Jewel Box: The Story of Spinning J cover art

Jewel Box: The Story of Spinning J

Jewel Box: The Story of Spinning J

By: Spinning J Bakery and Soda Fountain
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About this listen

Starting a business without any partners, investors, or corporate sponsorship is hard. Keeping it alive for a decade is even harder.

Yet Chicago's Spinning J Bakery and Soda Fountain has done just that. As the much-beloved Chicago spot celebrates 10 years in business, "Jewel Box" takes listeners inside to learn what makes this restaurant tick and how it went from a dream to an iconic destination for national foodies and locals alike.

Produced by half day media.

Spinning J/half day media 2025 Art Cooking Food & Wine Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 5: The Heart and the Future

    5: The Heart and the Future
    Dec 17 2025

    We meet a local who has visited Spinning J from the beginning, growing up alongside the restaurant as it became more than just a business. Then, Dinah and Monica look to the future and ponder big questions: What does the next decade hold? And how do you grow a brand without losing its soul?

    Produced by half day media.

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    19 mins
  • 4: The Tightrope Walk

    4: The Tightrope Walk
    Dec 12 2025

    Everything gets more expensive, every day. Perhaps no one feels that like a small, local restaurant and bakery. Dinah, general manager Monica Walters, and Spinning J’s alderperson, Jessie Fuentes, illustrate the struggles of keeping a place like this alive and well — against all odds.

    Produced by half day media.

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    12 mins
  • 3: A Love Story

    3: A Love Story
    Dec 3 2025

    We take a brief segway from the story of a business to the story of a relationship. The night baker and the pastry manager work opposite shifts at a bakery. But in the case of Richard and Brigid, their paths crossed just often enough to lead to something special.

    Take a peek into their unique love story and hear how they manage to keep both their relationship and Spinning J stay afloat and thrive, on a 24/7 schedule.

    Produced by half day.

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    12 mins
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