A recipe for survival; Tiny independents unite for clout

Chef Didier Durand saw himself, in the River North neighborhoodat least, as an endangered species of sorts -- owner of theindependent restaurant Cyrano's Bistrot & Wine Bar.

Over a three-year period he saw establishments like his falling;"not because the food was bad, but because there was a lack ofbusiness," he said. Not one new indy eatery opened in the area. Butchain-operated stores sprang up.

Exercising a little less independence might be a good thing,Durand decided. So, he formed Chicago Originals, a band of 13restaurants to help market themselves in a chain-dominated industry.

The group is the newest chapter of Dine Originals, a tradeorganization of small restaurants leveraging power in purchasing andmarketings pools.

Today, the local association launches an Internet site,ChicagoOriginals.com, to promote the businesses, with a 30-percent-off sale on about 200 dining gift certificates.

Members participate in the quarterly fund-raiser gift certificatesale instead of paying dues to the group to cover its marketing andevent planning.

Chains, with their e-mail advertising, are taking customers awayfrom the independents, said Durand, president of Chicago Originals.He noted that those operated by Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain YouEnterprises and Levy Restaurants are also threats to the smallerbusinesses.

"We don't want to see another Charlie's on Leavitt, Printer'sRow, Fortuna, Menagerie, etc., closing its doors," Durand said.

ON THE MENU

These are the 13 member restaurants in Chicago Originals.

In Chicago:

Cafe Bernard.

Cafe Matou.

Cyrano's Bistrot.

Dinotto Ristorante.

Kiki's Bistro.

La Fette.

Mundial Cocina Mestiza.

Sweets & Savories.

Think Cafe.

Trattoria Roma.

In the suburbs:

Cafe Central, Highland Park.

Hemingway's Bistro, Oak Park.

Oceanique, Evanston.