Research shows that up to 84% of consumers noted that reviews were important in their purchasing decisions and 97% of customers use reviews to search for local services. Additionally, 68% develop an opinion of a product or service after viewing between one to six reviews, meaning your words MATTER! These reviews help guide new customers to some local favorites. Support your local restaurant and tell them how much you love that one dish of theirs, or write a quick review about how great the customer service was at your local doctors office. You don’t have to be incredibly verbose when sending your love, a little love goes a long way for small businesses! Three minutes writing a glowing review could mean 30 new customers for that mom & pop shop!

We know the social media algorithms can be a fickle thing, but you can help a small business thrive just by engaging them on social media! A study by Constellation Research reported that businesses who improve engagement can increase cross-sell revenue by 22 percent, increase revenue by 38 percent and order size by 5 to 85 percent! If you engage with a small business, you can help be directly responsible for their growth! Meaningful engagement (likes, comments, shares, saves, ect) can help boost a business nearly 35%! Say you’re grabbing a quick cup of coffee & like the small businesses’ latest post while you wait, you’re helping a small business continue to thrive by helping their post get seen by more people who might venture out to grab a cup of joe there next!

Repeat customers are one of the largest sources for revenue for small business, making up over 65% of sales every day! Our small businesses are always surprising us with fun, new additions to their menus and new events to help you enjoy a night out! Whether you try a new food at your favorite local standby or sign up for a fun club or even venture out for a trivia night, you’re sure to support local businesses just by giving your old favorites another perspective!

Sure, the big box store may have a little bit of everything, but did you know that of every dollar spent at a small business, 48 cents goes back into the local economy? Research shows that shopping local helps improve the entire local economy. The dollar goes right back into paying local workers, local providers & distributors, and local institutions. As an added benefit, many small businesses offer loyalty programs and incredible promotions for their customer appreciation! Get familiar with local business owners who can help you find the perfect something special way better than endlessly Googling ever could!

Tired of going to the same spot all the time? Give the new kid on the block a shot! Repeat customers make up nearly 65% of sales every day for local businesses but how do businesses get repeat customers in the first place? By someone venturing out to give them a shot! Try one of the 50+ small businesses that have opened in the last year and a half on your next night out! 92% of people trust referrals from people they know, which means if you and a friend or two spend a night out at one of our newer local spots, you can refer others there which will help that small business grow exponentially!

The Giver's Gift program began on November 1st and concluded on December 22nd and the community came out to support local! The program rewards local shopping with free $50 Lakeview East Gift Cards by showing us $300 worth of receipts for local businesses. From every day purchases to holiday gifts, we appreciate how dedicated our community is to supporting small local businesses! If you missed the program this year, don't stress, as it will be back for another year of loving local starting on November 1st, 2023.

With colder temperatures comes freezing pipes and Reckless Records had the misfortune of experiencing this first hand. Thankfully, most of their immense vinyl collection was saved and the aftermath was largely fixable. While they closed to clean up the mess and fix the damage, they are back open this week and ready to welcome in record fans again!

The quaint booths at Christkindlmarket have left Gallagher way, and we hope everyone got a chance to check out the incredible sights, smells, and flavors of this festive holiday market. The good news is that there are still 4 days left to experience Winterland at Gallagher Way & ice skate on center field! Without the hustle and bustle of the market, enjoy easier access to Winterland and the attractions inside the stadium until January 8th!

It's like The Amazing Race meets Drunk History! Imagine the best parts of scavenger hunts, historic walking tours, and bar trivia all packed into a world-class adventure game—that’s Brews & Clues! You'll work together with friends to solve trivia questions, discover hidden landmarks, and earn points while competing for the top spot on the Brews & Clues Leaderboard!

$72 ticket price is for a Team Ticket for up to 6-People

The Chicago Cubs Bar Crawl is a 1 mile walking experience that takes 2-3 hours to complete. You’ll start your tour near the Famous Al’s Beef and end in the shadow of Wrigley—exploring the best of bars along the way. What are you waiting for? Drink in the history of the Cubs!

Flavin Repair Group provides quality services to our area residents and business owners that will keep their homes and business well maintained and free of safety hazards. Their advantage is Scott Flavin's 17 years of experience as an electrician and 20+ years in home repair and improvement. They have the ability to perform large or small repair jobs while maintaining a manageable schedule! Their jobs range from swapping out light fixtures and outlets to full scale home improvement and even commercial tenant build outs! Email Scott at [email protected] and finally tackle that project in the new year!

Beat the cold this winter at Angelina Ristorante's Neighborhood Night! Enjoy 20% off food and drink every Wednesday from 5PM to 9:30PM! Whether you cozy in with friends for some of their authentic Italian fare or enjoy one of their fantastic cocktails, you're enjoy an incredible night and incredible specials at Angelina Ristorante's neighborhood night!

Meet Business Account Executive Ed Arl. He has years of sales experience and he's ready to help you! Contact Ed to upgrade your business' internet, phone, and more at (312) 804-2022, [email protected]. #NewYearNewGoals For help on your home internet, visit astound.com or call 1-800-427-8686