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December 8, 2021

Join us Saturday, December 11 from 2 - 4 PM at Port Clinton Square for a festive, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons-inspired set of Christmas songs and old favorites from The Four C Notes! As part of the Heart of the Holidays event series, enjoy great music while you sip on Mexican hot chocolate and hot roasted chestnuts. Arrive early to purchase tamales from Tamales Express, and choose from a festive selection of beers and cider for purchase from Ravinia Brewing Company, as well as fresh popcorn and other treats from the Ravinia Farmers Market. Then tick a few more holiday gifts off your shopping list as you browse the unique shops and restaurants of the Central Business District.

Our celebration of the heart of the holiday season in the heart of the North Shore concludes on December 18 with an ice carving demonstration and caroling throughout Highland Park's Central Business District.

The Heart of the Holidays events are sponsored by the City of Highland Park and Ravinia Festival, with the support of First Bank of Highland Park and Highland Park Bank & Trust.

My Best Friend's Closet is an upscale resale boutique with authentic, pre-owned luxury brands including Gucci, Channel, Burberry, Valentino, Chloe, Prada, and so much more. My Best Friend's Closet aims to change the way you shop, and provide you with high-end luxury clothing at an affordable price! Stop by the shop to find thoroughly inspected clothing, shoes, handbags, and accessories. My Best Freind's Closet uses high-end professional authenticators so you will always be getting the real deal. In addition, the shop offers a personal styling experience by walk-in or appointment. Let the knowledgeable staff style you for your next occasion!

My Best Friend's Closet - 1780 Green Bay Road

847.681.0002 / mybestfriendsclosethp.com

Illinois Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) has developed a new video series called SBDC 3 for 3. Every two weeks a new three-minute video will provide three important small business updates. In just three minutes the video below offers tips on HR assistance, staff shortage assistance, and marketing assistance provided by the SBDC for small businesses.

The City of Highland Park’s new social media campaign, #EnjoyHighlandPark, highlights the unique shopping and dining, exceptional natural spaces, and vibrant arts and entertainment offerings you can't find anywhere but Highland Park. Learn more at our new website enjoyhighlandpark.com. The City will continue to add content on an ongoing basis - check back frequently!

Help spread the word, and be sure to follow @enjoyhighlandpark on Instagram and @EnjoyHighlandPark on Facebook.

Explore. Experience. Enjoy Highland Park: enjoyhighlandpark.com. 

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.

Visit northchicago.score.org 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.

Interested in sharing your profession with a high school student exploring their career options? The Highland Park Career Exploration program (HPCE) provides students with the opportunity to gain valuable insights into a potential career path and goals. Students are matched and meet with professionals to discuss career aspirations, work initiatives, and other professional inquiries.

On August 26, 2021, the Governor signed Executive Order 21-20 which requires all individuals over the age of 2 and who can medically tolerate a face covering to wear a face-covering when in indoor public places. The Executive Order also requires health care workers, school personnel, higher education personnel and students, and employees and contractors of state-owned or operated congregate facilities to be fully vaccinated, as described in the Order.

Please place this Face Mask Required Sign in your place of business to remind customers to wear a face covering.

Face Covering FAQs

The State of Illinois has launched Get Hired Illinois to connect job seekers with employers and training opportunities as well as employers who are looking to fill open positions with available workers. Visit GetHired (illinois.gov) for more information.

The City of Highland Park has a matching grant program to assist restaurants and retailers with operational costs incurred to provide a safe environment for customers and staff in compliance with state and federal public health guidelines for the coronavirus pandemic. The program will accept applications from qualifying restaurants and retailers located and operating within a commercial building in Highland Park with a net worth of less than $2 million and generating less than an average of $200,000 in profit per year for two years after taxes. Qualifying restaurants and retailers may apply for reimbursement of up to 50% of eligible expenses related to COVID-19 public health mitigations, to a maximum of $10,000 for restaurants and $5,000 for retailers, for costs incurred between August 15, 2020, and December 31, 2021, or until funds are depleted. More information is available here. 

For general business inquiries, contact the City's Business Development Manager Carolyn Hersch at chersch@cityhpil.com.

For more information on the City's response to COVID-19, contact the City's Communications Manager Amanda Civitello at acivitello@cityhpil.com.

This newsletter is produced by the City of Highland Park's Office of Business Development. If you have information you would like to include in this weekly mailing, please submit information, photos, and news to Melissa Rosen at mrosen@cityhpil.com. The City reserves the right to edit and/or filter submissions. No pricing information will be published.