Evanston Chosen One of America's Coolest Suburbs
 Evanston was chosen as one of Apartment Therapy's Coolest Suburbs in America 2019. With an abundance of culture, outdoor recreation, bars, and breweries, as well as an impressive lakefront, Evanston is the "anti-suburb suburb."
Evanston's Christopher Duquet Designs Inaugural Pin
 Christopher Duquet Fine Jewelry Design in Evanston was honored to be able to design and handcraft the inaugural Mayor Pin for Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
5th Ward Merchant Workshop
 Alderman Rue Simmons invites the storefront merchants of the 5th Ward to attend a free merchant workshop, exclusively for the 5th Ward, hosted by City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz.
In addition to the opportunity to discuss issues impacting your business, Annie Coakley from Downtown Evanston and Katherine Gotsick of the Main Dempster Mile will share best practices in merchant district management.
The event will be held June 10, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave in Room 2402.
Central Street SSA Feasibility Study Meeting
 Central Street Business Association and the City of Evanston invite all Central Street businesses to an informational meeting on Tuesday, June 4 at the Evanston Art Center, 1717 Central Street, to gather community input on improving Central Street and the creation of a Special Service Area. Please do not park in the Evanston Art Center parking lot.
Evanston Made Events May 31 through June 1
 Celebrate and elevate Evanston creatives by checking out their annual events at Evanston Art Center. The sixth annual Evanston Made art events start May 31, are FREE and family friendly. The full schedule of events available here.
Fight Like a Girl Photo Exhibit
 This pop up exhibit celebrates the incredibly strong, amazing women that make Evanston great. 15 women have been nominated by their friends, family, and admirers. A pop up reception will be held June 7 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at 1100 Florence Ave.
Institute for Therapy Through Arts and Four Star Arts Benefit Cabaret
 ITA is teaming up once again with Four Star Arts for an all ages musical cabaret on June 9. This concert will feature some of the talented performers from their past show, and all proceeds will benefit ITA families.
Tickets are available now.
Printmaking Studio Exhibition
 This exhibition features artwork made by printmaking students at the Evanston Art Center, and will run through July 25 at The Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center. There will be an Artist Reception at the Civic Center Thursday, May 30, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
2019 Starlight Concert Series
 The concert series will feature nine free outdoor concerts at park locations throughout the City, June 4 through July 30. Enjoy a wide range of talented artists and musical genres, from Latin funk to classic soul, to Southern rock, boogie and blues.
Thursday Night Live Returns June 13
 Thursday Night Live returns for its 20th year to Fountain Square Plaza this summer with an exciting 10-concert series! Every Thursday night from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. enjoy live music ranging from jazz, classic rock, rockabilly, blues, swing, and more.
Request for Letters of Intent Due May 31
 The City is seeking proposals for an experienced food establishment operator to lease, equip and fully operate the cafe located at 1823 Church St., in the Gibbs-Morrison Cultural Center. This city-owned building, just northeast of Evanston Township High School, is used by the City of Evanston’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services department for programs focused on culture, education, health/wellness and outreach.
Chef's Station Featured on WGN
 Chef Elio Romero from Chef's Station demonstrates how to make wild ramps Bisque, and shares the recipe.
Business Highlights
Discover RavenRook Publishing and the Have Dreams Academy
Capitalizing on the resurgence of tabletop roleplaying games, RavenRook Publishing has found a unique niche. Under the moniker The Rook & The Raven, they craft and sell high quality disc-bound gaming notebooks specifically designed with these sorts of games in mind. Offering a wide variety of products, including highly customizable diaries and planners, this is the perfect destination to meet your gaming journal needs.
RavenRook began working with the Have Dreams Academy program, an intensive workforce training program for young adults with high functioning autism. In September 2018, owners Déja and Amber Augustine welcomed two participants from the Have Dreams workforce training program. As the RavenRook team has continued to grow, their staff of 10 now includes three Have Dreams graduates. This ongoing partnership is a great example of inclusive employment and we are thrilled to have them as part of the Evanston community!
Read full blog post here.
Business Resources
Employer Credit for Paid Family and Medical Leave
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If you provide paid family leave and medical leave for your employees, you may be eligible for a tax credit. For more information, click below. |
Harper College and the Illinois Small Business Administration
The Illinois Small Business Development Center at Harper College provides no-cost confidential consulting for small and home-based businesses. Schedule an appointment to receive expert help an advisor. The Illinois SBDC has also partnered with local firms in Law, Accounting/Tax and Prototyping to offer you free expert help.
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SCORE at the Evanston Public Library
Let a SCORE mentor work with you one-on-one to help with your business challenges. Register in advance at https://northchicago.score.org or by calling 224-372-3432. Mentoring is available on Wednesday afternoons and Thursday evenings at the Main Library, 1703 Orrington Ave., West Conference Room.
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