.story

I think that is a wonderful article that honors his memory and the family. I hope it does some good in raising more money for the family.

It really was a good article, from the sound of it, it seems like the reporter went and actually talked to the family. I would assume they gave their blessing on the article as it has some good background information and doesnt sound like it was centrally focused on them.

Meaning it promoted how our community came together.. not so much on the pain the family is going through.

I agree. The tone of the article is very nice, and is not focused on the Peci's suffering but on the community as a whole, and how beneficial helping others is.

Wow, go take a look at the fundraising page. It appears that the article has had a great effect!!

Awesome! Reposting for ease in reference: http://www.giveforward.com/pecifamilyfundraiser

With only a few days in we are already 53% of our goal of $1500!! I hope we can raise it up again!

Wow, this is really incredible and we haven't even had the fundraiser at the bar yet! I really love that this article was so respectful of the family and yet showed how much members of the community can make a difference. I learned a lot about the Pecis from that article, and why it is that my neighbors cared so much about them to start this topic and fundraiser. I love my neighborhood :)

Speaking of the bar fundraiser, has there been any progress on that?

I haven't really had to opportunity. But from what Gina said above, Leadway would be interested in helping out. I think that would be a great place to hold a fundraiser.

If anyone wants to get the ball rolling on this, I would be grateful!

I'm glad to report that the article is actually in today's newspaper, and not just on their website! I'm so glad this worked out for the best for everyone involved. I just feel so bad for the family.

Pete, what page/section?

Wow!!! Over $1100!!

I am so stunned. People from all over the city have donated! I raised our goal up to $2000 because I know we can do it!

Isn't it great?

Just curious, how and when do you plan on getting the family the money? How does the fundraising website work?

I only ask because I'm not sure it should wait too long just for the sake of meeting the goal. If they could use the money, they could probably use it sooner rather than later.

Perhaps a deadline should be set.

The website is set up with the Peci family address, and it is under Eduards name. When it expires (currently it runs til mid August) the money is donated to the family. I can change that date though..

Maybe when a date is set for the bar fundraiser, change it to end that day? That probably makes the most sense.

I would say to set the end date about a week after the fund raiser. This way people who hear by word of mouth would have a chance to donate. I can see it,

1) went to this fund rasier for ....

2) Wow, that is something, I do not read the newspaper and do not follow this everyblock thing. Maybe I should look into everyblock sometime, but I would have really liked to help the community by attending the fund raiser with you ...

3) If you are really interested, you can still donate by looking up the Peci family on the Tribute web site and following the link to pay it forward ...

just my 2 cents :)

Has anyone had a chance to stop into either Leadway or Gio's?

Hello. I just discovered this post . Pls tell me hoe I can make a donation?

@breadfruit productions ....
http://www.giveforward.com/pecifamilyfundraiser

Let's not let this topic die! It's possible the online fundraiser won't raise much more money than where it's at now. I'm not sure where a bar fundraiser stands, but I think we should do something to either let the family know we haven't forgotten about them, or end the online one so they can benefit from the money sooner than later.

What do you all think?

I think a bar fundraiser would be great. However, the few people on here I have reached out to for help putting this together have not responded.

Ill ask again, can anyone who said they spoke with people at Gio's or Leadway please help put something together?

Otherwise I will end the online fundraiser.

I really don't think I'll be able to set something up at Gio's.

The Pecis know that the fundraiser is not finishing until the end of August so I don't think there's any harm in keeping it up. I was able to get 2 people to donate over the weekend and I know others who have said they plan on donating. Might as well stretch it out as long as possible.

As far as ending the fundraiser early...let it run it's course. I'm sure we can reach our goal.

@fms, get in touch with me regarding the info on cafe.

I reached out to Leadway, but haven't heard back yet. I'll keep everyone posted.

Sadly, I received no response. And again, I am out of town.

So the fundraiser just ended at $1,530. Thank you so much to everyone who donated. The check will be going out to the family on September 1st.