In a city where ambition and creativity are as common as the breezes off the lake, one Chicago entrepreneur is facing a setback that has sent ripples through the River North community. Frankie Fabre, owner of Fabre Studio at 401 W. Ontario St., has experienced the unthinkable for any small business owner – thieves have stolen equipment valued at over $100k from his production studio, as reported by the Block Club Chicago. This loss is particularly devastating considering the studio's role in supporting nonprofits, small businesses, and local creatives by providing affordable access to professional-grade filming and podcasting equipment.
The break-in occurred overnight on Sunday, July 28, when burglars managed to pry open a window, smash through a drywall, and loot $40,000 worth of cameras, $40,000 in lenses, and $20,000 in monitors and additional production equipment, as per Block Club Chicago. In reaction to the heist, Fabre has set up a GoFundMe page to crowdsource $20,000 – the sum he requires to revive his studio and open its doors once more. Despite the challenges, his resolve remains unbroken. "I don’t know how to do nothing else. This is what I committed myself to. To stop now would be to start life over," Fabre told Block Club Chicago.
While the GoFundMe campaign is a step toward recovery, the full scope of this episode goes beyond monetary losses. Fabre's studio was not just a business, but an initiative that empowered a local ecosystem of creatives and nonprofits. "They didn’t just steal from me, they stole from the community I serve," he said in a statement obtained by NBC Chicago. Despite the setback, Fabre is committed to rebuilding, and he is hopeful to welcome back the community and his clients within the next week.
