The City of Evanston last month launched a new website called Enjoy Evanston to create a one-stop-shop to explore the city’s different business communities and increase the city’s customer base.
“A top wish list item that emerged from resident and visitor feedback was to have an easy-to-navigate information hub that listed businesses and offerings in each of the city’s nine business districts,” former Communications Manager Jessie Mayo wrote in a Feb. 29 news release. “This reinforced what was heard from local business owners — a desired platform to feature their businesses and feel connected to the community.”
Evanston’s new website features all nine of the city’s business districts in one place, something the city was lacking in its efforts to assist local business owners grow their enterprises.
“There wasn’t really any centralized marketing function for city-wide economic development,” Main-Dempster Mile Executive Director Katherine Gotsick told Pioneer Press. “There was messaging for each business district separately but the missing opportunity was to centralize it and have a central source of messaging.”
The website offers a description of each business district to tell potential visitors what to expect. For instance, the Main-Dempster Mile is characterized as a “walkable, jam-packed retail district (featuring) something for everyone — from vegetarian fare to Detroit style pizza to Argentine gelato. (There are also) live shows at SPACE (alongside) many eclectic retail shops, galleries and studios.”
Gotsick expects this will make the city more attractive to prospective businesses, saying many business owners appreciate the resources each local business district offers its participating businesses. She says the city jumping in to provide more resources should only build Evanston’s value to prospective businesses.
“I’m able to just say, ‘Here’s what the neighborhood offers in terms of support and here’s all the cool stuff that happens here and all the events you can participate in’” Gotsick said. “So if (the city) doubles that support then that would be attractive to new business owners.”
The Enjoy Evanston website stems from discussions around the May 2023 Evanston Thrives Action Plan. Economic Development Manager Paul Zalmezak says the website is just the beginning.
“We hope to continue to add to it and evolve the content and business features in the months and years ahead,” Zalmezak said.
Gotsick said she hopes the city will continue its initiatives to attract an audience outside of Evanston as well. She proposed expanding newsletter initiatives and partnering with other local organizations.
“I would love to see the city create a database of people outside Evanston for marketing (initiatives),” Gotsick said. “So people start to think of Evanston as a destination and are coming in from the outside.”
Corey Schmidt is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.