AGORA MARKET X STOCK
We first connected with Kosta Drosos when he opened a new Bucktown grocery store called Fresh Market Place. He announced the opening on Facebook and asked what shoppers wanted to see stocked at the store. Our co-founder Tim, who lived across the street, replied with an obscure ginger beer brand he liked to use in cocktails. Sure enough, on opening day, the green bottles of Old Jamaican Ginger Beer were on the shelves. It was then we realized this wasn't your average grocery store.
Years later, when the pandemic hit, Kosta personally shopped for neighborhood regulars to make sure everyone had what they needed during a time of uncertainty. It’s that same dedication—his service, attention to detail, and genuine care for customers—that has made his grocery store a Chicago staple.
Those stories and more came up when Kosta joined us on our podcast Joiners back in 2023. By then, his store had evolved into something far more specialized and curated. Together with his partner Nico, Kosta decided to rebrand as Agora Market, leaning into his Greek heritage and creating a name that reflected the community-driven, marketplace spirit at the heart of his business.
When it came time to launch the new identity, Kosta wanted to extend the brand beyond groceries into custom merch that his loyal shoppers could wear proudly.
At Stock, we see merch as an extension of a brand’s ethos. For Agora, that meant mirroring the same intentionality that defines their sourcing. Known for frequent chef collaborations and a growing line of private-label products, Agora’s focus has always been on celebrating community and offering shoppers something truly unique. We brought that same spirit to the merch program.
Together, we created graphic tees produced in Los Angeles with a soft vintage hand and timeless fit, heavyweight hoodies and crewnecks built to last, and giant market bags—teased in the campaign shoot and coming soon—designed to be the go-to for serious shoppers with a taste for sustainability.
Agora isn’t just a neighborhood market, it’s a hub for Chicago’s culinary scene. Many of the city’s best chefs source from Agora, collaborate with Kosta on custom products, and help bring the market’s vision to life. To showcase that authentic connection, we featured some of Chicago’s most respected chefs as models for the campaign: John Manion, Jonathan Zaragoza, Bill Kim, Diana Dávila, and Michael Ciapciak.
The Stock x Agora Market project turned a rebrand into a cultural statement. By producing merchandise that reflected Agora’s thoughtful sourcing and collaborative energy, we helped create a line that shoppers and chefs alike are proud to wear—further strengthening Agora’s reputation as a true Chicago institution.
