When Mayor Daniel Biss’s wife, Karin Steinbrueck, landed a new book contract a few years ago, he didn’t have to look hard to find the perfect spots for her surprise party.
Not far from his Central Street home, Biss chose to host the celebration at Beer on Central, with food from DeSalvo’s Pizza and dessert from Beth’s Little Bake Shop — all three small businesses then located within a few-block radius.
“It really put an Evanston stamp on the event,” Biss said. “It wasn’t generic. It wasn’t something you could have had anywhere else. I think it gives us a sense of place.”
For City Council members, supporting local businesses isn’t just part of the job — it’s a way to stay connected to their community.
Ald. Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th) and his family have been breakfast regulars at Le Peep since his now-14-year-old twins were infants. Beyond the restaurant’s “impressive” food and staff, Nieuwsma said he and his wife appreciated the small but crucial detail: The ability to strap their car seats directly into the highchairs, making it a lot easier to go out for breakfast with two young children.
While the twins are long past their car seat days, Nieuswma said the nearly-monthly tradition remains a core fixture in their family.
Nieuwsma’s daughter, Greta, said she likes to try different things on the menu. But for her dad, it’s always the same order: the Lumberjack Breakfast, substituting potatoes for fruit and taking his eggs sunny side up.
“I don’t know why they don’t rename that menu item after me,” Nieuwsma said. “Because that’s what I always get.”
Pointing to the 4th Ward business districts, Nieuwsma attributed the community’s strong support of small businesses to the neighborhood-focused atmosphere.
One of the key changes he said he’d like to invoke as an elected official is to attract more people to Evanston’s smaller business districts — not just the downtown area, which often relies on office workers for support.
“In terms of economic development, a franchise restaurant isn’t a bad thing,” he said. “But whatever we can do to support locally owned businesses — both as customers and from a public policy perspective — we should be asking ourselves those questions.”
In the city’s southernmost ward, Ald. Devon Reid (8th) said he’s looking forward to the emergence of new businesses.
Specifically, Reid pointed to Beards & Bellas, which recently opened on Howard Street. The coffee shop and hair salon blend sells personal care items specifically geared toward the Black community.
“I’m looking forward to getting some sunscreen that won’t illuminate or make me look like a piece of plastic,” Reid said.
Ald. Krissie Harris (2nd) said she enjoys having access to the many chain establishments concentrated between Clark and Church streets, mentioning Chili’s, the AMC movie theater and Sky Zone as some of her recent favorites.
As a 52-year Evanston resident, Harris has also long supported Buffalo Joe’s on Clark Street.
Several council members said they enjoy using the spaces created by local businesses as a way to interact with constituents and residents they wouldn’t otherwise get to know.
In his spare time, Biss said he “adores” shopping at Bookends & Beginnings, praising its variety and affordability. He recently led a book club discussion on “Politics is for Power” by Eitan Hersh, calling it a “fun, but also serious conversation about the state of the world.”
“My heart loves every business equally, but my credit card statement definitely has a preference for Bookends & Beginnings,” Biss said.
Email: audreypachuta2027@u.northwestern.edu
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