Holiday shoppers will see many new facades in Evanston’s Central Street Business district, an eclectic mix of local businesses stocked with seasonal items. According to a nonprofit group that manages the area, the business corridor, which runs east and west of the intersection of Central Street and Green Bay Road, saw 18 storefronts open in 2024.
According to Central Street Evanston’s Community Director Angela Shaffer, approximately 90% of businesses between the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum, formerly the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, and the Evanston Arts Center on Central Street are independently owned. Shaffer said many of those businesses’ owners live in Evanston.
“Everyone’s really close,” Shaffer said. “The businesses all get along, they know each other, and I think that’s what brings the energy to the district.” The stores in the corridor include bakeries, bars, pet care shops, restaurants, apparel boutiques, food specialty stores, eye glass stores and more in a mile and a half strip.
Shaffer highlighted some new businesses to Pioneer Press. She mentioned Gym 1801, a fitness center focusing on yoga and jiu jitsu and other open-floor activities, which opened at 1801 Central Street; Boutique Alicia Mohr, which opened at 2014 Central Street; comic book store Heroines and Heroes, which opened at 2026 Central Street; YWCA Shop for Good, which opened at 2122 Central Street; pet care shop Follow Your Nose, which is located at 2016 Central Street; and the soon-to-open Celtic Knot, which occupies space at 2022 Central Street.
And while Tag’s Bakery will remain open, Tag’s Cafe is closing and will have its last day Dec. 28. Tag’s Bakery will feature savory menu items from Tag’s Cafe, according to Shaffer.
Several of the new businesses, including Alicia Mohr, Celtic Knot, and Follow Your Nose, had operated in different locations other than Central Street before relocating this year. Alicia Mohr, the owner of the Alicia Mohr boutique, said she opened her store on Central Street after operating the shop for five years at Westfield Old Orchard Shopping Center in Skokie. Mohr said she wanted more control of her business’ hours and wanted to get out of the construction zone going on near Old Orchard.
Mohr said the shop did really well at Old Orchard, and that her repeat customers have been able to find the new store and keep patronizing it in Evanston. She opened the Central Street location on Aug. 24, she said.
“I think we bring a unique vibe and style to Central Street,” Mohr said. She said her store, which sells a mix of clothing, jewelry, accessories and other cute items, does really well with mother-daughter shopping experiences and caters to an age range of girls in their teens to young women in their 30s.
Mohr said she also wanted to provide the area with a store that would cater to Northwestern University students, she herself being an alum. “I remember just struggling to find places to shop when I was there that didn’t require transportation, so I hope we’re filling a need for them,” she said.
The Central Street business corridor is split into three parts. The west part is the area closer to Gichigamiin Museum; the center part is closer to Independence Park, and the eastern part, which is east of Green Bay Road and near Ryan Field. The business corridor also includes sections of Green Bay Road and Prairie Avenue where they cross Central Street.
The Central Street Evanston Organization held a Holiday Stroll Shopping and Dining Event on Nov. 16. and a Small Business Saturday event Nov. 30. Next on the calendar is a Late-er Night Thursday event, featuring dining and shopping specials, on Dec. 12. Some stores will stay open until 7 p.m.
Evanston is also offering a free parking promotion for the holiday period, from Nov. 27 through Jan. 1. Drivers can get up to two hours of free parking by downloading the Park Evanston app and entering the code “Holiday2024.” It’s valid for app users once per day per account.
