Grayslake small business owners band together to promote downtown
For busy small-business owners, it can be hard to make time to help their peers, according to Amy McCully, the owner of Grayslake's Paris Hair Design.
"Small-business owners can be in their own bubble," she said.
That's why McCully and Mellysa Kaniok of Closet Traders decided to act. They met in September to brainstorm with fellow business owner Janet Elliott of This Old Book, as well as Michelle Poe, the director of the Grayslake Heritage Center, and Grayslake Trustee Elizabeth Davies. Soon after, they formed the Downtown Grayslake Small Business Group.
"It started with us thinking how best we can collaborate and support each other and promote each other so people can see what a great little downtown we've got," Kaniok said.
They created Facebook and Instagram accounts called "Visit Grayslake" and have made it their goal to share anything and everything about downtown Grayslake to give people a one-stop place to see what's going on.
The response among residents and local business owners has been positive, Kaniok said.
"It's really about paying it forward - we share your posts, you share ours," Kaniok said, imploring her peers to tag the group in their posts. "We should all be helping each other because a thriving downtown is what we all want."
The group's first big event will try to capitalize off the day when the village's downtown is thriving the most - Black Friday. When residents flock to the big tree lighting on Nov. 23, they'll notice that many downtown businesses with new holiday displays as part of a friendly competition organized by the group.
About 15 shops will be open so the passing masses can stop in to warm up, vote on their favorite display and maybe buy something.
The idea came from McCully, who always decorates her windows for the holiday.
"I thought, 'Why isn't everyone doing this?'" McCully said.
Kaniok said she's kept her business open for several of the past tree lightings and served wine and cookies to patrons.
"It really promotes a feeling of community," she said.
The voting will start on Black Friday and continue in-store and online until Dec. 12. The winner will be announced on Dec. 13.
Davies said she's glad that the village has business owners like McCully and Kaniok who go out of their way to promote the downtown.
"The village really wants to support our downtown," Davies said, "and everyone in Grayslake loves having a quaint downtown."