Skokie Urges Residents To Shop Local
SKOKIE, Ill. (CBS) -- The near north suburb of Skokie is urging residents to support the village's local businesses with a new Facebook page.
The page says shopping local "helps create jobs, saves gas/time," and keeps at least some of the sales tax money in the community.
The Facebook page features graphics and photos promoting specific retail districts, including downtown Skokie in the area of Lincoln Avenue and Oakton Street, the West Dempster Street retail district, and the Westfield Old Orchard shopping mall.
But the page is not limited to promoting locally-owned and operated businesses. It points out that Skokie is "home to many unique stores and restaurants, from national chains to independent shops," and includes businesses from the Skokie outpost of the Bar Louie chain, 5300 W. Touhy Ave., to the independent Yolo Mexican eatery, 5115 Brown St., in its "likes."
The push for local shopping in Skokie comes as plans move ahead to link two of its main business districts by public transit.
The Chicago Transit Authority is constructing an intermediate Oakton-Skokie stop on the Yellow Line, which will serve downtown Skokie. For nearly the past 50 years, the Yellow Line has only served as a shuttle between the Dempster/Skokie terminal in the heart of the West Dempster district, and the Howard depot in Rogers Park.
