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October 18, 2023

Please give a warm welcome to new business Nyas, a mother-daughter owned apparel and jewelry boutique for preteen and teen girls. Co-owned by Michelle and her daughter Anaya (a young entrepreneur at heart), the product selection in the store is split 50/50. Half of the items in the store are selected by Michelle, and the other half are selected by Anaya. When it comes to on-trend hoodies and pajama pants, though, they are 100% aligned in their purchasing decisions!

483 Central Avenue / 561.779.9118 / @Nysboutique49

Halloween is right around the corner, and there's a lot of fun to be had in Highland Park this spooky season. If your business is planning a Halloween event, it's not too late to get in on the fun. Please let us know what you're planning. Visit Enjoy Highland Park to view the current schedule of events.

The City's holiday tree lighting contractor will be working in the Ravinia Business District over the next two weeks. This work is done on behalf of the City and will be completed at night to minimize disruption to businesses and traffic in the work area. Please contact Ben Miller, City Forester, at 847.926.1179 or bmiller@cityhpil.com with any questions.

You spoke and the design team listened. We're excited to present five distinct concept designs for the potential permanent buildout of a park-like event space in Downtown Highland Park! Visit DesignTheLot.com to participate in a Virtual Open House for The Lot. These designs were crafted based on valuable feedback gathered from stakeholder conversations and previous pop-up events, some of which you might have participated in. Each concept includes a short video introduction explaining the features of the design, followed by a short series of questions.

Whether you love the modern vibes of Concept A or the vibrant colors of Concept D, we want to know what speaks to you. Your input on these five design concepts is crucial.

Don’t miss this chance to shape the future of Highland Park’s downtown.

Design The Lot by sharing your feedback on the design concepts!

We can't wait for Stews & Brews (and Blues) at The Lot on Friday, November 3, from 5-9 PM. Wrapping up the 2023 season, come join us for this perfect fall-weather event with comfort food, hot beverages to warm the soul, and blues music to groove to. Fun for all ages, this free event is not your ordinary chili fest or craft beer fest.

The following Chicago Blues Bands will be performing, Win Noll & The Rockin' Souls (5-6:40 PM) and The Ivy Ford Band (7-9 PM). 

Participating Highland Park restaurants include: BWB Shakes, Cafe Dacha, Kabul Kabob, Max’s Deli, Michael’s Grill & Salad Bar, Pixca, Ravinia Brewing Company, and Tamales.

Events at The Lot are presented by the City of Highland Park with the generous support of: Porsche Audi Exchange, First Bank of Highland Park, Highland Park Bank & Trust, Scott Byron & Co., Highland Park Community Foundation, Sunset Foods, Walled Lake Planning & Wealth Management, Wayfarer Theaters, Baird & Warner, Gearhead Outfitters, Mariani Landscape, and PromptMed Urgent Care.

525 Central Ave. / Enter at St. Johns Ave. & Park Ave.

Just one week left to shop a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and flowers at the Ravinia Farmers Market! The season ends with the October 25 market, 7 AM - 1 PM in Jens Jensen Park.

The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is honored to continue celebrating, connecting, and advancing women-owned businesses and future women entrepreneurs. Throughout October during National Women’s Business Month, DCEO is hosting events, uplifting businesses, and elevating business resources to strengthen women-owned businesses throughout the state.

Virtual Events:

• Making Your Idea, Passion, or Side hustle into a Business

Wednesday, October 18, 2023: 6:00 - 7:00 PM

Click here for more information.

• Turning Our Challenges & Failures into Opportunities & Successes

Wednesday, October 25, 2023: 10:00 - 11:00 AM

Click here for more information.

In-Person Event:

• Connecting HER to Illinois Business Resources

Monday, October 20, 2023: 1:30 - 3:30 PM

Click here to register.

Illinois EPA Electric Vehicle Rebate Program Funding

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) is announcing that the next funding round for Illinois’ Electric Vehicle (EV) Rebate Program will open Wednesday, November 1, 2023, and run through Wednesday, January 31, 2024. Individuals who purchase a new or used all-electric vehicle from an Illinois licensed dealer, meet all other eligibility requirements, and apply during the rebate cycle will be eligible for a rebate as long as funds are available. Form and submission instructions for rebate application will be available on the Electric Vehicle Rebate Program webpage on October 18, 2023. Questions about the EV Rebate Program may be submitted to EPA.EV@Illinois.gov.

Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) are located throughout the state and provide information, confidential business guidance, training, and other free resources for start-ups and existing small businesses. If you need help with a business plan, marketing, financial bookkeeping, finding grants, starting and growing a business, click HERE. To find a Center near you, click HERE. Please note that many SBDCs do provide Spanish assistance. If you need help finding an SBDC that provides Spanish assistance, please contact Diana Alfaro at diana.alfaro@illinois.gov.

Community Navigators is a support program to assist small businesses, particularly minority, women, rural, and veteran-owned businesses. They provide outreach to raise awareness on federal and state programs, and provide 1:1 technical assistance, etc. For more information, please click HERE.

Discover small business grants for every stage of your small business adventure. Grant opportunities are recommended based on your unique profile and delivered to your inbox weekly. The search for free money doesn't get any easier! In partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and with funding from Etsy and Progressive, Hello Alice is a free online platform that helps businesses launch and grow through every step of their entrepreneurial journey. The Small Business Growth Fund provides small business owners with knowledge, funding, networking opportunities, and peer-to-peer connections with more than one million small business owners. 

Learn about Hello Alice funding opportunities.

SCORE offers in-person or virtual sessions using phone, email, or video

All sessions are free and confidential. SCORE mentors are successful business professionals, some retired, some working, from all industries and experiences.

SCORE recently added a new YouTube channel where all previously recorded webinars can be accessed.

To schedule an in-person or virtual session, visit score.org/northchicago and register to “Find a Mentor”. You will be asked to provide the nature of your business interest. Please include whether you prefer in-person or virtual mentoring (phone, email, video) and note the Highland Park Public Library even if you prefer a virtual session.

This newsletter is produced by the City of Highland Park's Office of Business Development. The City encourages business owners and managers to share information regarding upcoming events, promotions or news for possible inclusion in the City's marketing modalities, including The Weekender, Enjoy Highland Park, and social media. Please send these items to the City via email to: businessdevelopment@cityhpil.com. The City reserves the right to edit and/or filter submissions. 

For general business inquiries and assistance, contact Business Development Manager Carolyn Hersch at chersch@cityhpil.com or 847.926.1027.