AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/tag/business/)
Two of seven groups vying for the right to develop the iconic building received the highest score in a community survey as the city moves closer to selecting a winner. 548 Development’s ”Soul City Steam Center” and Brinshore and Westside Health Authority’s “Soul City Center” each earned a 3.6 score. The winning proposal could be announced as early as this week.
Austin native Marseil Jackson plans to open an art gallery, wellness lounge and recording studio along a stretch of Chicago Avenue being developed as the Soul City Corridor. He’s purchased a vacant building in the 5800 block of Chicago Avenue to house Soul City Studios, which after renovations he aims to open early next year.
Indoor dining capacity increased this month, which helps MacArthurs, the popular soul food restaurant on West Madison Street. But the increased capacity is far more helpful to other parts of Chicago that have more restaurants. “One of the things we’re fighting right now is the lack of opportunities to sit down in a restaurant” in Austin, said Malcolm Crawford, executive director of the Austin African American Business Networking Association.
Graduate students at the University of Illinois at Chicago came up with a road map for Austin-based Gone Again Travel to survive the pandemic. Founder and CEO Crystal Dyer is hopeful about the future of her 22-year-old business.
The Chicago Department of Planning and Development hosted two community roundtables last week to get West Side residents’ input on proposals for developing the Laramie State Bank and surrounding land. Attendees expressed concern over how the projects would grow wealth, benefit the Black community and ensure community engagement.
Two Austin businesses received small business grants to help them keep their doors open during the coronavirus pandemic. Mary Shyrese Home Day Care, 5418 W. Jackson Blvd., and Raze Up Grooming, 520 S. Laramie Ave., both secured small business grants from LISC Chicago, which received funding from the Verizon Foundation. LISC is now accepting applications for its Rebuild Distressed Communities grant program. An informational webinar will be held later this week.
The 8th grade class is competing in an annual, year-long competition that introduces investing basics and the importance of financial intelligence to hundreds of students in the Chicago area. Last year, the 8th graders from St. Catherine – St. Lucy placed third out of 64 teams.
The coronavirus pandemic has posed big challenges for Black communities, and local businesses are still adjusting to the challenges. Learn how three local business owners – Liz Abunaw of Forty Acres Fresh Market, Chamille Weddington of Schweet Cheesecake and James Cole of Shine King – are coping.
The newly launched website -www.BlackShopFriday.com – provides a guide to more than 500 local Black-owned businesses – more than 40 of them in Austin – that can be searched by category and/or neighborhood. Black Shop Friday is a partnership of the city of Chicago, the Chicago Urban League and advertising agency O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul (OKRP).
Gov J.B. Pritzker visited L. May Creations, an event space on Chicago Avenue, last week to announce the release of millions of dollars in emergency relief funding. L. May Creations is one of 4,000 businesses across the state that has received a grant. There is about $175 million left to distribute, state officials say.