On November 20th at 12:01 am, Governor Pritzker went lid down. Tier 3 COVID Resurgence Mitigations are now in effect. TFN.
And what was left of our collective Midwestern can-do took another hit.
Indoor restaurant dining and Thanksgiving's groaning table were replaced by Zoomsgiving and turkeys-for-two. Tablescaping and seasonal place settings? Next year, Pinterest, next year.
Bah, Humbug - Not!
Winnetkans are nothing if not resilient. But admit it, this COVID thing is way beyond old. And that Most Wonderful Time of the Year is at risk. Liz Dechant and Josie Clark, AKA Winnetka’s Economic Development Director and Communications Manager, respectively, say not on their watch.
They've teamed up with the Winnetka-Northfield Chamber of Commerce and the Winnetka Park District. Masked. Distanced. And numerically responsible.
Your post-COVID-Thanksgiving serotonin hit is here. You can thank them later.
Open Air Holiday Market - November 28th/29th, and December 5th/6th. Village Hall Parking Lot. Farmer’s Market-turned bit-of-Europe Holiday Market. What better place to sport your Pumpkin Spice Latte?
Small Business Saturday - November 28th. Can’t take Black Friday manic madness? Try TLC Saturday. Feel-good, stress free shopping for everyone on your list. All three business districts.
Holiday Storefront Window Decorating Contest - November 20th to December 6th. Check it out. Then vote: here.
Virtual Tree Lighting on Facebook - December 4th. Log on. Be a part of the magic – light your trees when the Village lights its. Be seen from space.
41st Annual Red Invitation Sale – Officially, Sunday, December 6th. Unofficially pretty much anything a retailer wants to do. Check ‘em out. It'll feel so good to shop where they know your name.
Post holiday, Liz & Co are working on a Take-Out Challenge for restaurants. Take two to go, COVID!
Way More Than Sparkling Storefronts and Pumpkin Spice Lattes
Fears of what COVID could do to our business community -– not to mention our residents – keep Liz and Josie up at night. They've spent years setting the stage for a vibrant and growing business community. Now it's helping it stay alive.
Think marketing and promotion, special ad sections in North Shore magazines, Business Showcase Videos, website and Yelp help, Twitter/Facebook/Insta campaigns, PPP and BIG help, a pandemic-resources-for-businesses webpage on the Village website, relaxed zoning and liquor laws, deferred utility bill options, late fee waivers.
Plus, they're taking applications for the Village's state sales tax rebate program. So far, $172,500 has gone to 38-plus local businesses. There's still money. Download an application here. Deadline is Tuesday, December 1.
Last but not least, Winnetka's first-ever text-driven loyalty program. Distinctly Winnetka. Businesses sign up, shoppers sign up. “Insider” offers are texted to shoppers twice a month. According to Liz and Josie, so far 55 businesses – 2-3 sign up each month. Sorry, Amazon.
…and those empty storefronts?
They're on that, too. According to Liz, Winnetka's current vacancy rate for third quarter is approximately 9%. Down from 11% this time a year ago. Even with COVID. She and Josie credit Village Manager Rob Bahan with demanding hard core, data driven processes and programs that bring the right businesses to Winnetka, put them in the right spaces, and help them grow and thrive.
If the right-for-Winnetka tenant is out there, they'll find it.
Check out their New Business Toolkit.
...and One Winnetka?
That elephant is still in the room. And still in the courts. Foreclosure. Call for offers. Ten or more suitors - some with good retail chops. Will be interesting. We'll bring it to you.
OK, Winnetka, It's Your Turn
Buy local or bye-bye local. Don't. Let. It. Happen.
Liz and Josie are committed to the walkable and family-friendly Dickens Village-y Winnetka you love coming home to.
They’ve teed it up and given you many – and counting – ways to keep our local economy alive and give us all a little piece of Winnetka magic. This holiday season and beyond.
In our town of 4,100 households, “we’re in this together” is not a cliché. The purchase you make this holiday season is a win-win. Make your list, check it twice. Let's shop, Winnetka!
PS: It's not that they're lonely, but their favorite thing is hearing from you. If you’ve got an idea for a business or an idea that can help a business, contact Liz.
In the meantime, try this fun little piece of interactivity – Winnetka Restaurant location map. Yum.
Purging your inbox? Good idea! Clears the way for stuff like this:
E-business sign-up for Winnetka and Northfield businesses
The Village's newsletter sign-up - the deals and dos as they happen
Village Council Meetings
The Village's Quarterly Newsletter
And our fave –
Distinctly Winnetka Text program sign up - the loyalty program X2.