Our Blog:
Happening in Lakeview
and Roscoe Village
Shop Low-Line Market Vendors for the Holidays
Looking for the perfect holiday gift this season? The Low-Line Market vendors have you covered! Shop their holiday offerings in the off season to shop small and local. It's the gift that keeps on giving!
7 Key Pieces of Data to Track as a One-Person Marketing Department
Whether you are a business owner wearing every hat in the company or an employee overseeing all of your company’s marketing efforts, you likely feel that you don’t have the resources to complete all of your goals. You make do with what you have, but you may wonder if you’re being as efficient with your resources as possible.
Supply Chain Disruptions: What Small Business Owners Need to Know
We all remember the early days of the pandemic when toilet paper was a scarce commodity, but now the world is out of everything from computer chips to ketchup. To make matters worse, an unprecedented labor shortage has left business owners bracing for a holiday season in which demand is likely to overwhelm resources.
Small Business Saturday is This Weekend!
There’s no better place to be this Saturday than shopping at small businesses in Lakeview and Roscoe Village to show your support and thank them for all they do for the community! Make plans to SHOP SMALL and enjoy all our neighborhoods have to offer this weekend. Browse small businesses in our online business directory, and check out our Lakeview Roscoe Village Online Marketplace to shop small online.
This Sunday is Lakeview’s Menorah Lighting Ceremony
Celebrate the first night of Chanukah with the Lakeview Menorah Lighting Ceremony this Sunday, Nov. 28 at 5:30pm at the corner of Lincoln & Marshfield. Organized by Chabad of Lakeview and sponsored by SSA 27, come by to celebrate and enjoy treats and festivities for the whole family!
Roscoe Village Winterfest Is Sat, 12/4 & Sun, 12/5
In partnership with Roscoe Village Neighbors and the Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce, Winterfest will kick off on Saturday, December 4 at 5pm with a tree lighting ceremony with carols by Alex’s Music Studio followed by holiday shopping and festivities at local businesses as they stay open late until 9pm. Enjoy special discounts, sweet treats, holiday decor, photos by the tree, and more for a festive holiday shopping experience! The festivities continue on Sunday, December 5 from 1-5pm with carolers, Santa and family-friendly activities and special discounts at local businesses. Plus, stroll the neighborhood to vote for your favorite storefront window as part of our Window Decorating Contest. Contest runs through Dec. 31!
Southport Holiday Stroll & Cocktail Crawl is Friday, Dec 3
Enjoy holiday shopping at local businesses, special offers, carolers, photos with Santa, holiday-themed cocktails and more festivities during the Southport Holiday Stroll & Cocktail Crawl on Friday, Dec. 3 from 5-9pm at businesses along Southport Ave from Belmont to Irving Park Rd!
The Southport Holiday Stroll is free to attend, and you can purchase a ticket for the Cocktail Crawl to taste 10 holiday-themed cocktails along one of two routes while you enjoy the festivities of the stroll!
ENTREPRENEURS: THE HEALTH INSURANCE MARKETPLACE IS OPEN
This year, the American Rescue Plan (ARP) is providing more financial assistance for small business owners, self-employed entrepreneurs and small business employees who are looking to access healthcare through the individual marketplace. Through the ARP’s improved investments, it’s estimated that 4 out of 5 consumers can find a HealthCare.gov plan for less than $10 a month. Small business owners will be able to find affordable health insurance plans that cover everything from doctor’s visits to preventive health to prescription drugs. From November 1 to January 15, you can enroll, renew or change their insurance health plan through HealthCare.gov or your state’s individual marketplace.
Expanded Outdoor Dining Through 2022, Reduced Sidewalk Cafe Permit Fee Ordinance Introduced
Earlier this week, Mayor Lightfoot, BACP Acting Commissioner Kenneth Meyer, CDOT Commissioner Gia Biagi, and DCASE Acting Commissioner Erin Harkey introduced an ordinance to extend the city's Expanded Outdoor Dining Program through 2022. The ordinance introduced today would also continue a 75% reduction in fees for sidewalk cafe permit applications.
Take Small Business Advocacy Council’s Vacancy Survey
Neighborhood business districts and commercial corridors support communities. However, many local business districts in Chicago and Cook County have been plagued by vacancies and struggle to foster economic development. The Small Business Advocacy Council (SBAC) and a strong coalition of stakeholders have come together to advocate for policies to reduce vacancies, spark local investment and cut red tape in neighborhood business districts. This is a collaborative effort that engages small businesses, residents, local chambers, community groups and non-profit organizations. Your input will help SBAC decide what policies we should push to revitalize local neighborhoods and business districts. Please take this survey and let them know how they can have the biggest impact!
MAYOR LIGHTFOOT ANNOUNCES KENNETH MEYER TO SERVE AS COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AFFAIRS AND CONSUMER PROTECTION
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today announced the nomination of Kenneth Meyer to serve as the next Commissioner of the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP). Meyer holds more than 10 years of senior executive experience and over 25 years of government experience with the City of Chicago. This nomination is subject to City Council approval.
HOUSE PASSAGE OF BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL WILL SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH BUT BUILD BACK BETTER PLAN IS NEEDED TO SECURE LONG-TERM RECOVERY
After an arduous negotiating process, the U.S. House of Representatives has finally passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill investing billions of dollars in our country’s physical infrastructure that will help to bolster recovery for millions of small businesses. We applaud the passing of this bill, but we also urge the swift vote on the Build Back Better plan, which includes much-needed investments in healthcare, childcare, and paid family leave, along with tax provisions needed to ensure that small businesses are at the center of a thriving and equitable economy.
Shop Small with Unique Gifts from Lakeview and Roscoe Village Businesses
We are getting ready for the quickly approaching holiday season with curated gifts for everyone on your shopping list. Check out some popular gifts businesses are offering this holiday season, and take the stress out of holiday shopping by visiting one of our many retailers who can create a personal shopping experience for you and take the time to make sure everyone on your shopping list is checked off.
The Lakeview Roscoe Village Gift Card Makes The Perfect Gift This Holiday Season
Accepted at over 50 local businesses, our neighborhood gift card will keep your dollars local while also giving the gift of exploring our neighborhoods and local businesses!
Save The Date: Winterfest is Sat, Dec 4 and Sun, Dec 5!
In partnership with Roscoe Village Neighbors, Winterfest will kick off on Sat, 12/4 with a tree lighting ceremony at 5pm followed by holiday shopping and festivities at local businesses as they stay open late until 9pm! Enjoy special discounts, treats, drinks and festivities while you shop small for your holiday gift list. You can also participate in the window decorating contest by admiring the holiday decor on participating storefronts and voting for your favorite window! The festivities continue on Sun, 12/5 from 1-5pm with carolers, Santa and sleigh rides along with family-friendly festivities and special discounts at local businesses.
Celebrate the Season at the Lakeview Holiday Tree Lighting!
Come celebrate the kickoff of the holiday season in Lakeview with the lighting of Lakeview’s community Christmas tree on Sunday, November 21st from 6pm-7:30pm! Festivities will take place directly outside of St. Alphonsus on the corner of Lincoln/Wellington/Southport and is funded by SSA 27. Learn more at www.lakeviewroscoevillage.org/treelighting
Congrats to our Shop for Schools Participants!
This October, LRVCC hosted our 13th annual Shop for Schools event, which included participation from 14 Roscoe Village businesses and 19 local schools. The event ran for two consecutive days and was an incredible success!
We’re thrilled to announce that this year’s event generated over $83,000 in sales for participating small businesses! Since businesses donate 20% to participating schools, that means this year’s donation total to all 19 educational institutions equals $21,918.81, which includes a 6k contribution from the chamber!
Business Spotlight - Stella Blue Design
Meet Angie Gianfrancesco, owner of Stella Blue Design, a jewelry studio inspired by nature’s beauty creating handmade designs that are one-of-a-kind and thoughtfully crafted. Angie will have a grand opening of her new space at 3759 N. Ravenswood Ave on Sat, 11/13 and Sun, 11/14, so be sure to stop by to shop her collection and see the beautiful space! Read our interview with Angie to learn more about how her business started and which celebrities have adored her jewelry!
Stress Less Over the Holidays; Prep Your Business for Year End NOW
Waiting until the mayhem of the holidays arrives to tackle mandatory business compliance tasks makes an already stressful season even more trying. And delaying filings until a later time can cause big problems.
3 Steps to Formalizing Your Hobby Business
If your hobby business has started turning a profit, you’ve done the hardest part already. But you may still be grappling with some of the more obscure aspects of business ownership—such as knowing which tax forms to file or whether you should register with the state.
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