"Todd Mack" MacGillivray, founder of Chicago's Foursided framing and gift shops, dies at 57
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Todd MacGillivray or "Todd Mack," founder of Chicago's Foursided framing and gift shops and a founder of the Lakeview East Festival of the Arts, died last week.
A published obituary said MacGillivray, who was known to all as Todd Mack, died Tuesday, Jan. 7, after a lifelong battle with chronic and progressive diseases. He was 57.
Mack was born in Detroit and raised in the Detroit suburb of Sterling Heights, Michigan. He attended Sterling Heights High School, Macomb Community College, and Eastern Michigan University, according to his obit.
Mack's obit described him as "incredibly creative from a young age," and took adult classes at art centers in the Detroit area while still in high school. He founded the Todd Mack Designs picture framing gallery and the 'Ganza gift shop in East Lansing, his obit said.
Mack met his future husband, Gino Pinto, in Ohio in 2000, his obit said. Mack moved to Chicago the following year to start his life with Pinto, and Mack opened the first Foursided location, at 2939 N. Broadway in East Lakeview, in 2002.
The original Foursided started out as a picture framing gallery, but was renovated in 2011 to accommodate an assortment of gifts and art for sale.
A sister store—first called Twosided, then Foursided Card & Gift—opened in 2003 a couple of blocks to the west at 2958 N. Clark St., at Wellington Avenue.
A third location followed at 5061 N. Clark St. in Andersonville in 2005. All three of these Foursided locations feature a variety of greeting cards, gifts, and antiques. Foursided shop visitors can also find jewelry, candles, locally-made goods, and as the store puts it, "quirky things you didn't know you needed."
Foursided also operates two framing galleries. One is located at 5111 N. Clark St. just across Carmen Avenue from the Andersonville gift shop. The other, which opened in the fall of 2023, occupies the former space of the beloved Bookman's Corner bookstore at 2959 N. Clark St.—just across the street from a Foursided gift shop.
Mack and Pinto operated the five stores with 40 employees between them, Mack's obit said.
Mack also served on the board of the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce from 2004 to 2012, and served as its president from 2009 to 2010.
The chamber noted that one of Mack's lasting legacies is the Lakeview East Festival of the Arts, held every September along Broadway between Belmont Avenue and Stratford Place.
"As a founding member, he helped turn it into one of the best art festivals in the Midwest," the chamber said in a statement. "Todd believed in the power of art to bring people together, and the festival stands as a beautiful reflection of his vision and dedication."
The chamber added that Mack stood out for how much he cared about the community.
"He wasn't just a business owner—he was a neighbor, a mentor, and a friend. He loved this neighborhood and worked tirelessly to make it a place where people felt welcome and connected," the Lakeview East chamber said. "Whether you were visiting for the first time or had lived here for years, Todd had a way of making you feel like you belonged."
Mack's obit noted that he had a passion for antiquing and collecting vintage items.
"He never saw a Petoskey stone or a lichen or moss-filled branch that he did not need to add to his collection. He saw beauty, often in dusty and broken objects," Mack's obit said. "Todd had a keen eye for antiques, as well as natural wonders."
Mack was also an artist himself, who inspired many with his original collages and framing, his obit said. He also loved dogs and cats, and made sure each Foursided store had dog treats out front.
Mack's obit noted that he had suffered brittle from type 1 diabetes and Addison's disease for more than 35 years.
A celebration of life for Mack will be held Sunday, Jan. 26, at Artifact Events, 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave. The celebration will be held from noon to 4 p.m., with a service to be held promptly at 1 p.m.