Small Business
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Disaster relief loans available for small businesses, nonprofits and homeowners affected by July 27 storms, tornadoesAug 31, 2026 9:06 am - The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has issued a disaster declaration for the severe storms and tornadoes that struck the Chicago region on July 27. It allows homeowners, renters, businesses and certain nonprofit organizations to apply for low-interest loans to help cover losses not fully covered by insurance.
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Back to school, back to workAug 26, 2026 10:56 am - The smell of fresh paper in notebooks. The feel of new, freshly sharpened pencils. The thrill of a new backpack or a fun new binder. Back-to-school season is one that school-age kids really feel. Adults feel it too.
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‘Helping people find their stories’: Indie bookstore to open in downtown Lake ZurichAug 26, 2026 10:55 am - Politics was the introduction but it was a love of reading, writing and storytelling that fueled and sustained a partnership in an indie bookstore about to open in downtown Lake Zurich.
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English teacher opens independent bookstore in downtown Arlington HeightsAug 23, 2026 8:13 am - After 25 years teaching English to seventh and eighth graders, Dana Foley has opened Scout’s Tales, an independent bookstore in downtown Arlington Heights — the area’s first in two decades.
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Interest rates are higher, but area banks are still lending to small businesses. Here’s how to get your loan.Aug 22, 2026 9:35 am - Interest rates have come down since their peak a few years ago. However, the prime rate, which is the rate most banks charge to their best and biggest customers, is at 6.75% and most of my clients are paying at least one or two percentage points above that. So financing is still not cheap.
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‘This is an institution’: Paul’s Family Restaurant celebrates 65 years in ElginAug 21, 2026 6:00 pm - About 75 friends, family and local dignitaries gathered at Paul’s Family Restaurant on Friday, Aug. 21, to honor its 65th year in Elgin.
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Shops on Spring incubator project brings home-based businesses to a storefront in downtown ElginAug 21, 2026 12:40 pm - Shops on Spring, a storefront created by the Made-In-Elgin incubator program, held a grand opening at 42 S. Spring St. in downtown Elgin on Thursday. Four new previously home-based businesses now have their first brick-and-mortar locations.
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Plan for Chase Plaza apartments, Buffalo restaurant demolition moves to Buffalo Grove plan commissionAug 18, 2026 4:59 pm - Buffalo Grove village trustees on Monday referred a proposal to build apartments at the Chase Plaza shopping center at Arlington Heights and Lake-Cook roads to the planning and zoning commission. The plan also calls for the demolition of the former Buffalo restaurant on the outlot at the northeast corner of the intersection.
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Cat cafe planned for downtown BataviaAug 14, 2026 3:08 pm - A cat cafe, where patrons can visit with adoptable felines, plans to open in downtown Batavia.
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The Biz Week That Was: Bears uncertainty, data center moratoriums, and new Amazon store are among the highlightsAug 14, 2026 11:36 am - Chicago Bears have had ‘minimal’ talks with Illinois legislators as stadium focus remains on Hammond The Chicago Bears have had “minimal” discussions with Illinois l...