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Welcome to The West Ridge Chamber of Commerce
Greetings!
The West Ridge Chamber of Commerce is a City of Chicago delegate agency here to service the businesses located within our community. We offer events and seminars throughout the year that can assist you with many of your business needs. Please feel free to contact us at anytime if you need business assistance. Get a FREE Trial of Constant Contact!  As a THANK YOU for being a supporter of our Chamber, please enjoy a FREE trial of Constant! Just click below to sign up! Sign up for your FREE trial
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Attention Business Owners
Bridget Gainer wants your feedback!
Cook County Commissioner Bridget Gainer represnets the 10th District which includes portions of West Ridge. She is looking for important input from small business owners. Please click below to take her survey.
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West Ridge Chamber Hosts Successful Spring Clean Up Day
On Sunday, April 10 the West Ridge Chamber hosted its 4th annual Spring Clean Up Day. Businesses and residents were encouraged to participated by bringing old documents and papers to be shredded on site and to bring old electronic devises to be recycled.
Additionally, the Chamber, WRPCO and the Rogers Park Business Alliance hosted a spring clean up day on Western Avenue. The clean up was part of the LISC funded implementation of the Western Avenue Commercial Study that the organizations participated in 2010.
We collected 44 cellular phones, 7,166 pounds of electronics and shredded over 8,000 pounds of paper. The event was co-sponsored by the West Rogers Park Community Organization, Devon Bank & Music House.
A big THANK YOU to all of the Chamber Board members and volunteers that helped, McDonald's for providing coffee, Music House for providing entertainment & Midway Document Destruction. |
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FUNDRAISING PLANT SALE
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Sponsored by the Indian Boundary Park Advisory Council and The Northtown Garden Society to benefit the gardens of Indian Boundary and Warren Parks.
Ample parking is available.
{Featuring 10+ varieties of heirloom tomatoes grown from seed without chemicals or pesticides{Herbs{Hostas and other perennials donated by our wonderful neighborhood gardeners {Perennials, flats of annuals and hanging baskets available by pre-order.**To pre-order annuals, baskets or perennials, download a pre-order form at www.indianboundaryparkadvisorycouncil.org or pick one up at the Warren Park or Indian Boundary Park Fieldhouses. Pre-orders must be submitted no later than May 1, 2011. 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
Warren Park Fieldhouse, 6601 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL
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SBIF Money is Available for Touhy & Western Businesses
The Small Business Improvement Fund uses TIF dollars to provide grants up to $150,000 to businesses located within the TIF district. Currently, the Touhy/Western TIF is accepting applications.
The grants do not have to be repaid!
Eligible Expenses For a SBIF Grant include, but are not limited to:
- New windows, floors or roof
- Sign removal and replacement
- Tuck pointing
- New heating, ventilation and air conditioning
- Improvements to accommodate disabled patrons or workers
- Purchase of adjacent property for building expansion or parking
To obtain your application, please go to Somercor 504 or contact the West Ridge Chamber. |
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SBIF Money is Available for Touhy & Western Businesses
The Small Business Improvement Fund uses TIF dollars to provide grants up to $150,000 to businesses located within the TIF district. Currently, the Touhy/Western TIF is accepting applications.
The grants do not have to be repaid!
Eligible Expenses For a SBIF Grant include, but are not limited to:
- New windows, floors or roof
- Sign removal and replacement
- Tuck pointing
- New heating, ventilation and air conditioning
- Improvements to accommodate disabled patrons or workers
- Purchase of adjacent property for building expansion or parking
To obtain your application, please go to Somercor 504 or contact the West Ridge Chamber. |
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News From the North Town Garden Society
We're planning an interesting line-up of speakers. We'll meet as usual, the first Thursday of each month: May 5 at the Warren Park fieldhouse, at 7pm. Please mark your calendars.
Saturday, May 14, giant plant sale at Warren Park in collaboration with the Indian Park Advisory Board. With Michael Oster organizing, this sale of mostly homegrown and organic plants has the potential to be an excellent fundraiser for the garden we wish to develop at Warren Park(volunteers to grow and sell plants will be needed).
Thursday, June 16 NGS Garden Walk
(volunteers to distribute fliers will be needed)
Sunday, June 26 Tea in Eva's Garden
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Pamper Yourself...and Save on Taxes
As a business owner, you have a unique opportunity to bathe yourself in luxury at your place of business, and deduct the costs as a business expense. "In my professional opinion, purchasing a fine oriental carpet for a business office to impress the clientele is a deductible business expense." says Asif Vadaria, CPA at TaxCutters, Inc. in Chicago.
So, think about how you can create a more enjoyable work environment for yourself. Would you enjoy a private bath adjacent to your office, walls decorated with fine art or a fine oriental carpet on your floor? Whatever it is, go for it. It is probably deductible as a business expense.
Dennis J. Frantsve
TaxCutters, Inc
We've Moved!! 2457 W. Peterson
773-728-1500. |
Midwest Travel Writers Association Visits Devon Avenue  The Midwest Travel Writers Association (MTWA) is the longest-running professional travel journalists association in the country. We are proud to have welcomed its members to Chicago, the city where MTWA was founded, for this 60th Anniversary Conference, April 6 - 10, 2011. The Chicago Cultural Center designed a unique selection of tours to offer an incredible glimpse of the best that Chicago has to offer. Built individually around engaging themes, such as environmental sustainability, ethnic culture and cuisine, art & architecture, and fashion, each tour invited writers to experience a different Chicago neighborhood. Devon Avenue's Indian business district was selected to be one of the featured stops. Writers toured N.P. Jewelers, Reshem's and Patel Brothers Grocery store looking for ideas to use in their writings. |
Office Depot Saves You Money!
The West Ridge Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Office Depot stores to bring you discounts on the most frequesntly purchased office supplies.
We encourgae all local businesses to sign up for this unique program.
Discounts can be used at any Office Depot store or online. Deals can be up to 40% off items such as paper, toner and ink. Even office fruniture and printing are included. Please contact the Chamber to sign up!
Find Out More Here!
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Business owners have a lot worry about! 
With the Business Owners Legal Solutions Plan, we can help ease some of those worries. As a part of the BOLSP membership, you have access to quality lawyers for legal advice and services and also receive valuable consulting and more with GoSmallBiz.com. Let Fran Tarkenton Help Advertise your Business. FREE ONE YEAR Gosmallbiz.com. Growing America One Business at a Time. Call your Pre-Paid legal Independent Associate for more information. Eric Finkelstein at 312 569 0068 or gosmallbizchgo@gmail.com
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Upcoming Events
A Culinary Journey
to India
Thursday, May 12
630pm
Hema's Kitchen
2439 W. Devon
$35 per person
Buy tickets now
"Social Media -
The good, the bad & the ugly"
Thursday, May 19, 2011 830-1030am
DeVry University
3300 N. Campbell
FREE
Do It Yourself Seach Engine Optimization
Wednesday,
June 8, 2011
9am-11am
United Central Bank
6335 N. Western Ave
$5 for WRCC members/$10 for non members
The Moose Grill
Wednesday. July 20 530-730pm
7210 N. California
Meet other Chamber members and business owners
FREE for WRCC members
/ $5 for non-members
Northwest Network Golf Outing
Wednesday,
August 24, 2011
1:30pm shotgun start
White Pines Golf Club
$150 per golfer
3rd Quarter 2011 Luncheon
Thursday, September 8 1230-2pm
Location TBA
Speaker: Kim Valente from JVS Chicago
"Preparing a Business Plan to Present to a Financial Institution"
$15 for WRCC members/$20 non-members
Joint Networking Event!
West Ridge Chamber of Commerce & Jewish B2B Networking
Wed. September 14
8am - 9:30am
Devon Fish & Pizza
$15 in advance
$20 at the door
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April New & Renewing Chamber Members
Carr's Honda
Decatur Classical School
Doug Kahn
Ease the Day
Femi Memorial Outreach Fund
Home Instead Senior Care
Insurance World Agency
JK Kabab House
Law Offices of Virgina Prihoda
Lincolnwood Chiropratic Health Center
Midwest Asian American Center
The Moose Grill
Republic Bank
State Rep Lou Lang
We thank you for your support!
Need to pay your 2011 dues?
PAY HERE |
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SSA #43 Devon Avenue
The West Ridge Chamber of Commerce is the Service Provider for the Devon Avenue Special Service Area.
Spring 2011 Services Include:
sidewalk sweeping and trash can emptying
M, W, F, Sa & Sun
weekly servicing of the 24 Big Belly Solar cans
Landscaping of 20 City of Chicago Planters between Western & California
Purchasing & installing 8 new flower planters like the one pictured below.
4 will be installed between Damen & Western and 4 will be installed between California & Kedzie
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Recycling Options
The Chamber sponsors two locations for you to recycle paper 24/7/365
Devon Bank
6445 N. Western Avenue
High Ridge YMCA
2424 W. Touhy Avenue
You can drop off business or school papers, magazines, newspapers or soft covered books at either location at anytime day or night.
All papers are used to make recycled newsprint. Plus, the Chamber uses this program as a way to raise funds for our programs. We collect a small monetary amount per ton of paper we collect each month.
Save the earth & support your local Chamber.
In 2010, West Ridge recycled 31.68 tons of paper! |
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Available Properties
The Devon Bank Building has office space for rent. Please contact Irv Loundy at 773-423-2424 for details!!
Commercial Space
2818 W. Devon, Chicago
$329,000
call 847-863-4977 |
Discover the Business Value of your Library Card
Free open house at the Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center.
400 S. State Street Business Dept, 4th fl Tuesday, May 17
11am -1pm |
Here Comes the Sun Fashion Show
Cancer survivor group Here Comes the Sun will host a male fashion show on Wed. June 8 from 7-10pm at Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant.
(7537 N. Clark) Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Here Comes the Sun website. Here Comes the Sun |
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