Chicago's Albany Park and Irving Park business districts are a growing springboard for entrepreneurs
Chicago's
Albany Park and Irving Park are where the quest for the American dream
often begins. This vibrant, multi-ethnic area of Chicago is likely the
most diverse community in the city. It is this diversity that gives the
greater Albany Park and Irving Park district, often known as the North
River District, its strength and vitality. It is a dynamic business hub
experiencing a resurgence as an up and coming commercial powerhouse,
being home to a growing number of retail and wholesale businesses.
Supporting the success of these businesses is the Albany Park
Chamber of Commerce and Albany Park and Irving Park Special Service
Area. The hub of the commercial strip includes the intersections of
Kedzie and Lawrence Avenue and Kimball and Lawrence, and the bustling
streets of West Montrose Avenue and Irving Park Road are key extensions.
Entrepreneurship is increasingly driving the growth of the
area, as evidenced by the wide range of businesses that have
successfully started up during the past few years and the more
established businesses that have aggressively expanded their operations
and conquered new market segments.
Dovetail Studios at 2853 W. Montrose Avenue (www.dovetail-studios.com;
872-208-6169),
is a great example of a business that has been built from the ground up
and has grown steadily despite a competitive market. Founded by owners
Joanna and Kit Read in 2015, Dovetail Studios is a modern fitness and
dance studio that has successfully adapted to the needs of its market,
all the while breathing new life into a neglected commercial space. What
once was an old auto repair garage,
is now a sleek and stylish studio that serves many needs. Dovetail
offers dance classes for infants and toddlers; ballet, tap and hip hop
dance classes for children; ballet, hip hop and musical theater dance
classes for teenagers; and ballet hip hop, modern, and tap classes for
adults. There also are ballet, modern, musical theater and hip hop
classes for professional dancers. For adult fitness seekers, there are
nine different classes, including yoga, strength, Pilates, cardio and
boot camp-style classes, offered at various times during the day and
evenings.
"We knew there were many families in our neighborhood,
and so we set out to offer a family-centric program of exercise and
dance classes for both children and adults," said Joanna. "We've
discovered that it's also a good space for events. We host birthday
parties incorporating dance and rent out the space for organizational
events."
Kennedy-Mann Architecture (
www.kennedy-mann.com
; 773-564-9995), owned by principals Ben Kennedy and Matthew Mann,
has experienced accelerating growth during the past six years and is
about to move to new, expanded offices at 2822 W. Montrose. Starting as a
small independent firm in 2008 that focused on small residential
projects, the partners have built a strong base of commercial clients,
enabling them to scale up their operation and take on even more exciting
projects. Most notable among their more recent projects is the
renovation of the Davis Theater in Lincoln Square and the new Carbon Arc
Bar & Board restaurant adjacent to the theater.
Jaafer Sweets, located in the Albany Park Shopping Center at 4825 N. Kedzie
(www.jaafer.com
; 773-463-3933), was a 17-year old highly regarded Middle Eastern
bakery when Hannah Moses and her husband, Nabil Saaydeh, took it over in
2008. The couple could have continued to run the business as it
was-successful with an excellent reputation. But their entrepreneurial
spirit was a driving force as Jaafer Sweets has grown into a major
wholesaler as well as a retailer. Never resting on their laurels, the
couple continued to improve the quality of the products while they
introduced new product lines including vegan and gluten-free selections.
Jaafer Sweets now distributes baked goods, under their own brand name,
to Whole Foods stores in the US and Canada. Chicagoans can also find the
products in Mariano's supermarkets.
The Irving Park Early Learning Center, located at 3000 and 3023 W. Montrose in the Irving Park neighborhood (www.ipelc.com
; 773-539-7422), is another excellent example of a business that
started from the ground up and has grown into a two-location business,
earning a strong reputation along the way. Founded in 1999 by Rose
Ocasio, what was once a simple child care center has evolved into a
licensed, multicultural infant, toddler, and pre-school program. With
programs for children from six weeks of age through age five, the
center's mission is to nurture "the whole child" in the areas of
physical, intellectual, emotional and social development, preparing them
to succeed once they reach school age by helping them develop a wide
range of individual and interpersonal skills they will need to thrive.
The Early
Learning Center has adopted the highly-respected Teaching Strategies
Creative Curriculum® as the basis for its programs and activities.
"The Irving Park neighborhood has become much more family oriented
over the years, giving us the opportunity to serve more people by
upgrading our facilities and expanding our programs," said Bardha
Kazazi, the Center's director for the past nine years. "We added a new
brick exterior, large, energy-efficient windows, and placed a big logo
on the façade so people could see us. We built a big playground on the
outside with new equipment and a safe play surface made from rubber
tiles. We also enhanced the interior with features that were appropriate
for babies and younger children."
Relationships are Crucial
While these businesses are quite different from each other, there
are some common threads, too. All the entrepreneurs stress the
importance of relationships and community involvement as key to their
success. For architect Matthew Mann, building collaborative
relationships with real estate developers has been very important to
their success. "First, they like us," he said. "We approach each project
as a unique opportunity to interpret our clients' vision while offering
them cutting edge architecture. Our clients aren't looking for
cookie-cutter architecture or one specific style. They want great design
and functionality to meet their vision. We take the time to educate
them as to what
their options are and we answer all of their questions. This enables us
to give them a forward-thinking design that is more exciting than what
they originally envisioned, and it's something they can buy into. This
kind of working relationship enables us to grow with them as they
undertake new projects."
Joanna at Dovetail Studios takes the approach that her studio's
relationship with the students is the basis for everything else, and her
business must evolve with the needs of her students. "Our instructors
and I try to get off on the right foot-no pun intended-with our
students, by making them feel comfortable, provide structure, and listen
to their needs." she said. "We have developed a full curriculum that
lets them build their skills and transition to the next level. We are
open to suggestions and feedback from our students and this helps us
shape our classes to meet our students' needs over the long term."
Hannah at Jaafer Sweets is also an advocate of building great
relationships. "It helps that people like us. We treat our retail
customers very well so that they feel welcomed and appreciated," she
said. "We offer free coffee so customers can sit in the shop, relax and
enjoy their treats. They often linger in the shop and explore the many
kinds of goodies. We also have created new products for people who have
dietary restrictions, such as those who want a sugar-free, vegan or
gluten-free option."
Jaafer also offers products, such as a variety of Knafeh, that are
made to order from scratch to their customers' specifications. The
Jaafer team takes the time to make sure they understand what our
customers want. "Our customers are pleased that we look out for their
needs and are so committed to offering them top-quality products," said
Hannah.
Jaafer's success in penetrating the wholesale market can also be
attributed to their commitment to building strong and reliable business
relationships. "Business relationships with major clients such as Whole
Foods are based on good communication and trust," said Hannah. "They
need to know they can count on us to provide the quality and consistency
that their customers expect."
"The key to our success has been communication," said Bardha at the
Early Childhood Center. "We work with both two-parent families and
single parents, and we try very hard to be open, attentive and
responsive to their needs. By doing this, the parents are much more
willing to work with us to provide their child with the best possible
experience."
Great Employees Make a Difference
These successful entrepreneurs also attribute their success to their
excellent employees. Whether they have been on board for years or they
are new employees, they all agree it is important to find employees who
have a passion for what they are doing and to create an environment
where they can perform at their best. Jaafer Sweets is proud that many
of their employees have been with them since the original owners, back
in 1991. "We are like family, everybody is equal and everyone pitches
in," said Hannah. They are great bakers and they know how to be
welcoming and helpful to our customers. Seventy percent of our retail
customers are regulars because we give them a great
experience-products made by experts and a service staff that makes them
feel at home."
Kennedy Mann Architecture is at a different stage
with employees. They are now growing rapidly and are hiring new
architects. "We are looking for young architects who appreciate our
philosophy, have a passion for architecture and want to work our way,"
said Matthew. "In return, we give them a well-rounded, immersive
experience that gives them a chance to develop all of their skills and
creative talents. Our goal is to take them to a higher level so that
their next position, whether it is with us or with another firm, gets
them closer to reaching their professional dreams."
Dovetail Studios seeks out well-rounded dance and fitness
instructors who are skilled at what they do and have solid experience as
teachers. "It is so important to our success that our staff are
supportive, relatable and open to suggestions and constructive
criticism," said Joanna. "We always strive to improve our classes and
make the Dovetail experience as positive as possible. We provide a solid
curriculum that gives our classes structure, but it is our great staff
that make the classes come alive, build our reputation, and keep people
coming back for more."
The staff is just as crucial for the Early Learning Center. They are
certified, with degrees in early childhood education, and are chosen
for their knowledge, reliability and communications skills. "We're
fortunate that our staff members offer a very high level of care and are
very communicative with the children and the parents," said Bardha. "We
are committed to helping our staff continue to grow professionally so
we always offer the highest quality of service."
Giving Back to the Community Pays Off
Successful entrepreneurship also means giving back, and these
businesses stay involved in civic activities in the district. Matthew
Mann devotes a lot of time to meeting with community groups and
networking, and this is how many of the seeds are planted for new
projects. "Once people get to know us, they are more likely to share
their vision for upcoming projects or introduce us to potential clients.
We do the same in return," he said. "It's important to understand that
people in our community need our talent, just as we need theirs. We're
in it together."
Hannah also agrees on the importance of the community. "We owe much
of our success to the fact that we've been able to stay in this
community for a long time. They know us, they know where we are and they
are supportive of what we do." She makes a point of staying involved in
the civic activities of the North River Commission and the Albany Park
Chamber of Commerce and she is a strong advocate for the district. "This
is a diverse community that will support a variety of creative
businesses. It's a good potential area for women-owned businesses, and
we need more of them."
The Early Learning Center has participated in many community
activities, including Toys for Tots and food drives and actively
participates in the Albany Park Chamber of Commerce. "We're better as a
community when we work together and we build relationships by staying
involved," said Bardha. "We think it's important to be a role model, not
only to our staff, but also for other businesses in the area. We like
to think we stay one step ahead, always looking forward, and that's good
advice for any business."
The Albany Park Chamber of Commerce
supports, advocates for and promotes our members and local
businesses in the Albany Park, Irving Park, Mayfair, and North Park
business districts. The Chamber provides resources that strengthen and
physically improve area businesses. It attracts new businesses and
investment to the community. It beautifies the commercial districts to
further stimulate development and to enhance culture, dining, shopping
and entertainment on Chicago's northwest side.
North River Commission
is the nonprofit community and economic development corporation for
the northwest side of Chicago, from the Chicago River to Cicero and
Addison to Devon. Founded in 1962 by concerned residents and
neighborhood institutions, NRC unites over 100 civic associations,
businesses, schools, institutions and places of worship to improve the
quality of life in our community by creating affordable housing, quality
education, arts & cultural endeavors, open spaces, and thriving
neighborhood businesses. North River Commission operates the Albany Park
Chamber of Commerce as part of its economic development strategy. North River Commission & Albany Park Chamber of Commerce Spring Happenings
Saturday, March 25, 5:30pm-11:30pm Spring Parents Night Out at NBGC! Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club Clubhouse 2501 W. Irving Park Rd
Parents,
drop your kids off at the NBGC Clubhouse and enjoy a "Kid Free"
evening! Open to kids ages 4-13. Pizza and snacks will be provided along
with clubhouse activities, games and movies. Cost: $25 for the 1st child and $10 per additional sibling. Space is limited for this amazing night of fun! Contact candice@nbgc.org to make your reservation.
Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26, 10am-3pm Maple Syrup Festival at North Park Village Nature Center 5801 N. Pulaski Rd
Come
and see the entire maple syrup-making process from tapping the tree and
collecting the sap, to boiling it down into syrup. Take a walk through
the sugar bush, enjoy storytelling, listen to music, make a maple craft,
warm yourself by the fire, and taste real maple syrup fresh off the
fire. The Maple Syrup Festival is a sweet and warm tradition that is
free and fun for all ages. No registration required.
http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks/North-Park-Village-Nature-Center/
April 1st at 8:30am-3pm The People's Education Forum Roosevelt High School Northeastern
Illinois University, in collaboration with the People's Education
Movement, invite you to a day of solidarity, healing and organizing. All
Students, Teachers, Parents, and Community Leaders are welcome to this
free event. CPDU's will be available for CPS teachers. Event is free.
This year's theme signals an intentional decision to acknowledge the
pain and trauma created by unjust laws and policies and work towards
nurturing the health and well-being of our students, within ourselves
and our communities, to sustain our organized efforts to challenge and
resist policies that exploit us.
The forum intends to share curricular resources that help educators
engage in healing praxes that foster sustainable, long-term movements
for justice. The first part of the day will focus on merging healing,
grounded in the histories and cultural knowledges of ancestral wisdom,
with educational practices that help students process multiple forms of
trauma. The afternoon will be dedicated to workshops that build upon
healing and develop strategies to organize. Participants will receive
resources from all the workshops to take with them. We believe it is
critical to make these curricular resources accessible to all and assist
survival strategies as social services continue to
disappear.
RSVP: www.tinyurl.com/neiuforum. Lunch will be available for purchase.
Tuesday, April 4 Albany Park Chamber of Commerce Take Out Tuesday Celebrated on the first Tuesday of each month Takeout
Tuesday is a new marketing campaign to highlight take out and delivery
from local restaurants by hungry residents. Takeout Tuesday is a
recurring monthly event on the 1st Tuesday starting in April.
Friday, April 7, 12pm Chamber of Commerce Luncheon Real Estate Roundtable Rozalado Commercial Cleaning 4520 W. Lawrence
12:00-1:30pm
Join the Albany Park Chamber and the Pulaski
Elston Business Association at this joint chamber roundtable lunch
covering real estate. Learn from experts on what's happening in real
estate, how to save money, and add value to your property. Thank you to
our host Rozalado Commercial Cleaning for providing lunch, and attendees
will receive a free energy saving powerstrip courtesy of Elevate
Energy!
Space is limited, please RSVP to Duka at
ddabovic@northrivercommission.org
Speakers include: • Foluke Akanni, Elevate Energy • Colette Adams, @properties • Tom Laverso, Rany Management
Saturday, April 15, 10am The Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club: Easter Egg Hunt NBGC Clubhouse 2501 W. Irving Park Rd
Every child receives an Easter basket! The Easter Bunny will be
available for photos, and over 2,000 eggs will be scattered throughout
the fields, tennis court, and playground. Registration from 9:00-9:30am Egg Hunt at 10:00am
Friday, April 20, 6pm-9pm Irving Park Road Pub Crawl Begins at Pitchfork Food and Saloon, 2922 W. Irving Park Rd.
Albany Park Chamber of Commerce invites you to join us for a fun
evening of networking along Irving Park Rd. We will start at Pitchfork
Saloon at Irving Park Rd and Richmond, 2922 W Irving Park Rd. Then MOJO
at Sacramento, 2958 W Irving Park Rd. Then across the street to Leader
Bar at Sacramento, 3000 W Irving Park Rd. Tano's Pizzeria, 3038 W Irving
Park Rd, offers a break for pizza before our last stop. Last stop is
Lizard's Liquid Lounge at 3058 W Irving Park Rd. The event is free and
you're on your own for drinks.
Tuesday, May 16, 6pm-9pm Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club Annual Leaders of the Future 2017 Scholarship Award Dinner Chicago Brauhaus
4732 N. Lincoln Ave.
Since 1984, the Neighborhood Boys &
Girls Club's (NBGC) Scholarship Program has offered Youth Leaders in
our unique and innovative Leadership Program the opportunity to earn
college tuition awards: • 8th-11th Grade: $500 to $1,000 • 12th and Above: $3,000 to $5,000
In 2017, the NBGC Scholarship Committee will present approximately
$40,000 in awards. Over the past three decades, 74 young adults have
graduated from a school of their choice with support from the NBGC. This
successful program supports the aspirations and goals of youth in the
community, ensuring that they have the necessary resources to pursue
their dreams. As our program continues to grow, we are always looking
for new scholarship sponsors.
Wednesday, May 24, 6pm-9pm Flavors of Albany Park
Flavors of Albany Park is Chicago's global cuisine crawl. Taking
place on Wednesday, May 24, from 6-9pm, attendees sample food from 15+
local restaurants along and near Kedzie Avenue. Ticket sales will open
in April and are limited. Adults are $30, and children 12 and under are
$15. The list of restaurants continues to grow, and we are happy to
announce that as of today the following restaurants are participating:
• Cafe Orient 33 • Jaafer Sweets • Brazilian Bowl • Tortuga's • Kabobi • Noon-O-Kebab
• LD Pho • Golden Crust Pizza & Tap • Fruityland Ice Cream • Starbucks • Wok Cuisine
Thank you to Swedish Covenant Hospital for their support as an event sponsor.
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