The Village of Park Forest hosted the Snowy, Sips & Eats: Black Business Pop-up over the weekend at Village Hall and the DownTown.
The Community Relations Coordinator Evelyn Randle presented the event and teamed up with local Black-owned businesses which were featured, along with local volunteers from the Commission on Human Relations and residents. Randle said it was a great way to reintroduce the DownTown shopping area to residents.
"Sometimes when you talk to people, they'll say, 'I didn't know we had that in the DownTown,'" Randle said. "That was the goal of this pop-up to highlight Black businesses because it is Black History Month but really showcase that we do have businesses in the DownTown."
Randle said several businesses participated in the event. She said restaurants like All-Out Smoke Pit, Dulce by Dori, Vintrendi, and Wings Galore offered tastings. Other businesses, like Nabada Massage LLC, offered 15-minute chair massages, State Farm with Danielle Dixon gave free items away, just to cover a few.
"I'm so grateful to the dozens of businesses that participated in the event over the weekend," Randle said. "We did questionnaires and even provided gift cards to the various businesses in the DownTown."
Randle said there are over 60 Black-owned businesses in the DownTown when you include the caterers from Poppin Plates. She said shopping local and spending money within the Village helps Park Forest's economy stay afloat.
"I can't stress the importance of spending your money in your community," Randle said. "Before you leave the Village to shop, take a stop in the DownTown and the other shopping areas in Park Forest and see what your community has to offer."
