Malin: Evanston’s small businesses are the foundation of this city
graduation marks 2022
Last week I went to Best Care cleaners—the same dry cleaners I’ve used since freshman years—to pluck a wrinkled outfit in a corner of my closet. The owner said she would make sure it was clean and pressed in time for graduation. Before I left, it dawned on us that this was the last time I walked into the store with an apparel in need of TLC before an important event. I previously took off blazers for job interviews or blouses for large class presentations. The owner looked at me and said, “I can’t believe how much you’ve grown.” I’ll admit I got a little teary-eyed.
Evanston small businesses become much more than a dry cleaner, a coffee shop or a hair salon for us. They mold themselves into our lives and we make an emotional connection with them. This is something I have experienced not only in the last four years living here, but also by reporting on small businesses in Evanston for The Daily.
If you know me, you know that I spent more time immersing myself in Evanston than I did on campus as a Northwestern student. And I have The Daily to thank for that. After writing in my freshman year for Campus Desk, I joined City Desk as a sophomore as a business beat reporter. I started writing about the opening and closing of businesses, their achievements, the initiatives they started and the struggles they faced. Meeting the business owners, talking to their employees, and hearing about the residents’ favorite shops was always the best part of my week.
Then when COVID-19 hit and businesses were forced to close, I saw something beautiful happen – they banded together and proceeded to support their community. Local businesses fed the needy, sewed masks for essential workers and provided entertainment in otherwise dark times. These businesses were as dependent on their customers as their customers were on them. As much as I’ve seen before, Evanston residents understand that part of what makes their neighborhoods so special — what makes them feel like home — are the businesses that drive the streets.
I can tell you the layout of Downtown Evanston Farmers Market with my eyes closed. I know where the special service areas of Central Street start and stop. I keep a running list in my head of the places you need to visit in The Maine-Dumpster Mile. And I love letting people know what businesses used to occupy a recently renovated storefront in Downtown Evanston, although those are common sense facts I’ve missed,
I can also tell you that Evanston’s small businesses are the foundation upon which this city is built. Reporting about them made me realize that these establishments are Evanston, and that supporting them is a serious responsibility. Every time you buy a latte from a local coffee shop or a novel from an independent bookstore, you’re part of helping keep their doors open—every single business owner I spoke to. Is.
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