Central Street’s Community Day Shares the Magic

There's something magical about Evanston's Central Street shopping district. The stretch, between Ryan Field and Crawford Avenue, is unlike any other on the North Shore. Driving it means surrendering to the powerful urge to pull over, park and find out why everybody looks so happy and relaxed as they stroll, dine al fresco and shop the inviting boutiques. With its leafy canopy and green spaces, colorful storefronts and intriguing blend of retail, dining and other attractions, Central Street is a cross between Seurat's A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte and Stars Hollow, the idyllic, personable hometown of the Gilmore Girls.

On Saturday, April 27, Central Street's Spring Community Day will share the bounty. The event is a joint project of the Central Street Business Association and the Central Street Neighbors Association. On Community Day, participating businesses donate 5-20% of every purchase to eleven Evanston and North Shore-based charities. Customers have the fun of designating which organization their purchase will support. The business then makes the donation at no additional charge.

As Rachel Hershinow, proprietor of Stella, a clothing and home accessories boutique, says, "All you have to do is shop at [participating] businesses and you're fundraising." Several businesses will also offer Community Day sales in appreciation of their customers' support for the event. Lynn Bednar of Walsh Natural Health, for one, plans to discount her all-natural skin care and body products.

Community Day celebrates community in every sense of the word. Todd Ruppenthal, Community Day's chairman and owner of the pet bakery, the Happy Husky, first heard the concept at a business retreat. It coincided with Central Street folks' desire, as a "mini-community" themselves, to build a bridge with local organizations and to give back to the community at large. Ruppenthal brought the idea back to the street and it clicked.

The benefits of Community Day are far-reaching. Donations go directly to deserving local causes and the impact is often felt immediately. A story Ruppenthal tells about the first Central Street Community Day is a powerful illustration. Back then, Community Day had only one beneficiary, the Evanston Public Library Friends. Ruppenthal went to the Friends' holiday party to deliver the Street's donation in person.

At the party, the Friends announced their next project - establishing a mini-branch at a women's shelter -- and the dollar amount it would require. During the announcement, the Friends' executive director leaned over and whispered to Ruppenthal "'Is [your donation] over that amount?'

"And I said, 'Yes, it is.' So they were able to announce at that party that they had met their fundraising goal and everyone was able to know immediately that they were going to start building that mini-library location." Buoyed by their success, the Central Street crew immediately expanded Community Day to benefit more organizations.

Hershinow recounts a similar experience with the cause she introduced to the business owners: the Evanston Woman's Club "Dreams Delivered" campaign. "Dreams Delivered" provides a boutique to girls at Evanston Township High School who couldn't otherwise afford to attend prom. The boutique includes dresses, shoes, accessories and the donated services of personal shoppers and hairstylists. Because it is a local event, residents can be sure the funds go directly to the girls as promised. Hershinow witnessed it just recently. "I saw from point A to point B how the program ran the collection - how things were donated and then actually seeing a person walk out dressed head-to-toe in donated items. It was phenomenal. They felt like princesses. There was a real connection that I was able to be part of."

On another occasion, a woman approached Hershinow to thank her for Community Day and its donation to the Center for Independent Futures. The organization helps children and adults with special needs to integrate into the community. Says Hershinow, "She said that I had no idea how important that organization is to them. It has changed their life and their child's life."

Ruppenthal also points out an additional benefit: allowing customers to pool their resources.

All year around, Ruppenthal says, people remember Community Day and tell him, "'Please relay to the Business Association what a special thing you do for the community with this event.'"

He continues, "I'll usually say, 'What organization do you work for?' And they'll say, 'Oh, I don't, but I've admired a particular organization for quite some time, but don't have the time to volunteer or the financial resources to support them, but Community Day allows me to do that.' Whereas they wouldn't have had that opportunity or they feel like the small amount they would be able to give would be embarrassing...Community Day allows them to feel they are doing their part for an organization they appreciate."

Community Day does all this and more. Shopping locally in itself has significant, even surprising impact. Ruppenthal reports, "For the average local business, $73 of every $100 stays within the community. With a nonlocal business, only $43 stays within the community." How so?

First, small local businesses don't have out-of-state executives to support or distant headquarters to maintain. They pay sales tax (unlike many online merchants). And local shops pay employees who often live, shop and pay taxes in the community. The ripple effect is so great, says Ruppenthal that, "When $100 is spent at a local retailer, it has the impact of $181."

As is also evident on Central Street, local independently-owned businesses offer charm, interest and a personal touch not found in stadium-sized department stores and anonymous strip malls.

At Stella, you'll find customers chatting like old friends about politics and pedicures. Chances are, some have arrived after a personal phone call from Hershinow alerting them to an item they'll love. At Walsh Natural Health, Bednar, a certified nutritional counselor, and her staff listen carefully and tailor recommendations to each customer. Customers never have to wander the aisles puzzling over labels and guessing. And at Happy Husky Bakery, Ruppenthal's vast knowledge of pet well-being allows him and his staff to offer freshly made, healthy treats (and free samples), pet toys (carefully vetted, no pun intended) and expert advice.

Hershinow sums it up, "Shopping locally, you get to know the people on your street. There's a sense of customer service that is unparalleled … I know people and I know their lives and their stories and who they are. [It's] that old-fashioned feeling that's kind of lost nowadays." On Central Street, customer happiness is a sincerely-felt top priority.

And while strong customer relationships are rewarding for both customers and store owners, the community ripple effects are once again considerable. As Ruppenthal points out, a warm and friendly business district makes a neighborhood a desirable place to live. Indeed, the residential neighborhoods on and around Central Street are cheery and well-maintained. Many families have lived there for generations. There are even visible roots - in the best sense. Ruppenthal recommends pausing to look up at the building facades. You will spy "ghost signs" on the stone and brick, advertising businesses - sometimes even the original businesses - that graced Central Street back when it was considered a major state throughway. The Happy Husky Bakery still receives visitors who relay how their father walked them to that same storefront when it was a barber shop. Others tell how it later became a record store.

To experience Central Street Community Day in all of its spirit, warmth, history and one-of-a-kind shopping, visit Central Street on Saturday, April 27th during store hours (mostly between 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.). Participating merchants, listed below, will have signs in their windows and a list of beneficiary organizations inside. Or you can print a Community Day flyer with a list of participating merchants and organizations at http://centralstreet-evanston.com/wp-content/uploads/Community-Day-Flyer-Spring-2013.jpg.

Read the "Stories Behind the Storefronts" of Stella, Walsh Natural Health and Happy Husky Bakery: http://evanston.patch.com/blog_posts/stories-behind-the-storefront.

Participating Businesses (with percentage donated to each organization):
Allegro Dance Boutique-15%
Apelian Rugs - 10%
an*tiq and mod*ern - 10% or $10 for a visit with no purchase
Coast Sushi + Sashimi - 10%
Foodstuff's - 10%
Gracie's - 10% and a chance at a $50 gift certificate for all who provide their email
Happy Husky Bakery - 15%
Lois & Co - 10%
Maya Papaya and Tony Macarony - 15%
Mille Fiori - 10%
Montoya Fiber Studio - 10%
North Shore Eye Center - 10%
Notice - 15%
Old Town Oil - 15%
Oliver's Trains and Toys - 10%
Perennials - 15%
Robert Gold Salon - 10% of retail sales
Stella - 15%
Symphony's - 10%
The Spice House - 15%
Walsh Natural Health - 10%

Benefiting Organizations for Central Street Community Day Spring 2013:
C.A.R.E. for the Evanston Shelter - Adoption and health services for pets without homes
Center for Independent Futures - Evanston - Helping adults with disabilities plan, support and sustain new ways of living in the community.
Evanston Connections for the Homeless - Housing and Homelessness prevention programs for Evanston residents in need
Evanston Environmental Association - Quality environmental education through the Evanston Ecology Center and the support of environmental projects that benefit the residents of Evanston
Evanston Public Library Friends - Strengthening the Evanston Public Library's innovation, leadership and community outreach
Evanston Symphony Orchestra - Accessible classical music entertainment that enriches the audience, orchestra & community
Fisher Dance Center - The Dance Foundation - Teaching life lessons and passion through dance
Mitchell Museum of the American Indian - An Evanston museum with a unique focus on the history, culture and art of the American Indian and First Nation peoples of the U.S. and Canada
Woman's Club of Evanston - Dreams Delivered Program - Prom dresses, jewelry and accessories to senior girls at Evanston Township High School to help them with the cost of attending their senior prom.
Y.O.U. Evanston - Services and leadership to meet the needs of disadvantaged youth