Economic Report Shows Business Growth in Evanston

Numbers via Evanston Edge

Some positive economic news was shared by the Evanston Edge, the city’s economic development corporation, when it released its report for the first quarter of 2015 this week.

Since the first of the year, 13 new businesses have opened in Evanston, with permits pulled for $85.7 million in commercial construction. That’s nearly double the amount seen through the same period in 2014, according to the report.

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The report highlights the openings of Little Beans Cafe, which now operates in a spot that was vacant for nearly a decade at 430 Asbury Avenue; Curt’s Cafe, which opened its second location in the former Perla Cafe location at 1813 Dempster Street and Blaze Pizza on Sherman Avenue, which drew hundreds of attendees when they opened with a free pizza giveaway.

Evanston’s unemployment rate also remains under the state average.