ENGLEWOOD — The economic focus in Englewood has been on revitalizing the neighborhood by attracting new businesses — so much so that some existing shop owners are feeling they have been ignored.
"Who’s focusing on the existing? How are we rallying them and understanding their needs as businesses that have been here for 20, 30, 40 years? Who has their voice?’” said Felicia Slaton-Young, the executive director of the Greater Englewood Chamber of Commerce.
Slaton-Young officially launched the chamber in August of 2015 but wasn't ready to really begin marketing and hosting events until recently, she said. The organization's first big event will be a networking effort at Powell’s Barbershop, 1139 W. 63rd St., on Jan. 14 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The event is for Englewood business owners, but all are welcome, she said. It's the first of eight planned at local businesses this year, with the goals of highlight existing shops, encouraging more people to support them and hearing concerns.
There are more than 400 registered businesses in the Greater Englewood community, she said.
Englewood Square, which includes a Whole Foods Market and Starbucks, and organizations like the Greater Englewood Community Development Corporation that want to bring in new businesses are great, Slaton-Young said.
But all businesses should get similar help and attention, she said.
Englewood used to have a Chamber of Commerce, but it hadn’t been active since 2003, Slaton-Young said. One of her first tasks in the new effort was to survey current business owners; she found local businesses hungry for help and feeling left out.
“There are so many resources being thrown at the new, but how we can we get access to some of this information, some of these dollars? We wanted to really be a part of making sure that as we focus on economic development, that all of the businesses and business owners were included.”
Powell’s Barbershop owner Sunni Powell, an Englewood native, said there isn’t enough unity among Englewood business owners. Having operated in the community for nearly seven years, Powell said one problem is that business owners don't get together much to know each other better. As such, they rarely offer support to each other, he said.
In addition to being a part of the new collaborative business effort, he’s also hoping that by hosting the first event at his shop, more people will feel comfortable supporting it. Since a shooting at the shop that left one dead and another wounded last May, business hasn’t been as busy, Powell said.
“People aren’t coming to the barbershop,” Powell said. “We want them to know that we’re here, we’re all licensed and from the neighborhood. You can leave your son here, go shopping, and come back to see him looking good.”
Powell said he believes that what the Greater Englewood Chamber of Commerce is doing will build up the community again.
“We don't have a lot of black folks or business owners working together,” he said. “A lot of us are putting money out there, but we don’t support each other.”
Powell warned that if local businesses aren't supported, they'll be forced to close and “outsiders will come in.” Chain stores don’t have the same level of commitment to the community the way neighborhood residents who own businessmen in Englewood have, he said.
The hope of this new initiative is that those with an entrepreneurial spirit will want to work in the community.
“It’ll give a greater sense of community and inspire people to want to start a business in Englewood,” Powell said.
To learn more about the Greater Englewood Chamber of Commerce visit them at www.GEchamber.com and follow them on Facebook.
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