Small businesses in Skokie, Illinois experiencing renaissance after years of work
CHICAGO (CBS) — Businesses in a suburban downtown area are not just surviving, they're thriving.
A cool, easy vibe can be felt in downtown Skokie these days, but it took years and a lot of hard work to get there. Some consider it a renaissance.
Here's a little downtown Skokie history.
Back in the day, stores were filled with customers, and businesses flourished. Sadly, over the years, things changed, but now this downtown is back with a fury.
"We've done 15 new businesses in the last year," Skokie Economic Vitality Coordinator Carol White said.
Economic vitality coordinator is not just White's title. It's her mission.
"There's something uplifting about seeing an empty space now have a store in it, or a restaurant in it," she said.
The businesses are small, specialized, and cozy.
To attract entrepreneurs, Skokie opened its arms and a bit of its bank account.
"Was it, 'I can't afford the proper signage?' And signage is super important, so can you fill that gap?" White said. "We're not financing the whole project, but filling those gaps as we go."
But doing it strategically.
"It takes serious effort to build a downtown and get it thriving," White said. "It's got to be the right mix, right? You don't just open your doors and say 'Hey, all restaurants come in.' So we've balanced that with fitness. We've balanced that with boutiques."
And with collaboration.
"We started meeting together once a month with all the businesses, and hearing their challenges and having them share their successes, and help plan" White said. "One of our businesses got together, and they created a website for downtown Skokie."
That would be the folks at Kneads and Wants. Co-owner Madeleine England, a longtime Skokian, remembers when things here weren't so sweet.
"I can tell you from the 60s until now, really downtown Skokie has kind of gone up and down, but we've never been able to maintain the upward momentum I definitely see right now," England said.
Over at Latin eatery Libertad, regular Walter Corrigan agrees.
"We've lived here 22 years," Corrigan said. "This was never a Mecca for restaurants at all. It was dead. In fact, people say, 'You live in Skokie?' They would say 'Where do you go to eat? ... And now, well you can just see.'"
Downtown Skokie's population is increasingly diverse.
Juwairiyah Kholwadia said that's why she opened The Hijab Vault's second location in Skokie. Next door, you can find halal sweet treats, savories, and more at Sweet Reserve Bakery and Cafe.
"It's so fascinating on a daily basis to learn about all these different cultures, and how we all get along," White said.
Add to the residential boom. The new Highpoint at 8000 North partments are 98% full.
White says it's all contributing to downtown Skokie's renaissance—a combo of new friends, neighbors, and, yes, businesses.
"They're interested in Skokie because it's up and coming, right? We've got a vibe of positivity and enthusiasm and a goal," she said. "There's something fun about here. Something that's pretty neat."
Fun fact: In the early 20th century, Skokie was also a popular location for shooting silent films. Fans of classic TV may recognize a shot from Oakton Street as it was used to portray the fictional town of Mayfield in the comedy "Leave it to Beaver."