The Main-Dempster Mile announced its lineup of events for Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29., encouraging residents to shop local and support Evanston’s independent businesses.
Northwestern shopping trolley to run between districts
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., a shopping trolley will run between Main-Dempster Mile and downtown Evanston, making nine stops near shopping in the two districts.
Click here to see a list of stops and stop times. The trolley is sponsored by Northwestern Neighborhood and Community Relations.
The trolley will also feature guest conductors throughout the day:
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.: The Elf on the Shelf
2 to 3 p.m.: Chicago Stars mascot SuperNova
Gift bags for shoppers who spend $100 on the Mile
From 2 to 4 p.m., shoppers who spend $100 on the Mile on Small Business Saturday can redeem their receipts for a mystery gift bag filled with merchandise donated by local businesses like Stumble & Relish, niceLena & Friends and Secret Treasures. Visit one of these two locations to redeem your receipts:
- Compass Evanston, 812 Dempster St.
- Junior League Thrift House, 920 Chicago Ave.
Free shopping bags at selected locations
Grab a souvenir shopping bag when you make a purchase at selected locations. Find an updated list of locations at the Small Business Saturday web page.
Why shopping local matters
Katherine Gotsick, executive director of the Main-Dempster Mile, cites a post she saw on her Instagram feed.
“There is a viral Instagram post from a Miami-based florist making the rounds in small business circles this holiday season,” she said. “It says ‘If adults in the U.S. moved just one $40 gift from Amazon to a small business this holiday season, that would be $10.3 billion redirected to small businesses.’ While I can’t verify those numbers, the concept makes a lot of common sense.”
“We hope to see people out all weekend after Thanksgiving,” Gotsick said. “Bring your families, shop local, eat well and do some good for the local economy.”
