Berwyn Development Corporation: 2023 Q3 Report

2023

QUARTERLY REPORT 3RD QUARTER | JULY - SEPTEMBER

3322 S Oak Park Ave, 2nd Fl | Berwyn, IL 60402 (708) 788-8100 | info@berwyn.net | Berwyn.net @BerwynDevelopmentCorporation @Berwyn Development Corporation

2023 JULY - SEPTEMBER TIMELINE Sanitation Manager Training Cook County Source Grant Launch Second Saturday & Food Vendor – Berwyn Shops Event 3 Artists/Musicians on Site – Berwyn Shops Events Sombreros Workshops – Berwyn Shops Vendor Events Hiring/Insurance 101 – Berwyn Shops Training Event Business After Hours at Fitzgerald’s Women in Business Meeting with Fabiola Avitia, Cortina Heating & Cooling Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting at MacNeal Hospital’s Breast Center BDC Benefits Orientation for Chamber Members

JULY

AUGUST

Rt 66 Car Show Grand Opening of Berwyn Sprout: A Homegrown Project Berwyn Shops Presentation at the National ACCE Conference Business Corridor Roundtable – Central Berwyn Capital Development Board Outreach Event Latina Talks – Berwyn Shops Vendor Event Strive Workout Session – Berwyn Shops Event Second Saturday & Food Vendor – Berwyn Shops Event 90’s Theme on Site – Berwyn Shops Vendor Event Back-to-School Drive & Community Mural – Berwyn Shops Event Permanent Bracelets – Berwyn Shops Vendor Event Cash Flow 101 – Berwyn Shops Training Event Secret Serenade – Berwyn Shops Vendor Event Stride Workout Session – Berwyn Shops Event 1 Artist/Musician on Site – Berwyn Shops Event Launch of Community Strategic Plan Survey Nonprofit Roundtable with Josephine DiCesare, Youth Crossroads, Inc. Women in Business Meeting with Julie Polanco, Julie Naturally Membership Meeting on Cybersecurity with Fariz Burhanuddin Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting at Jardin Restaurant

SEPTEMBER

Chismosa Chats and Networking Night – Berwyn Shops Vendor Event Model Call for Sagrado Corazon Fashion Show – Berwyn Shops Vendor Event Second Saturday & Food Vendor – Berwyn Shops Event 1 Artist/Musician on Site – Berwyn Shops Event Mid-Year Check In Meeting – Berwyn Shops Event Cookie Decorating Class – Berwyn Shops Vendor Event Sagrado Corazon Collection Fashion Show – Berwyn Shops Vendor Event Marketing 101 – Berwyn Shops Training Event Fall in Love with Shopping – Berwyn Shops Vendor Event Beautiful Autumn Tea Party – Berwyn Shops Vendor Event Berwyn Shops Report Card Meetings – Berwyn Shops Events Governor’s Certificate of Appreciation Ceremony – Berwyn Shops Event Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting at Strive Fitness Women in Business After Hours at Warm Wick

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LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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As the Executive Director of the Berwyn Development Corporation (BDC), I would like to welcome you to our 3rd Quarter Report for 2023. Within this report you will find valuable information on how the BDC has contributed to economic development in the City of Berwyn.

In Q3, Berwyn residents and visitors alike witnessed the return of two of our biggest special events – Route 66 Car Show and Oktoberfest. With over 30,000 and 15,000 in attendance, respectively, these events boost foot traffic and sales for small businesses, vendors, and organizations located in Berwyn’s commercial corridors. We are thankful for the ongoing support from partners and participants who make our events possible, and we look forward to another fun-filled season in 2024!

Beyond community-wide events, the BDC continued to offer advising, educational, and networking opportunities to Berwyn businesses. Specifically, the BDC conducted over 326 one-on-one advising sessions, hosted 2 business roundtables, and facilitated 5 educational sessions. These sessions covered unique and timely topics, such as sanitation certification, government contracting, and grant application assistance.

A big thank you goes to the Illinois Restaurant Association and Capital Development Board for partnering with us to support Berwyn in Q3!

Thankfully, the tourism and advising efforts are working to both support and attract businesses. We have seen an increase in property inquiries, roundtable attendance, grant applications, and renovation projects. In fact, we have committed over $293,000 in Finish Line Grants to 26 commercial projects throughout our TIF districts – Roosevelt, Harlem/Cermak, and Depot District.

Once again, thank you to the Berwyn community for continuing to support our local businesses, special events, and new projects.

We hope you continue to share your feedback and we look forward to 2024!

Sincerely,

David Hulseberg

BERWYN

19 21 VENDORS SPONSORS

ROUTE

CAR SHOW

, 2023 August 26th

Food & non-food

The Berwyn Route 66 Car Show, an August tradition, celebrates the heritage of Route 66. This annual event showcases an array of classic and custom vehicles, offering a nostalgic walk along the iconic Route 66 for visitors.

721 CARS REGISTERED

A record 654 cars registered online this year! This left us with just 64 day-of registrations making this year’s check in the fastest yet. + 282 pre-registrants vs 2022

BERWYN

13

2023

19 BANDS &

FOOD VENDORS MUSICIANS

8,290

BEER TICKETS SOLD

Berwyn's Oktoberfest returns each September and is a celebration that all can enjoy. With a fun carnival, great live music, plenty of beer, and an international food court, the event offers a taste of Oktoberfest that is uniquely Berwyn.

BERWYN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WITH THE CITY OF BERWYN

CONTRACT

A. Business Attraction (New Business Prospects) a. The BDC provided information 328 times to new business prospects on land, buildings, demographics, labor force,

housing, education, infrastructure, and other relevant information. b. The BDC agreed to perform the following business attraction services to aid prospective businesses and developers:

i. BDC staff reviewed existing incentive programs to make recommendations and provide feedback

from the development community. The BDC continued tracking feedback by way of commercial transfer

stamps, business licenses, and building permit touches. This information is provided to the City of Berwyn by

way of the Vacant Properties Report and Building Permit Report on a semi-annual basis. ii. The BDC continued to market the Finish Line Grant Program in Berwyn’s Roosevelt, Harlem, and Depot TIF

Districts. In 2023, the BDC set aside $250,000 in the Roosevelt TIF, $250,000 in the Harlem TIF, and $100,000 to the

Depot TIF.

a. The BDC has committed $293,990.38 in Finish Line Grants to 26 projects throughout 2023 thus far.

B. Business Retention and Expansion (Existing Business Prospects) a. The BDC retention program identified the needs of existing businesses in the following ways:

i. The BDC provided information over 24,309 times via email and phone to existing businesses on economic,

demographic, or commercial real estate. Some businesses were contacted with multiple touches, hence the large

amount of retention information shared. The primary focus in Q3 of 2023 was connecting businesses to

educational opportunities and sharing financial resources, such as the Cook County Grant, Finish Line Grant, and

Revolving Loan Fund.

ii. The BDC updated information on Berwyn’s economic profile, including the available properties map, vacancy

information to aldermen, and sales tax data in our annual and quarterly reports. The BDC website was also

updated to reflect change in resources and policies from national, state, and local guidance. iii. The BDC continued to maintain a database of all Berwyn businesses and work with the Permit Administrator to

collect business licenses. iv. The BDC conducted over 7 corridor walks, 5 educational webinars, and 2 business corridor

roundtables. The roundtables focused on the Central Berwyn and all Berwyn businesses.

C. Miscellaneous a. The BDC operates the Commercial Loan and Microloan pools to assist community businesses with financing options. In Q3, the BDC renewed its status as an approved lender with Advantage Illinois. b. The BDC celebrated the successful launch of Berwyn Sprout with 30+ NEW businesses and hundreds of shoppers, residents, and partners joining the Grand Opening Ceremony. In Q3, Project Homegrown also saw Berwyn Shops alumni host successful events in their new space, Berwyn Boutique, located in Cermak Plaza.. c. The BDC continued its contract as a Community Navigator with the Cook County Small Business Source. As part of the contract, the BDC connects businesses to resources, as well as provides free one-on-one advising sessions to business owners. In Q3, the BDC team facilitated over 326 advising sessions and received about $75,000 for their efforts. d. The BDC continued its contract with the IL Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). As part of the contract, the BDC assisted business owners with the Back to Business Grant application, bringing in $85,000 to creative arts businesses in Berwyn. e. In collaboration with the City of Berwyn, the BDC continued administration of the Vacancy Ordinance. In Q3, the BDC sent notifications to 106 vacant properties. Of the 106, all were inspected, 27 appealed, 12 registered and paid, and 17 are occupied. f. In general, the BDC team continues to develop professionally. Of note, the economic development participated in the Latinx Economic Summit, ACCE, and WBDC Midwest Business conferences. The team also took IEDC, Career Readiness, and Spanish classes, as well as attended Choose DuPage, WSCCE, and Lambda Alpha International ( LAI ) events.

Berwyn Sprout - 7129 Cermak Rd. 2023 Grand Opening

Fill Up Station - 2627 S Rigeland Business Roundtable

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On August 29th, community partners, residents, friends, and family joined the BDC in celebrating the official Grand Opening of Berwyn Sprout: A Homegrown Project. With the ribbon cut, Sprout successfully launched with its first cohort of 33 small businesses, offering everything from artisanal blankets and curated clothing to handmade jewelry and skincare.

Since the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Sprout vendors have competed in pitch competitions, hosted musicians, and facilitated special events. They have even been spotlighted on news outlets, including Fox32 Chicago, Lawndale News, CBS, and more! We are already proud of our new vendors and cannot wait to see Sprout blossom in Berwyn!

Berwyn Boutique In addition to Sprout, Project Homegrown has witnessed the incredible growth of Berwyn Boutique in Q3. In general, Boutique is designed to help Berwyn Shops’ graduates build off the momentum of the Berwyn Shops to expand their product lines, increase brand awareness, and strengthen partnerships.

Since opening on June 9th, Makrame Green, Los Amigos Books, and Juicey Gems have done an amazing job facilitating interactive workshops, creating a family-friendly reading space, and hosting dynamic events. We look forward to even more collaborations in the future!

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SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING REPORT E-BLAST MARKETING RESULTS

CONSTANT CONTACT E-BLAST SUBSCRIBERS

7,109

Q3 +100 New Subscribers

The BDC’s email campaigns are split up into 4 major categories, Economic Development, Chamber, Why Berwyn, and The Berwyn Shops. By curating specific audiences we are able to make sure that the correct information is being delivered to correct people. Along with designing specific emails for defined audiences the emails are designed to improve engagement with our social media, website, and in person communication.

SOCIAL MEDIA RESULTS

AVERAGE CLICK-THROUGH-RATE:

4%

AVERAGE OPEN RATE:

46%

Q3 Even

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

LinkedIn

26.6K FOLLOWERS +805

8.9K FOLLOWERS +1,026

705 FOLLOWERS +63

SOCIAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS: FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

LinkedIn

JULY

4,244

SEPTEMBER

AVERAGE FACEBOOK ENGAGEMENT RATE (AVG <1%)

AVERAGE INSTAGRAM ENGAGEMENT RATE (AVG IS 1.22%)

TOTAL IMPRESSIONS Q3 2023 - 233K (78K+)

TOTAL IMPRESSIONS Q3 2023 - 157,161K (+50K)

5.09%

5.48%

HIGHEST PERFORMING POST IN Q3 2023: FACEBOOK:

67,007

4,557

60,991 AUGUST

52,686

0

2,335

20K

43,483

40K

59,178

60K

130,957

100K 80K

14.2K REACH 15.2K IMPRESSIONS 1,644REACTIONS

Q3 +1%

INSTAGRAM:

4,144 IMPRESSIONS 337 LIKES 3 COMMENTS