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Pick Oak Park Report
November 2024
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The Village of Oak Park is utilizing this monthly e-newsletter to share important, timely business services information with the community. If you know anyone who could benefit from receiving this information, please encourage them to sign up at www.oak-park.us/enews.
 La Flor Michoacana chain picks Oak Park as an expansion site
It may be cold outside so you may not be thinking of delicious ice cream and frozen treats, but the Village is preparing for your spring sweet tooth. The La Flor Michoacana ice cream and candy chain has signed a lease to occupy 1023 Lake St., immediately across from the Lake Theatre. Work is already progressing on turning this space into a fun and colorful spot. The Village welcomes this family-run chain as it prepares to provide Oak Park customers with candy, drinks, ice cream, frozen treats and other delicious products. The new store is expected to open late spring 2025.
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Keep the Cheer Here... Shop small, cheer big!
The Village of Oak Park and the Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce have partnered to bring you “Keep the Cheer Here,” a celebration of community, connection and local shopping. This new holiday gift card program allows you to purchase a gift card to share the joy of shopping local in Oak Park with friends and family. It’s the perfect way to give the gift of choice and keep holiday spending close to home, supporting Oak Park’s small businesses.
The Village is a huge proponent of small businesses in our community. Recently, the Village President and Board of Trustees passed a proclamation supporting patronage of the small business community in honor of Small Business Saturday on Nov. 30. Click here to view the proclamation.
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November's business services scoop
Each month the Village’s Business Services team will endeavor to give the scoop on a new store or business that is expected to open in Oak Park in the not-too-distant future. November’s scoop is that Meineke, a nationally recognized car care chain, has identified a Madison Street location as the site of its next expansion opportunity. Look for more information to come on this exciting new edition to Oak Park’s Madison Street business corridor.
In September, the scoop was the announcement of The Wolf Boba Tea & Coffee shop that will be at 134 N. Oak Park Ave. The latest update is that store remodeling plans are under review. In October, the scoop was the announced arrival of the Wing Snob restaurant chain to 7115 North Ave. The Business Services team is working hard to deliver more commercial options to the residents of Oak Park!
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Commercial Façade Improvement Grant Program continues to help businesses
Oak Park’s successful Commercial Façade Improvement Program (C-FIP) has already secured 10 participants in 2024. The program assists local commercial business or property owners with improvements like new signage, awnings, lighting, windows, doors, tuckpointing, etc. Wonder Works Children's Museum at 6445 North Ave. recently completed tuckpointing its building façade, along with installing new windows. Pictured is Development Services Director Emily Egan (left) and Assistant Development Services Director Cameron Davis (right) handing a C-FIP grant check to Wonder Works Executive Director Rachel Weber and Wonder Works Board President Sarah Yount. For more information about the Village’s grant program, contact Cameron Davis at 708.358.5421 or cdavis@oak-park.us.
Arts Business District Holiday Art and Wine Walk tickets on sale
Happy holiday events around DTOP, the Hemingway District, Madison Business Corridor, the Arts District and other locations
There are so many wonderful holiday events happening all around Oak Park this year. Click here to see a list of family-friendly ways to celebrate the season.
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New businesses are opening every month in Oak Park
Village President Vicki Scaman, Development Services staff and Chamber of Commerce representatives welcomed yet another new business opening at Print Innovation Lab, 137 N. Oak Park Ave., Suite 128, in the beautiful Hemingway Business District. Owner Juan Carlos Hernandez founded the business with a mission to empower artists and photographers by offering sustainable, fine-art digital printing solutions. The business' focus is on creating art that sparks conversation, invites reflection, and, most importantly, inspires action for the planet.
The Village of Oak Park is having another record year in terms of new business start-ups. Already in 2024, the Village has issued 95 new business licenses. This year is on course to be the fourth consecutive year that 100 or more new business licenses will be issued in Oak Park. Oak Park = Business Entrepreneurship!
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Zemi Coffee Cart is at Three Spoons location this winter
Oak Park’s Zemi Coffee has a winter pop-up home at 133 N. Ridgeland Ave. in the Three Spoons Ice Cream space. While Three Spoons is taking the winter off, Zemi Coffee is taking advantage of the Village’s business pop-up program that allows a business to operate in a temporarily vacant space. Zemi offers delicious coffee from the mountains of Puerto Rico. The Village is excited to support this wonderful business pop-up. For more information about the Village’s business pop-up program, contact Cameron Davis at 708.358.5421 or cdavis@oak-park.us.
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Chamber of Commerce breakfast features new businesses
Chamber and Village representatives gathered together at a new member breakfast on Nov. 21 to celebrate recently-opened businesses and new Chamber members. More than 25 businesses were represented. The Village and Chamber of Commerce have a ground-breaking program in place that offers all newly-licensed Oak Park businesses the opportunity to utilize a free, six-month Chamber membership. This program acknowledges the important role that networking and support play in ensuring that a new business grows and prospers.
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