2024 was a big year for small and industrial businesses in the North Branch and our service area. Here are the top ten stories from the North Branch of the Chicago River:
1. Small businesses win grants in partnership with NBW. We were thrilled to help small businesses in our service area secure grants in 2024. Taqueria Amigo Chino won a Restaurant Strong grant ($5,000) and a Backing Small Business grant ($10,000). In December, Parachute Hifi, Anelya, and Brothers Restaurant won Restaurant Strong grants of $5,000. Our staff loves helping small businesses secure national grants; please reach out to us for grant writing assistance.
Bhargav Maganti & Igor Karlicic, co-founders of Monarc Sport
2. In October, the City of Chicago recognized two manufacturers in the North Branch with Manufacturing Awards. Monarc Sport won the Rising Star Award and Bel-Mar Wire Products, Inc. won the Resilience in Manufacturing Award. Along with these companies, our board member, Dr. Sonat Birnecker Hart of KOVAL Distillery, received the Manufacturing Leader Award.
3. In March, NBW organized and held the first ever, “Women Leaders of the North Branch," panel discussion at MxD (1415 N Cherry Street) on Goose Island. This event provided a platform for accomplished women from diverse fields to share their career experiences and insights. Panelists included Kimberly Moore (KDM Engineering, Calculated Genius, and 1308 Chicago), Tammy Phillips (Jane Addams Resource Corporation), Becca Tiwet (VoxSomnia), and Angela Acursoe (MxD). Please see this recap post for more details.
4. A packed house at The Hideout enjoyed NBW’s inaugural Pub Trivia Night. Over forty participants competed in three rounds of trivia to be crowned the winner. After an intense competition, MxD’s trivia team, “Let’s Get Quizzical,” emerged victorious. Bill Hurley proudly accepted the prize—a genuine NFL football from Horween Leather Company and tickets to the upcoming NBW boat tour.
Pub Trivia night at The Hideout
5. The City of Chicago’s Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) was open in three TIF Districts in the North Branch in 2024: Western Avenue South, River West, and Addison South. SBIF is an amazing program that provides reimbursable grants to businesses for building improvements. NBW led the outreach to businesses in these TIF Districts, resulting in nearly sixty businesses applying for grants that range between $150,000 and $250,000.
6. Prosperity Now selected North Branch Works as one of four organizations across the country to create a Green Business Accelerator in Chicago. In 2025, NBW will work with our partners to create a network that supports businesses entering the green economy.
7. During our Fall Fest, NBW recognized several businesses and organizations for their significant contributions to the area. The Alley Chicago received our Small Business of the Year Award, Ozinga won our Industrial Business of the Year, and Steve Kersten of WaterSaver Faucets received the Donna Ducharme Award for Outstanding Leadership to the North Branch Community. In addition, we recognized IMEC as our Partner of the Year, and VoxSomnia as our New Business of the Year.
Chad Herst, Ozinga, accepting NBW's Industrial Business of the Year Award at Fall Fest
8. Chicago’s music community mourned the loss of Steve Albini, the legendary musician and recording engineer, in May. For many years, Albini operated his studio, Electrical Audio (2621 W. Belmont) in the North Branch. In November, the City of Chicago renamed the stretch of Belmont Avenue in his honor: Steve Albini Way. To read more about his legacy as a business owner in our service area, please see this post.
9. The Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center and NBW launched a partnership to bring resources to industrial and manufacturing businesses in the North Branch. We promoted the open Cook County Manufacturing Reinvented Program, resulting in over twenty manufacturing businesses receiving over $100,000 in technical assistance at no cost. The projects completed by these businesses will position them for significant growth.
Steve Albini, Electrial Audio
10. NBW welcomed three new board members in December: Anne Djerai of Metropolis Coffee Company, Kimberly Moore of KDM Engineering, Calculated Genius and 1308 Chicago, and Paul Megalis, owner and founder of Maplewood Brewery & Distillery.
NBW would like to recognize the Chicago Department of Planning and Development and the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection for providing the funding that supports our work with businesses.
Our staff would also like to recognize our partners who made significant contributions to our success this year. These partners include the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC), World Business Chicago, SomerCor, Allies for Community Business, Women's Business Development Center, Manufacturing Renaissance, and North River Commission.
Thank you to our members and supporters for a productive and fun year.
