Anna Romo News Today

News about small business, including loans, grants and impacts of the COVID-19 stimulus package.

A short walk from the Damen Blue Line stop, past Milwaukee Avenue and the 606, is a new Chicago attraction called the Chicago Makers Pop Up Shop that opened its doors on Oct. 6, 2021. The store is artistically crowded with jewelry, soap, plants, photography, cutting boards, dog treats, mugs, stickers, embroidery, coffee and more...

However, the last-minute shopping rush looks quite a bit different this year. The National Retail Federation said more than 150 million plan to shop on this Super Saturday, where the call to shop small remains. As the Christmas lights glimmer along Chicagos Magnificent Mile, experts said the holiday retail trends are looking dim. "There was a downturn in retail sales in December which has never happened before," said Mary Ann Mcgrath, a marketing professor at the Loyola Quinlan School of Busine...