'Spend in the Black' returns to Chatham after $1M day last year

Spend in the Black event on 75th Street

Chatham’s big shopping event is back this Saturday on 75th and King Drive.  More than 100 shops and makers live DJs, and fresh grants for local businesses.

CHICAGO - A South Side shopping event built to keep dollars in the community is set to return to Chatham this weekend, bringing more than 100 vendors, street closures and new grants for local entrepreneurs along 75th Street.

"Spend in the Black: Resurrecting the Black Dollar" will take over 75th and King Drive from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. The event invites neighbors to shop at pop-up booths, walk into nearby storefronts and connect with business owners and community leaders in one place.

Organizers say the stakes are clear. Last year, shoppers spent more than $1 million in a single day along the corridor. That number, shared by event co-founder Rev. Charlie E. Dates, has become the benchmark for what this gathering can do for small businesses trying to grow on the South Side.

The event is co-hosted by Dates, senior pastor of Progressive Baptist Church and Salem Baptist Church of Chicago, and Ald. William Hall, whose 6th Ward includes the stretch of 75th Street.

Vendors will line the street under pop-up tents selling items that range from clothing to coffee beans. Nearby businesses, including Brown Sugar Bakery, are expected to see increased foot traffic as the street fills with shoppers.

Live DJs will play throughout the day. The event is free and open to the public.

What's different this year

Organizers plan to distribute direct financial support to participants. That includes 10 emergency savings accounts funded with $1,000 each and one $15,000 grant for an entrepreneur working the event.

Hall said the goal extends beyond a single day of sales. He said organizers want to help businesses stay open and expand in Chicago, with a focus on the 6th Ward.

Street closures and access

Traffic on side streets intersecting with 75th Street will be blocked starting at 6 p.m. Friday. Roads are expected to reopen by midnight Sunday.

Barricades were already stacked along parts of the corridor Friday afternoon, waiting to be rolled into place.

What this means for the community

Organizers frame the event as a way to circulate money within the community and support long-term business growth. The turnout and spending from last year suggest strong demand.

What's next:

The event runs for one day, but organizers say they are measuring success by how many businesses return stronger next year and how many new ones open along the corridor.