The Central Street Retail District, is home to many boutiques, restaurants and coffee shops. This short stretch of storefronts, while not as expansive as Downtown Evanston, services a much smaller community, and aims to provide Evanston residents with a local, charming shopping experience.

Unlike downtown Evanston, the shops on Central Street work together to hold many gatherings that aim to unite people from all over the community. The different celebrations allow residents of Evanston to socialize and connect with neighbors. Recently, an annual tree lighting ceremony was held at Independence Park, and brought hundreds of people together to celebrate the holiday season. 

“There’s something about the magic of Central Street that is hard to replicate,” said Becky Jackson, owner of Notice Boutique, who commented on the positive aspects of owning a business on Central Street. 

Central Street has an array of people; students, workers and families – that come together at different times of day to enjoy meals and shopping. Haven Middle School, just a few blocks away, brings many students and teachers to different restaurants, such as DeSalvo’s Pizza, Pinto Thai Evanston and Backlot Coffee.

“For lunch in the afternoon, we have teachers on their lunch break. We [have] people around the area come here for lunch. We have older couples come in. People bring in sick family members that they want to spend time with,” said Flo, a shift leader at DeSalvo’s Pizza.

One of the key differentiators between the Central Street Retail District and Downtown Evanston is the types of stores on offer, which can attract different sets of customers.

“[Central] Street [has] a lot of local businesses, and downtown Evanston [has] more chain stores,” said Michaela, a store manager at Backlot Coffee.

Overall, the Central Street Retail District is a gathering place for many, where residents can shop at small businesses and socialize with other community members.