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Delivery Service Offering To Bring You 'The Good Life' To Open in West Loop

By Stephanie Lulay | November 2, 2015 3:18pm
 The selection at Foxtrot.
The selection at Foxtrot.
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DNAinfo/Paul Biasco

WEST LOOP — A Chicago startup that delivers an assortment of hand-selected goods is opening a second storefront in the West Loop.

Foxtrot, which promises to sell and deliver liquor, food, and gifts in under an hour, will open the new shop Nov. 16 at 1019 W. Lake St., confirmed Crystal Tao, a company spokeswoman. Foxtrot blends on-demand mobile orderings with brick-and-mortar stores.

Foxtrot's move to open a second location in the city comes after the startup landed $1.1 million in seed round investment. The company opened a first location in Lincoln Park in January.

Among corner store staples, including booze, cigarettes and condoms, Foxtrot delivers Bang Bang Pie favorites by the slice ($5), packages of Bow Truss coffee beans ($15), and a gin and tonic party kit featuring St. George Botanivore gin, Jack Rudy tonic, Fever Tree club soda and a tray of Titonic ice cubes ($74). 

Mike LaVitola, co-founder and CEO of Foxtrot, said the new 1,700-square-foot flagship store brings the company closer to the best in Chicago food and drink. The space was designer by Karen Herold of Studio K, whose clients include The Betty and Girl & the Goat in the West Loop.

“The new flagship location really brings our curated app experience to life," he said.

Foxtrot investors include Chicago angel investors Mark Tebbe, chairman of ChicagoNEXT, venture investor Lon Chow and Kevin Price, co-founder and CFO of Trunk Club. Price said the fast delivery and "fun app experience" is bound to grow beyond Chicago.

“This is something that’s going to catch on in a major way," he said.

Foxtrot was launched in 2013 by Mike LaVitola, a 28-year-old River North resident who was studying at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business.

Foxtrot co-founders Mike LaVitola and Taylor Bloom pose inside the new West Loop store. [Foxtrot]

LaVitola added co-founder Taylor Bloom to head up the technology side of the business.

The two had met in Austin, Texas years earlier, where LaVitola was an investment banker and Bloom was getting his undergrad.

"The idea behind the company is to develop a really great curated menu," LaVitola said in January. "We never set out to be a booze delivery service. We always thought it was more interesting and more valuable pairing beer with a bag of chips and dip or pairing wine with an interesting cheese."

While they haven't finalized new delivery boundaries yet, the new location will allow Foxtrot to expand delivery to the West Loop, South Loop and other neighborhoods. 

The free Foxtrot delivery app is available in Chicago for iPhone and Android. Delivery is $5.

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