Support Your Local Artist Communities

While people remain aware that supporting local small businesses is essential to keeping people employed and sustaining communities, many people overlook something integral; the arts and the small businesses created by those in music, photography, sculpture, painting, writing, and dance are an irreplaceable part of each of our local communities and many of those industries are effected by the tightening of purse strings.
The next time you need a band or photographer, look no further than your neighbourhood; you never know what kind of talent is literally around the corner!
When shopping for something to hang over the fireplace, why not skip the mass market retailers and get a one of a kind piece from local artists and sculptors?
Support local music teachers by passing out their cards to friends looking for instructors and hire local makeup artists for video shoots and special events.
Each town is bustling with creativity that needs the opportunity to work, and often these people work to support their passions in addition to their families.
This web site would not exist if not for the support of readers throughout the world and we do all we can to support others in kind. Here are some of our favourite local artists and small businesses; artistic and otherwise.

Emmy Star Brown~ An amazing up and coming artist, I am truly proud to share my home city with her! She uses old windows and other things that many people would consider trash and turns them into amazing pieces of art with her painting and Sharpie drawings.
With pieces ranging from $25 for some of the glassware, to window paintings that range in price from $50-$800 depending on size and amount of detail, there’s literally something for every budget.

Gepetto’s Toy Box~ Located on Lake Street in the heart of Oak Park, Gepetto’s Toy Box is the coolest store around today. Focusing on specialty and educational toys rather than Barbies and Disney Princesses, the goods on offer at Gepetto’s are so cool you won’t have to let the kids know they actually learning as they play! The staff are helpful and knowledgeable and, best of all, they have toys all over the place that you’re encouraged to play with in the store!
It’s a lot like the late, great Carousel Fare, which was in Downers Grove in the 90’s.

The Baked Apple Breakfast Co.~ Longtime readers know that, for whatever reason, I’m unable to work at home in my office most of the time. I’ve always been more focused and efficient when writing at local coffee shops and restaurants and, until lately, that was divided pretty equally between two places. Then The Baked Apple Breakfast Company opened in Downers Grove.
Located down the street from where I grew up, the location itself is enough to feel like home for me. Then take in to account the careful planning spent on each detail of the warm, contemporary decor and the never-ending coffee, and you have one happy writer!
While some would argue that restaurants can’t really be considered an art form, I disagree. The creativity put forth on the menu of BABC alone is reason enough to visit. With items on the menu called The Uncle Jesse (a spinach, feta, and tomato omelette…get it?) and The Ex (a monte cristo sandwich that, despite knowing how bad it is for you, you keep wanting more of) the first visit is usually spent reading through the names of dishes on the menu, determining how you can possibly choose just one, and laughing aloud at the names and descriptions. The owners, George Doulas and his sons Angelo and Nick, are always walking around, mingling with patrons, and making sure a coffee cup is never left empty. It has definitely become my primary writing spot, in addition to bringing friends there whenever the opportunity presents itself. It’s worth mentioning that everyone I’ve brought there has loved it and the locals have been back without me (how dare they!)

Gotcha! Photography by Nicole~ Based a bit further outside of Chicago than the others (Springfield, to be exact), Gotcha! Photography is a company whose focus is on special occasions as much as it on family portraits and anything else you may need.
Photographer Nicole Tolbert has made the most of her passion for photography and natural ability to make a family photo anything but ordinary. I’m not certain how far they’ll travel but it’s definitely worth sending them an email to inquire.

There are so many amazing bands and musicians in the Chicago area that it’s nearly impossible to mention a select few.
That said, they are everywhere. Not only in Chicago, but anyplace on the globe will have artists with various musical styles and abilities and, the further they are from your comfort zone, the more likely you are to learn from them.
Ask for recommendations of music from various cultures and ethnicities in addition to supporting artists in your area who make music you’d gravitate toward naturally.

Be it a band, photography studio, artist, musician, or kitschy restaurant, there is creativity all around us that needs to be supported.
As is the case with top-selling artists, public support is required to sustain businesses. They support their communities and are ever so grateful for the support they receive in return.
What are some of your favourite area artists and hangouts?