View as Webpage

December 27, 2023

Please welcome Mil Colibris Bakery & Café to the Ravinia District! Mil Colibris offers a delectable selection of custom cakes and tasty treats, as well as pastries, paninis, coffees, teas, and more. Whether you're stopping by for breakfast or for lunch, Mil Colibris promises nourishment for your soul and a daily dose of joy!

841 Roger Williams Ave. / 847.780.4961 / Mil Colibris Bakery & Café

Have you renewed your 2024 business registration and license(s)? An automatic email will be sent out this week to all businesses as a friendly reminder. If you already renewed and received an email confirmation of your payment, you can disregard the email.

To renew your business registration and license(s), you must sign up for a new account online and complete the payment process by 5pm, December 29. Here is the link to a User Guide with detailed instructions to assist with account set up.

The steps for account set up are also outlined below:

1) Click here to visit the Self Service payment portal.

2) Click on the “Login or Register” box to access a “Sign in” box.

3) Scroll down to the bottom of the “Sign in” box and follow the instructions for “Don’t have an account? Sign up.”

4) Click the “Sign up” link and complete the instructions.

NOTE: Enter the email address with which you used to register your business in previous years. If you do not remember that email address or aren’t sure, contact the City via email at cmolicense@cityhpil.com or by phone at 847.926.1000 for assistance.

5) You should now be in your business Dashboard where you can access permits and licenses for renewal. If you do not see that information, contact the City via email at cmolicense@cityhpil.com or by phone at 847.926.1000 for assistance.

6)  Click the “renew” button(s) to follow the steps for license renewal.

Thank you for your cooperation in this effort.

Please inform your customers that they will be able to shop local and park longer this holiday season! The City of Highland Park encourages residents and visitors to shop and dine locally this holiday season with extended parking hours through Friday, January 5, 2024. 

Parking restrictions will be suspended at all municipal parking lots. There will be no time limit enforced at these public lots. Disabled parking, fire hydrant zones, loading zones, and on-street customer-only parking will remain in effect. Permit parking will remain in effect during these parking holidays. Employee parking restrictions will be strictly enforced.

Please note: EV charging areas will be enforced to give multiple individuals the opportunity to use the service.

A list of available on and off-street parking lots and garages can be found at www.cityhpil.com/parking. A complete list of Highland Park retail and restaurant locations can also be found at Enjoy Highland Park. 

For more information, please contact the City Manager’s Office at 847.926.1000.

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. 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.

Upcoming January Webinar:

• January 9: How to Start an Online Store

Click here for more information

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.