Brewing Change: Why Entrepreneur Sam Sparks is Challenging a 12-Year Incumbent in Chicago’s 7th Ward (Chicago, IL) — For Sam Sparks, the cost of doing business in his own community came with a hefty, heart-wrenching price tag: $3.8 million and over a dozen break-ins. But instead of packing up and leaving, the owner and founder of The Brew Coffee and Podcast is doubling down: he is running for 7th Ward Alderman.
Born and raised in South Shore, Sparks is leaning on a decidedly unconventional resume for the upcoming February 2027 municipal election. Before pouring coffee and recording podcasts, he spent a decade working as a personal stylist for media giant Steve Harvey. Now, the local businessman is hoping to unseat Greg Mitchell, the incumbent who has held the 7th Ward seat for 12 years, by bringing an entrepreneur’s proactive mindset to City Hall.
Sparks has seen the ward’s struggles firsthand. After opening The Brew, his establishment suffered up to 15 break-ins, with each incident setting the business back roughly $20,000.
“I sit as the prime example of what the issues are,” Sparks said in a recent interview. He described the domino effect that occurs when a neighborhood struggles with safety: bills and employees go unpaid, doors remain closed, and the community is starved of both services and jobs. “Being in a community that is mentally unhealthy and unsafe is one of the biggest staggers to a business being sufficient.”
To Sparks, the antidote to this cycle of disinvestment is “exposure” and youth mentorship. He operates The Brew on a youth-first employment philosophy, emphasizing mentorship over mere clock-punching. Recently, his staff served coffee during events surrounding the funeral of the late Jacqueline Jackson, wife of civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson. Sparks used the solemn occasion to expose his young employees to living history, introducing them to political leaders, activists, and celebrities.
“Exposure changes your appetite about the way you look at life,” he said. If elected, Sparks hopes to implement policies that mandate new businesses moving into the ward to integrally invest in local youth.
While Sparks offered “kudos” to Alderman Mitchell for his long tenure, he framed the current administration as too passive for a ward in need of rapid revitalization.
“I think the incumbent now is more of a reactive than a proactive,” Sparks noted, pointing out that some neighboring wards have seen rapid development while the 7th Ward waits. “It shouldn’t take 12 years to do certain things. I think that you have to go looking for the problem to be able to solve the problem. You don’t wait for a problem to land on your doorstep.”
He argues that traditional politicians often lack the hard-earned wisdom of entrepreneurship, specifically the mandate to put people first and make decisions rooted in conviction rather than political stature or financial gain.
The 7th Ward is a diverse tapestry spanning South Shore, Calumet Heights, South Chicago, and South Deering. Sparks noted that currently, driving through the ward can feel disjointed, with thriving pockets directly bordering neglected ones. He plans to reintroduce Special Service Areas (SSAs) and grassroots precinct captains to ensure all neighborhoods receive cohesive, equitable attention.
Crucially, Sparks is drawing a hard line on gentrification. He explicitly plans to block large corporate developers who buy up local properties only to upcharge rents and neglect buildings.
“If it does not have a sustainability or life plan program that sustains our community… I’m not even hearing it off the gate,” he said, emphasizing that his administration will partner exclusively with businesses that have a “heart posture” for the community. “We already have our own ecosystem that we’re bringing to this platform. We’re not begging anybody to do anything.”
Despite his ambitious platform, Sparks remains remarkably grounded about what his first 100 days in office will look like. When asked what his very first piece of legislation would be if sworn in this coming February, he refused to offer a canned political promise.
“I need to get in that seat and unfold a lot. I need to look at the back door things,” Sparks admitted, prioritizing a logical, fully informed plan over immediate, flashy legislation that hasn’t been properly vetted.
Ultimately, Sparks says he wants his track record to precede his name.
“I’ve always prayed, ‘God, let me do the work that will say who my name is,'” he said. “This isn’t anything new. This is just me bringing Sam Sparks to a political aspect.“
Brewing Change: Why Entrepreneur Sam Sparks is Challenging a 12-Year Incumbent in Chicago’s 7th Ward
