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If That's "Economically Disadvantaged," Sign Us Up!

By Erin in Food on Jul 19, 2005 1:59PM

You'll excuse Chicagoist if we can't muster up the give-a-fuck for Timothy and Everett Rand.

Seems the Brothers Rand, the millionaire owners of, among others, the Midway Airport Harry Carry's and Superdawg, are in quite the pickle.2005_07_midway.jpg They have until tomorrow to prove that their company can qualify as an "economically disadvantaged business" or risk losing a city contract and their 11 restaurants -- which, according to the Sun-Times, grossed more $17 million last year.

In what seems to be par for the course in this great city of ours, no one seems to know how in the hell two of the most successful businessmen in Chicago received a city contract when the Rands' company, known as Midway Airport Concessions One Inc., never officially had the economically disadvantaged status to begin with.

In order to qualify for the status, you have to be a racial minority or a woman to qualify as a disadvantaged business owner, but owners cannot have a personal net worth of more than $750,000. Personal homes are included in the total. While the Rands are African-American, Timothy Rand alone is worth $20 million.

Clearly someone downtown needs a brief lesson in economics. Now basic math has never been Chicagoist's forte, and some of us blame all of our shortcomings on getting straight C's in the subject, but even we know that $20 million equals A Lot Of Money. We just can't fathom how anyone could screw that up so enormously. Ahem.

Of course, this spells a scramble for the city as federal law requires that 30% of the airport concessions be owned by women or minorities who are financially disadvantaged. Chicagoist assumes that that snafu will be taken care of in some equally responsible fashion.

For now, if you're headed out to Midway, Chicagoist suggests you frequent any business that is not owned by these two. Or, better yet, make yourself a sandwich from home to eat on the plane.