Tag Archives: Illinois

Chicago Law Clinic Helps Women Entrepreneurs

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The DePaul Business Law Clinic at DePaul University is offering female entrepreneurs legal advice, business acumen, and industry guidance at an affordable price. For $500 per semester, women entrepreneurs across Chicago are getting the help they need to thrive and succeed.

Female law students are paired with the business owners and offer direct consultation and legal aid.

The clinic was founded by Julie D. Lawton and says the program is “mutually beneficial for businesses and students. For our students, this is a wonderful, dynamic and interdisciplinary experience, and for our clients, they are able to obtain this holistic support. Not only legally, but also technically. “

The clinic has offered this service for the past four years. All business types and sizes are encouraged to work with the DePaul law students.

Chicago’s Holiday Events and Attractions

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All across Chicago, venues are offering live performances for the Holiday season. From fine dining to theater performances, nighttime adventures to family-friendly frolicking, having an audience is the most precious gift of all to these businesses. Consider any of these local events for your holiday fun.

Theater Wit is hosting Chicago’s premiere of “Who’s Holiday!” through Dec. 26. Another Chicago debut is happening at the Apollo Theater, where Love Actually? “The Unauthorized Musical Parody is on through Jan. 2, 2022.

Chicago Philharmonic is celebrating a return to in-person performances with a “Holiday Brunch Concert” on December 12, hosted by City Winery Chicago – West Loop. Chicago’s children can enjoy some holiday fun at the Chicago Children’s Theatre where they can attend The Beatrix Potter Holiday Tea Party. Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins is live (and free) at the Strawdog Theatre Company.

Purple Hotel to Get New Life as Business and Residential Hub

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A famous Chicago hotel is slated to become a new residential and commercial complex. The Purple Hotel, where Barry Manilow and Roberta Flack once took the stage, will become 300 apartments and a few stores, including an Amazon Fresh.

After nearly 15 years of deliberation, court hearings, and tenders, Chicago construction company Tucker Development has secured credit for the $155 million development in Lincolnwood. The project is also known as District 1860 in honor of Abraham Lincoln’s presidential election that year; project completion is set for 2023.

Leases have already been signed for nearly 15,000 square feet of the commercial properties, including a Fatpour Tap Works and a Fat Rosie’s.

Chicago Businesses Get Boost in New Program

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Chicago’s Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a new grant program together with the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. This initiative paves the way for nonprofits to assist small businesses that were negatively impacted by the pandemic.

The COVID-19 Small Business Support Program has allocated $2.7 million to 41 NGOs that will offer targeted assistance to Chicago’s small business owners and innovators. Through the program, a variety of different services will be offered including free counseling, coaching, media campaigns, and press coverage. Funding will also be provided for public outdoor activities to showcase small businesses, like “Live Love Shop Rogers Park.”

“[This program] provides an important opportunity to lay the foundation for an enduring, equitable, and inclusive economy. I am grateful to BACP and its partners for bringing this program to life, which truly serves as the next step in our ongoing commitment to revitalizing our businesses and empowering the communities they serve.”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot

This small-business boost is a continuation of previous efforts to revive this segment of the economy; the Chi Biz Strong $22 million grant offered financial relief and a $2.3 million grant helped eateries set up outdoor dining.

Chicago Sites for Pumpkin Composting

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Illinois is offering residents an earth-friendly alternative for jack-o-lantern disposal, saving thousands of gourds from landfills and reducing methane emissions. Scarce, a local organization, has set up 49 different sites across the state where people can bring their pumpkins.

University of Illinois Extension educators continue to raise awareness, partially in an effort to combat bad advice being disseminated on social media, including recommendations to leave pumpkins in fields, abandoning them in natural areas for animals, or feeding them to household pets. These are all not advisable because of the legal prohibition of dumping anything on private property or in a nature preserve. Most animals don’t eat pumpkin naturally, so consuming the vegetable is likely to do more harm than good.

The first pumpkin drive was held in 2014 when close to 10 tons of pumpkins were composted. Last year, collections skyrocketed to 159 tons, as more people learned of the initiative.  

2021 Sites in Chicago include:

Plant Chicago, 4459 S. Marshfield Ave.

Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, 3857 W. 111th St.

Edgewater Environmental Coalition and Andersonville Chamber of Commerce, 6040 N. Clark St.

Candy Business Hack Spooks Halloween

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Halloween candy
Gummy worms, candy corn, and other Halloween treats were available in stores despite the October hack of Ferrara Candy.

Ferrara Candy, the Chicago-based candy manufacturer, faced a devastating ransomware hack in October.

The attack on October 9, 2021, just weeks before Halloween, did curtail candy production but did not impact the supply of holiday favorites like candy corn, Nerds, gummy worms, and other sweets.

Ferrara, which makes 85% of the candy corn in the United States, has been making candy for more than 110 years. Founded by Italian immigrant Salvatore Ferrara, the company is the leading non-chocolate provider of seasonal treats.  

Overall, the 2021 Halloween season candy sales, following the pandemic slump, increased by nearly 48%, with sales topping $324 million. Unfortunately, the pandemic also yielded a 300% spike in cyber crimes. Industry experts are urging corporations, businesses, and the general public to take extra precautions to protect their online and real-life operations.

ransomware hacker
Cyber crimes have increased since the onset of the pandemic.

Fifth Third Bank Invests in Chicago

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Fifth Third Bank has announced a plan to invest $20 million in South Chicago, the defunct steel town abandoned by the departure of the South Works steel plant in 1992.

The investment plan includes $2 million in funding for grassroots efforts and $18 million in financing for residential and business loans. Fifth Third’s efforts, in partnership with Claretian Associates, are part of a three-year revitalization scheme to revive the area and correct extended periods of disinvestment and under-funding.

Chicago and Microsoft Partner for Digital Training

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On October 1, Microsoft announced a new partnership with Chicago to provide free digital skills training courses for at least 300,000 residents.

 “Accelerate Chicago,” is meant to boost the employability of Chicago citizens who either lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or those who have few digital skills at all. It will also offer “cross-training” for those looking to pivot their career paths. Accelerate includes free courses on several Microsoft applications and programs.

Lori Lightfoot, Mayor of Chicago, explained that the new program will allow the city to remedy the “socioeconomic fallout” of the COVID-19 pandemic by offering participants “good-paying, sustainable” jobs.

“We have an important opportunity to use this moment to better the lives of those who were struggling long before this pandemic ever struck.”

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, at a news conference with Microsoft President Brad Smith.

Accelerate has already been launched in New York, Atlanta, Houston, and Louisville, Kentucky.

Re-opening of Illinois: Phase 3

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Many stores have begun reopening and people are returning to work.  According to Illinois Department of Public Health figures there has been a drop in the number of coronavirus tests returning positive. That number is less than the limit that is needed to move on to Phase 3 and hence it went ahead in Chicago and three other areas.

With Phase 3 people will also be able to attend group gatherings of up to 10 people and participate in sport/outdoor activities whereby social distancing rulings can be adhered to. Governor Pritzker said:

“In every aspect of our pandemic response, and especially as we begin to safely reopen meaningful swaths of our economy, our number one priority must be the health and safety of our workers, our customers, and Illinoisans at large.”

Additionally, it is hope that other non-essential businesses (like childcare center, outdoor eateries and hairdressers) will be permitted to re-open by mid-June.

Illinois Grand Appliance Moving HQ to Wisconsin

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The Racine County Economic Development Corporation announced last week that Grand Appliance and TV is planning to move its corporate headquarters from Zion, Illinois, just north of Waukegan, to Sturtevant, Wisconsin.

The move will cost an estimated $8 million including the building of a new corporate headquarters. The move will bring about 142 jobs to Sturtevant over the next three years, including 120 jobs that the company will be moving from Illinois, and an additional 20 new jobs.

Company President Mark Reckling said, “Southeast Wisconsin provides an ideal location that supports Grand Appliance and TV’s growth plans.”

The company has 20 stores with 300 employees throughout Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. There are five outlets in the Chicago area.

On March 7 the village of Sturtevant will decide if it should contribute $450,000 to Grand Appliance and TV to help fund the project. The money would come through a tax incremental financing district.

The new headquarters will be constructed at the Renaissance Business Park east of Interstate 94. It will be 137,000 square-feet, the majority dedicated to warehousing. The new facility will also include and consolidate two distribution centers Grand Appliance runs already in Sturtevant, as well as the corporate headquarters.