Evanston’s retail is spread across several business districts rather than gathered in one mall. The City of Evanston counts nine, and most of them grew up around a train station, which still makes them easy to reach without a car. The mix runs from independent boutiques to national chains.
Downtown
Downtown, centered on the Davis Street Metra and CTA stops, is the largest district, with more than 300 businesses and over 85 restaurants by one reference count. Chain stores, restaurants and independent shops sit within a few blocks of Fountain Square.
The Main-Dempster Mile
This district connects Main Street, Dempster Street and the stretch of Chicago Avenue between them. Chicago’s North Shore visitors bureau describes it as home to more than 200 independent businesses, and the city notes galleries, studios and small shops along both streets. Main Street has CTA and Metra stops, and Dempster has its own CTA station.
Central Street
Central Street, in the north end of the city near the Central Street Metra station, is made up of several clusters of mostly locally owned shops and restaurants.
Howard Street, Noyes and the West End
Howard Street runs along Evanston’s southern border with Chicago and is a transfer point among the CTA Red, Purple and Yellow lines. Noyes Street has about a dozen restaurants and service businesses by the Noyes CTA stop. The city also lists the West End among its districts.
Shopping local during the season
Each November, downtown businesses mark Small Business Saturday with a shopping passport that returns an Evanston gift card for qualifying spending, and a free trolley links downtown to the Main-Dempster Mile. Individual districts hold their own open houses and late-night shopping events through December.
Retail here has also been shaped by new construction. In January 2013, for example, ground was broken for a Trader Joe’s at 1211 Chicago Ave., and downtown held its first Wedding Walk the next month to showcase bridal businesses. The city’s Evanston Thrives plan, completed more recently, looks at how to strengthen the districts’ retail, food and entertainment mix.
Sources: City of Evanston business pages; Chicago’s North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau; Downtown Evanston.