Skip to content
Microfocus

Microfocus

Mad about business

Primary Menu Microfocus

Microfocus

  • Business Owner
  • Business Ideas
  • Business News
  • Business Law‎
  • Business
  • Real estate
  • About Us
    • Sitemap
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise Here
  • Business Owner

Evanston businesses expand through co-ownership, collaboration Evanston businesses expand through co-ownership

Malik Runswick May 1, 2022
Four+restaurants+with+a+fish+above+two+and+a+loaf+of+bread+above+the+other+two.

Illustration by Olivia Abeyta

Restaurants and stores around Evanston are relying on each other for support in rebuilding their customer base. Some sell each other’s products, while others share an owner.

When restaurant owner CD Young (Kellogg ’96) opened elephant + vine in Evanston this spring, she reflected on her two ‘sister restaurants’ as support systems for each other.

“It’s a sisterhood, not a brotherhood, and that language speaks volumes,” she said. “To me, it does go back to the historically female way of looking after each other and taking care of each other.” 

Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Evanston businesses and restaurants have teamed up to expand their business to a wider audience. Whether it’s selling products at another business or sharing the same owner, businesses are relying on local networks for support as they begin to rebuild their customer base.

Elephant + vine is owned by the same umbrella company, Wild Thing Restaurant Group, as sister venue and Winnetka neighbor Spirit Elephant. Wild Thing unites the two venues through its mission to create plant-based food, according to Young.

The Evanston-based restaurant serves vegan burgers, sandwiches, wraps and bowls. Though it shares dishes like its signature cauliflower wings with Spirit Elephant, the counter-service business model at elephant + vine sets the restaurant apart from its sit-down sister.

“With both restaurants, we want to take you away from the everyday and give you this wonderful dining experience,” Young said. “Just because elephant + vine isn’t full service, we don’t leave behind the hospitality component.” 

Elephant + vine is not the only location in the city where such sights are common. Brewbike started selling Bennison’s Bakery pastries in September 2021 after seeking a more local vendor, according to Glory Aliu, a Weinberg senior and Brewbike’s front of house manager.

“I encourage businesses to try to source from other local businesses to support the community,” she said. “It’s a good thing, and Bennison’s makes good pastries.” 

Aliu said students appreciate the accessible and delicious food option when studying in the library, with chocolate donuts and lemon poppy seed muffins being crowd favorites.

Koi Fine Asian Cuisine & Lounge in Evanston also has a ‘sister restaurant’ relationship with Le Sud Mediterranean Kitchen in Chicago’s Roscoe Village.

Owner Sandy Chen left China when she was 16 years old to take part in Chicago’s culinary scene. Koi, which opened in 2004, draws from her Chinese heritage.

The concept for Le Sud came about during a trip to the South of France. Inspired by the open-air farmers markets she passed everyday, Chen fell in love with French-Mediterranean fusion cuisine.

“I wanted to do something different with Le Sud,” Chen said. “I needed a challenge. I loved French, but at the same time, my knowledge was limited, so I had to go and live it for myself.” 

While Le Sud and Koi are two different restaurant concepts, Chen’s mission to bring delicious food from meaningful places unifies them, she said. 

Pono Ono in Evanston was similarly used as a jumping off point for owner Jack DeMar’s new restaurant, Picnic, which is set to open in Evanston on May 1.

While Pono Ono draws from a traditional Asian cuisine with dishes like poke and mochiko chicken, Picnic will focus more on salads and grain bowls. 

As business owners continue to unify their restaurant ventures throughout the city, DeMar said he has really appreciated the opportunity to expand both his businesses and his creative side.

“Pono was my first adventure into opening and operating restaurants,” he said. “It helped me get a much clearer frame of mind for what I need to do at Picnic to be successful. When it became time to explore something else, I was prepared.” 

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @charlottehrlich

Related Stories: 

— New vegan restaurant elephant + vine increases plant-based food options in Evanston

— Pono Ono to bring ‘authentic’ Hawaiian poke to Evanston

— Best Dessert: Bennison’s Bakery

Tags: Amazon Business Login, Amazon Business Prime, Bank Of America Business Account, Best Business Schools, Business Attorney Near Me, Business Bank Account, Business Card Holder, Business Card Maker, Business Card Template, Business Cards Near Me, Business Casual Attire, Business Casual Shoes, Business Casual Woman, Business Plan Examples, Ca Business Search, Ca Sos Business Search, Capital One Business Credit Card, Chase Business Checking, Chase Business Credit Cards, Chase Business Customer Service, Chase Business Login, Chase Business Phone Number, Cheap Business Cards, Citizens Business Bank, Cox Business Login, Digital Business Card, Facebook Business Suite, Finance In Business, Free Business Cards, Google Business Login, Harvard Business School, Lands End Business, Massage Parlor Business Near Me, Michigan Business Entity Search, Mind Your Business, Mind Your Own Business, Ohio Business Search, Risky Business Costume, Skype For Business, Small Business Loan, Small Business Saturday 2021, Starting A Business, Texas Business Entity Search, Triumph Business Capital, Vending Machine Business, Verizon Business Customer Service, Vonage Business Login, Wells Fargo Business Account, Yahoo Small Business, Yahoo Small Business Login

Continue Reading

Previous Rescuers Seek Survivors at Kyiv Apartment Building Hit During U.N. Chief’s Ukraine Visit
Next Learning from Lululemon – When Should You Expand Your Offerings?

More Stories

  • Business Owner

Future of Digital Marketing

Malik Runswick June 4, 2023 0
  • Business Owner

Highly Effective Digital Marketing Strategies

Malik Runswick June 2, 2023 0
  • Business Owner

Things to Think About When Purchasing a Direct Mailing List

Malik Runswick May 31, 2023 0
June 2023
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
« May    

Archives

  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017

Recent Posts

  • Key Success Factors For Starting Your Own Commercial Cleaning Franchise
  • Suzuki Supersport Motorbikes: Power and Innovation
  • Branding – Creating a Brand Strategy For Your Business
  • 7-11 Stores Made the List of Top 25 Franchises in 2009
  • Future of Digital Marketing

BL

You may have missed

  • Business Law‎

Key Success Factors For Starting Your Own Commercial Cleaning Franchise

Malik Runswick June 8, 2023 0
  • Business News

Suzuki Supersport Motorbikes: Power and Innovation

Malik Runswick June 6, 2023 0
  • Business Economics

Branding – Creating a Brand Strategy For Your Business

Malik Runswick June 6, 2023 0
  • Business Law‎

7-11 Stores Made the List of Top 25 Franchises in 2009

Malik Runswick June 5, 2023 0
  • Business Owner

Future of Digital Marketing

Malik Runswick June 4, 2023 0
microfocus-x-ray.com | CoverNews by AF themes.

WhatsApp us