Small Business Saturday is tomorrow!

While it Small Business Saturday is a BIT of a publicity stunt by American Express (like Hallmark Holidays), it's a great ""excuse" to push people to shop local and shop small.

Please let us know if you know of any small businesses that should be featured. You can begin in the comments, and let's see if we can feature them on our blog!  (we may have one on Sunday).

No More Currency Exchanges Wanted - DNAinfo.com Chicago

No More Currency Exchanges Wanted - DNAinfo.com Chicago

A new menace to the community in addition to section 8 or even dollar stores. Well we haven't heard much about dollar stores lately but there were those who wondered if there should be a moratorium on such establishments. To quote one of the other writers here, we hear a lot about what the community doesn't want but what does the community want?

In the Chatham area, there are 10 currency exchanges, according to Melinda Kelly, executive director of the Chatham Business Association.

Said Marlon Cooper, 63, a retired construction worker, "We don't need 10 currency exchanges in Chatham."

"This is a working-class community, not some low-income area like Englewood," Cooper said.

Chicago historian Timuel Black described Chatham as a black, middle-class community made up mostly of public servant and white-collar employees. There are nearly 64,000 people living in the 60619 zip code in Chatham, according to census data, and 26 percent are seniors age 55 and up.

Critics say currency exchanges charge higher fees than banks for needed financial services. The industry notes that their fee structure is government regulated.

Kelly said there are six banks with branches in Chatham. They are Chase, Urban Partnership, Bank of America, Illinois Service Federal, PNC, and Seaway Bank & Trust Co.

She would prefer to see more banks.

"I don't have a problem with currency exchanges because they are a business providing a convenient service to a lot of people. But I do have a problem with our community having few banks available," Kelly said.

The quote I placed in bold, OOOF! Here's another criticism of currency exchanges:

Currency exchanges attract negative people who do harm to the neighborhood, contends Valerie Huggins, 41, an office manager who lives in Chatham.

"Currency exchanges cater to a special group of people, usually the unemployed or under-employed but rarely the middle-class," claimed Huggins. "I do not use currency exchanges and think overall they are bad for the community because of the loitering that takes place."

OK other than a concern for the neighborhood reputation although I recognize that this is putting it lightly, there's also a concern about business practices and that using a currency exchange is more expensive than using a bank. Also concern of safety people loitering around.

BTW, I should note that although it may have changed in the past Seaway Bank has sold city stickers so you will see in the article one lady likes currency exchanges for that very reason. Although some banks do sell city stickers, perhaps the issue for her is convenience. In addition to the other services they provide other than cashing checks for example.

Finally the general community has several places to engage in banking services. Let's not that across the expressway you can also utilize TCF whether in Jewel store or even a branch on 87th Street. Go further east on 87th there's a Citi branch. Point is, I'm curious how covered this part of the south side is with banks.

CTA RELEASE: CTA Continues to Move Forward with Red Line South Project

Posted to the official CTA website on Tuesday and quoted below are the words of a representative from the Chatham Business Association:

Community meetings will continue throughout the remainder of 2012, providing project updates and the opportunity for additional feedback about the project as it moves forward.

“We have been pleasantly surprised at the significant outreach that CTA has done regarding the Red Line South project, not only to the community-at-large, but to the small business community,” said Melinda Kelly, Executive Director of the Chatham Business Association (CBA). “CBA is encouraged by the serious commitment CTA has shown to getting the word out through its presence at community meetings and the four meet-and-greet sessions it has held between disadvantaged business enterprise subcontractors and potential prime contractors.”

BTW, thanks to the project to close, rebuild and then reopen the Dan Ryan portion of the CTA Red Line there are still job opportunities available. They particularly still need bus drivers for the shuttle buses:

The CTA will host two more job fairs for part-time bus operators needed for the project: August 28 at the National Teachers Academy and September 15 at Kennedy-King College, as well as three upcoming meet-and-greet sessions for contractors interested in the station work component of the project.

Again if you've been to any meetings whether hosted by CTA or meetings within your own respective neighborhood organization please share your thoughts with us or whatever was said at these meetings. Our e-mail is blog @ thesixthward.us, write on our FB page, or send us a tweet @thesixthward.

Reminder - Buy Chatham this weekend (and really everyday)

Just a reminder about what we posted earlier, to buy local, especially this weekend (but don't stop on Sunday!)

The Citizen: CBA Leaders Speak Out

Report on a recent meeting held by the Chatham Business Association. The various programs available to help their many members. Especially the Tech Center located at 806 E. 78th Street. In addition to that the SSA #51. Finally mention of another event an awards gala to take place on Friday at the Hyatt Regency Chicago (151 East Wacker Drive). This article is worth a read.

Concerned Citizens of Chatham: Where O Where Are Our Restaurants???

In discussing the closure of another neigborhood restaurant, The Bay, Worlee has this idea about how to prevent future failures of our neighborhood restaurants:

Since we have entrepreneurs who want to get into the restaurant business it would be great if Chatham Business Association reach out to the Illinois Restaurant Association and Washburne to develop a program so we do not continue to see these type of failures.

Another way to open up our community to business!

Chatham Business Association (CBA) - Junior Employment Workshop

Thanks Shorty

Registration www.cbaccc.org
EVENT
Saturday
June 18, 2011
Chatham 14
210 W 87th.
8am-12pm
www.cbaworks.org

CBA executive director Emanuel inauguration co-chair...

Greg Hinz, the political columnist at Crain's talking about who is going to be Chairmen of the Mayor-elect's inaugural festivities. It will include such luminaries as Desiree Rogers who is the former White House social secretary as well as Groupon Chairman Eric Lefkofsky, as well as one person from the Chatham Business Association:

Other co-chairs include Chatham Business Assn. Executive Director Melinda Kelly, Valor Equity Partners L.P. CEO Antonio Gracias, Harris Associates Chief Investment Officer David Herro, Teamsters Joint Council 25 President John Coli and private investor Tim Mullen, the former chairman of First Options of Chicago Inc.

   Given the financial heavyweights on the panel, it looks like some major cash will be needed to be raised, but no numbers are available.

  The mayor-elect's spokesman could not immediately answer how much or whether any limits would be imposed on who can give. But the statement said events "will be open and accessible to all Chicagoans."

Chatham SSA Discussed at CBA Meeting

Photo by Thelma Sardin

This isn't exactly an old topic as the idea of SSA has been seen here on the blog before. Story from The Citizen Newspapers:

The new SSA (Special Service Area) #51 for Chatham was the topic of Tuesday’s February Chatham Business Association (CBA) meeting. The CBA invited business owners and community members to participate in the discussion. Guest speakers included Anita Wilson, SSA #42 program manager and Krisann Rehbein of the Chicago Architectural Foundation. Rehbein spoke at last month’s CBA meeting about the importance of having community tours and how they can bring commerce to Chatham. At Tuesday’s meeting, Rehbein updated the body announcing that several people had contacted her since the last meeting to identify structures in Chatham.

The purpose of a SSA is to promote community improvement by strengthening community businesses. Businesses are strengthened with security, beautification and marketing initiatives through an SSA program.

Karletta Kelly, assistant executive director of the CBA, informed that there are only eight SSA’s on the south side of Chicago out of 51 city wide. “That tells you other parts of the city are taking advantage of this very wonderful program, an opportunity to provide services for small businesses,” said Kelly.

Wilson admitted that SSA’s have a stigma. “We have to raise the dollars by a property tax, but you get so much more than that when you really look at it,” she said adding that commerce increases in the community because of the added safety and cleanliness the SSA provides.

Joseph Caldwell, CBA Vice Chair for Economic Development informed that the SSA is not affiliated with CBA operations.

“SSA is not a CBA subsidy. It is an entity within itself,” he said.

SSA #51 has five commissioners’ applicants who have applied with the City of Chicago to oversee the program. The commissioners’ duties include regulating funding and insuring taxpayers get the most for their money. Kelly mentioned that training for the prospective commissioners will occur at the end of February.

The people pictured above are applicants for SSA commissioners. They're identified by the Citizen as quoted below:

SSA Commissioner applicants (l to r) Veta Caldwell-Charles, Stanley C. Rakestraw, Britt L. Savage, Darrell Garth and CBA executive board members (l to r) Joseph Caldwell, vice-chairman, Marino Orlandi, president, and Karletta Kelly, assistant executive director.

Chatham Business Association - free meeting

From the Eventbrite page

CHATHAM BUSINESS ASSOCIATION SBDI


MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MEETING PRESENTS:


Chicago Architecture Foundation


South Central Community Center

1021 East 83rd Street (83rd and Ellis)

Chicago IL 60619



Tuesday, Janaury 11, 2010

Registration 8:00 a.m.

Meeting start at 8:30 a.m.

Breakfast is served



Come and learn about a new tour program to showcase our wonderful Chatham community.

The link is here

Chatham to be designated a Special Service Area

SSA district nears Chatham

This article was from the August 11th edition of The Citizen. If approved by the city council and the state legislature this district could be created by January 2011. According to this article 40 other areas have been designated as a Special Service Area (SSA).

Do you want to know more about SSAs? Here is a page from the City of Chicago.

Do you think an SSA would be beneficial to the Chatham neighborhood? Surely there are other neighborhoods with an SSA to point to as an example.

Chatham Business Association Awards dinner -- NOT in Chatham?!

Saw this sign for the Chatham Business Association's annual awards gala, to be held on September 17, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency downtown.

Why isn't it being held at some place such as Captain Hard Times Dining? It's a perfect place for an awards banquet (or a wedding reception, or other special events)

Seems kind of strange that an organization that is supposed to promote business in the neighborhood is taking it (necessarily?) out of the neighborhood, no?

Unless there isn't capacity in our neighborhood, why not have it here?

Now, if there are so many attendees that it might not be practical to have it at Captain's. But if the only issue might be parking, perhaps they could provide complimentary valet service (using places such as Ruggles School and local businesses).

Let's hope other community leaders continue to use the meeting rooms of businesses such as Army & Lou's and Chatham Pancake House.

Abundant businesses in Chatham (positive)

Last week, we had a post talking about what community residents thought were businesses Chatham had too many of , and undesirable.

I wanted to briefly mention some businesses that we have an abundance of, but are actually good for a community.

- Dry Cleaners: which indicate a number of professionals who want to look good for society

- Day Care / Chid Care centers: indicating many working parents, who are trying to make sure their kids are safe, while they are hard at work, possibly commuting long distances.

i think having a number of these businesses are good, as long as they follow the best practices & guidelines fo their industry as well as the community. Issues such as parking (where people are dropping off & picking up, while the businesses don't have their own parking spaces) are things to be aware of and should be addressed proactively.

Am i missing anything else?

CTA votes in favor of Red Line Extension

This screen shot of Melinda Kelly of the Chatham Business Association I got from this vid @ WLS-TV. Of course the extension of the Red Line was approved by the CTA Board on Wednesday. Like I said if there was any upside to the Olympics it would be the fact that infrastructure projects such as transit may go on the fast track and these upgrades may be in service at least by 2016.

Here are Ms. Kelly's comments from the ABC7 write-up:

"Chicago doesn't stop at 95th Street, there's a community out there that needs to have access to the city lines," said Melinda Kelly, Chatham Business Association.

The plan for the CTA Red Line is this from the Sun-Times:

The 5.3-mile Red Line extension, which would run beside the existing Union Pacific Railroad tracks, would add stations at 103rd, 111th, 115th and 130th Streets. The capital costs would be about $1.2 billion and add 41,000 new riders a day by 2030. That's more than half of the weekday ridership on the entire Brown Line, which is in the final stages of a $530 million makeover.

Well another aspect of this plan well we have to go back to ABC7:

The project would also connect the Red Line with the South Shore commuter train and Metra's proposed southeast service commuter rail.

You know in discussing this proposed extension, I think it could benefit the far south side communities, especially Roseland, Pullman, West Pullman, or even Morgan Park more than it may benefit the 6th Ward's neighborhoods. It would be more appropriate to hear from residents and leaders from those communities than from the Chatham Business Association. I'm not criticizing the interest by the CBA by any means, but I am curious and to why they're interested in this project.

Although I must say if 95th being less busy whenever this extension is built is going to be one possible benefit, especially in terms of safety, then I'm behind this 100%. I think any possible expansion of the L is a good thing.

Prominent voices for Wal-Mart

Two local business owners who just so happen to be members of our local chamber of commerce, Chatham Business Association, discuss the Wal-Mart issue last month at the Farmer's Market at the Chatham Market Shopping Center in videos from the Wal-Mart Chicago Website.

Two vids should be your focus for this post, Traffic and Politics.

Joseph Caldwell is the owner of Tailo-Rite dry cleaners and is a board member at Seaway Bank. He was in both of the videos that you can see over at Wal-Mart's Chicago Community Action Network website. In the Politics video, he refused to address the political aspects of this issue. In the Traffic, vid he spoke as a businessman,discussing some positives he could find in the issue of a potential increase in traffic.

So it could be the thorn in the side for those who are concerned about Wal-Mart coming in (the theory that Wal-Mart puts small businesses out of business). Perhaps his comments prove that bringing in a Wal-Mart could be more of a benefit than a detriment. Especially if local business people are able to adjust to the new environment.

William Garth owns The Citizen newspaper group. He also talks in the Traffic vid about the traffic that could result from a Wal-Mart. Most of what he said isn't much different than what was said in those arguments in support of a Chatham Wal-Mart such as people won't have to leave the neighborhood to visit another Wal-Mart.

Cliff Kelly is a radio host at WVON-AM. He mentioned explicitly in the Politics vid, that it was wrong to not allow Wal-Mart into Chatham, but force everyone on the south side to go just across Chicago's city limits to visit the Wal-Mart in Evergreen Park on 95th & Western.

What do you think about the comments made by these gentlemen?

Suggestions on how to make Wal-Mart work for the Chatham community

The concern about some citizens in Chatham about the Wal-Mart is in regards to a possible negative impact on existing businesses. From my viewpoint, it seems that Chatham businesses aren't getting the notice as they should. Wal-Mart could be used to help existing businesses.

Here are some things we could ask of Wal-Mart , to help our community's businesses:

- Have their security team patrol the neighborhood as well. At certain times, one person in a car could go into a side street & an alley, then circle back to Wal-Mart. In other words, have them look out for the neighborhood without comprimising security at Wal-Mart. They could also set up cameras (with residents' permission) to help secure the sorrounding neighborhod.

- In the check out line, have extended racks that not only sell stuff (like the typical candy), but also have racks in between that hold brochures & menus of local restaurants & businesses. The first few months may have long lines, and that time could be used helping customers look at other businesses. In addition, there could also be video commercials as well (using a monitor system that Jewel uses)

- Either fund, or have their foundation help find appropriate grant funding, to temporarily sponsor a shuttle bus that goes (of course) to Wal-Mart, but to several other businesses, such as Captain's Hard Time Dining, Army & Lou's, Mather's, Soul Vegtarian East, and others. Navy Pier has such a shuttle. Doesn't our neighborhood have a bigger economic need for shuttles than Navy Pier?

- Have Wal-Mart work with Univeristy of Chicago to use their buses to drive U. of Chicago students & staff out to Wal-Mart (adding money to the area as well as diversity). The 83rd street exit is perfect for those U of Chicago area residents who choose to drive instead.

The Chatham Business Association supports the Wal-Mart; could they and others use these ideas?

Weatherization Discussed at CBA Meeting

Citizen:

Hermine L. Wise director of procurement of CEDAmentioned the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and discussed five CEDAprograms including: weatherization, low-income home energy assistance program (LIHEAP), Head Start, Woman Infants and Children (WIC) Program and Workforce and Economic Development (WED).

CEDA has offered Weatherization Services to low-income residents of Cook County for 30 years. The stimulus dollars allowed the organization to add 15 to 25 contractors, provide financial assistance to contractors for specialized equipment, and provide training to contractors interested in specializing in weatherization. New weatherization contracts will begin July 1, 2009.

Wise said CEDA has given to minority businesses. She said they would be building a southeast location in Robbins, IL. Weatherization is expected to increase from 3,500 to 12,000 homes, she said.

John Hamilton director of weatherization at CEDA talked about tripling the number of weatherized homes. President Barack Obama was one of the first presidents to talk about the importance of weatherizing homes, Hamilton said.

To qualify for CEDA’s weatherization services an individual or household must be at 150 percent poverty level with an income below $25,000 a year. Ira Williams director of WED said that people should dress properly for employment. DHS food stamp recipients were sent for employment programs with CEDA.