Diverse-owned businesses across Chicago
Everything we list in Chicago and the near suburbs, in one place. Shops, restaurants, bars, salons, contractors, agents, clinics, nonprofits and more, each with a source and a verification status you can check.
What's in Chicago
79 businesses across 15 categories
Published listings in Chicago, Evanston, and Schaumburg. Every one shows where its information came from.
By ownership, in Chicago
We are looking to add businesses in Oak Park, Cicero, Berwyn, Skokie, Naperville, Aurora, Joliet, Elgin, and Des Plaines. If you run one, this is where Chicago shoppers are already looking, and you would be the first listed in your city. A free listing puts it there.
Start with the reading
Guides to the Chicago market
Two short reads on where to eat, shop and hire around Chicago.
Businesses to know
Start here
One from each category, best tier first. Every category has its own section further down.
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Retail & Shops in Chicago
Independent retail in Chicago follows the neighborhood commercial streets: Clark Street in Andersonville, 18th Street in Pilsen, Milwaukee Avenue through Wicker Park and Logan Square, and 53rd Street in Hyde Park. Books, records, apparel, art, plants and specialty goods make up most of it. Winter hours are real, so check before you make the trip in January.
Real Estate in Chicago
Agents working Chicago and the near suburbs, including Evanston and out toward Schaumburg. Property taxes, assessment appeals, condo association finances and the difference a few blocks makes all move decisions here. Ask what an agent has closed recently in the specific neighborhood or suburb you are shopping.
Chicago, IL · Evanston, IL · Schaumburg, IL
Restaurants & Food in Chicago
Chicago kitchens are neighborhood kitchens, from Pilsen and Little Village to Bronzeville, Chinatown, Uptown and Albany Park. Dining rooms, counters, trucks and caterers are all here, so one search covers dinner tonight and food for a crowd. Patio season is short and changes the whole experience, which is worth planning around.
Community & Nonprofit in Chicago
Nonprofits and community organizations serving Chicago, from direct services and mutual aid to advocacy and youth programs. Much of this work is organized ward by ward and neighborhood by neighborhood rather than citywide. Teams are small, so email tends to be answered faster than the phone.
Bars & Nightlife in Chicago
Bars, clubs and lounges in Chicago, with long-running venues along Northalsted and in Andersonville alongside neighborhood bars across the North and South Sides. The range covers dance floors, cocktail rooms, taverns and quiet places to talk. Nights are themed and change often, so check the venue's own calendar.
Creative & Media in Chicago
Photographers, designers, videographers and marketing studios working across Chicago. Most take work citywide and into the suburbs, though travel terms are worth confirming if you are out past the city limits. Ask for recent work in the exact format you need.
Health & Wellness in Chicago
Clinics, therapists, dentists and wellness practices around Chicago, including providers who state plainly that they offer affirming care. Insurance participation varies between practices and sometimes between providers inside one, so confirm coverage before a first visit. Many therapists see clients anywhere in Illinois by video as well as in person.
Home Services in Chicago
Contractors, cleaners, handymen and repair trades working Chicago homes. The building stock is old and the winters decide the calendar, which makes roofs, tuckpointing, porches, boilers and frozen pipes the routine jobs here. Confirm license and insurance before anything structural, and book seasonal work well before the season.
Professional Services in Chicago
Consultants, accountants, bookkeepers and HR and marketing help for Chicago businesses. Much of it is remote or hybrid, so the useful question is whether a firm works with companies at your stage. For anything ongoing, ask how a retainer is priced against a project.
Beauty & Personal Care in Chicago
Salons, barbers, braiders, locticians and estheticians across Chicago, including studios built around textured hair and stylists who offer gender-affirming cuts. Suite-based booking is common, so you book a person rather than a shop. Longer services take deposits and the busiest chairs book weeks out.
Education & Training in Chicago
Tutors, coaches, workshops and training programs around Chicago, working one to one and in small groups. Some run on the school-year calendar, others take students year round. Ask about age ranges and about sliding-scale or scholarship spots.
Financial Services in Chicago
Advisers, planners and insurance agents working with Chicago households and small businesses. How someone is paid, fee-only or commission, shapes the advice they give, so ask that before the first meeting. Several work with clients whose finances do not fit the standard template, including unmarried partners and owner-operators.
Technology in Chicago
Software and IT companies working with Chicago businesses. Product development and managed IT support are different jobs described with the same vocabulary, so ask which one a listing actually does. For support contracts, get response times in writing.
Manufacturing & Supply in Chicago
Makers, fabricators, printers and distributors around Chicago, selling mostly to other businesses. Some run production in house and take custom or short-run work, others stock and ship at volume. Minimum order size settles most of these conversations faster than price does.
Bakeries in Chicago
Bakeries and cake makers in Chicago, from daily pastry cases and breads to made-to-order celebration cakes. Some are storefronts, others bake to order for pickup only. Custom work usually wants a week or more of notice, longer around the holidays.
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