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Chicago's infamous street paper gets a full-color makeover.

Wednesday Jan 21, 2009.     By Stacy Warden

Arts + Words Feed

This past November, Chicago's notorious street newspaper became a full-color glossy. The news was somewhat shocking, considering the downward spiral of the city's print publications, but that didn't seem to be a concern for the not-for-profit organization, which hopes to see a positive change with its new format and slogan: "A better StreetWise, A better life."

Currently, StreetWise has just over 200 vendors who pay out of their own pockets in the hope of gaining enough income to keep them afloat. Each one buys the publication wholesale and then sells it at retail value. These vendors are the men and women you often see standing outside of Starbucks, CVS, White Hen and other local quick-stops. Most of them are homeless or near-homeless and have no opportunity to work outside of StreetWise. Next to the financial assistance provided by the publication, many vendors hope to gain invaluable learning and entrepreneurial skills through hands-on classes, which the publication can offer more of with the possibility of increased revenue.

Vendor Don Smith is currently honing in on computer and basic construction skills at a local trade school and spends three days out of the week selling StreetWise. Smith has been a vendor since 1995 and credits the publication for getting him back on the right track: "I used to drink, and do some other wrong things. Now I've put myself together. I got more pride in myself, take care of myself, and I've got more confidence in myself. It's like a self pick-me up. It's not just a step up, but a couple steps up." Other long-time vendors, like Lonnie Lloyd, use their earnings to support their families. Lloyd works hard to provide for his sixth-grade son Isaiah, and in turn, Isaiah keeps Lloyd company while he sells StreetWise each morning.

On any given day, you can find vendors greeting shoppers at a number of Jewel locations (Lloyd can usually be found at Jewel in Wilmette on Green Bay Road); the local chain is, after all, one of StreetWise's biggest sponsors. Other vendors, like Ray Thomas, target commuters in need of caffeine by selling StreetWise outside of the Lincoln Square Starbucks (located on the corner of Lincoln and Wilson). "I'm always right here on this corner, no matter how cold it is," says Thomas. And lately that means standing outside in below-freezing temperatures. But the longer Thomas waits, the higher his chances of selling.

Now think about it: how many times have you forked over a buck or two for your neighborhood StreetWise guy? Probably just about as often as you've doled out a dollar for a beggar on the street, because, unfortunately, this is how we're wired to respond. But the publication's new format seeks to change all that by not only gaining corporate support from local sponsors, but also developing a solid foundation of readers in the process.

From a reader's standpoint, the new format is more of a value, even with the increase in price (up from $1 to $2). Visually, a full-color glossy is far more appealing, and editorially, it allows for more freedom by making room for lengthier features and a number of shorter, timely pieces. Articles like "Non-Toxic Solutions" offer non-alcoholic drink recipes and savvy tips on how to present them, while more city-focused pieces like "Chicago 25 Years Ago" provide a little history. For many, it's quite an improvement from the old StreetWise, which portrayed a gritty, "from the streets" perspective. But you've got to see the magazine to believe it, and Thomas says that not as many people are willing to give it a good look with the price hike: "They just don't want to pay that extra dollar, especially when times are tough for everybody."

Looking ahead, the new magazine plans to publish even more human interest and lifestyle stories-still keeping focus on the issues at hand, with a more approachable tone. But the glossy images and professional photos are more than just an added perk for readers; they're also a selling point for advertisers. Another motivating factor in the change-urged by the country's economic woes-is the expectation for an increase in Chicago's homeless population. StreetWise board members plan to alleviate that by increasing its advertising pages.

Other efforts are being made to assist vendors in their magazine-selling venture. For one, individual and bulk subscriptions-specifically for those in surrounding suburban areas and corporations-are available for the first time since StreetWise's launch in 1992. A certain percentage of each paid subscription will go directly to the vendors, while remaining revenue will fund new programs at area colleges. The organization plans to collaborate with local institutions to offer structured learning programs for its vendors, such as career skills training. It's the combination of these financial and community factors that will ultimately push the StreetWise-sellers into the mainstream marketplace.