Welcome to the Lake Forest Office of Economic
Development
2012 Business News
NEW
City of Lake Forest
Business & Technology Incubator
The City of
Lake Forest Business & Technology Incubator is a
city-sponsored program to create jobs and economic
development opportunities in Lake Forest. By
offering shared workspace, networking with
investors, local financial resources, monthly brown
bag lunch series, access to educational institutions
and city support, a highly entrepreneurial business
environment will support the creation or development
of innovative, new businesses.
- FREE monthly speakers, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
- City-sponsored shared office space at Gorton
Community Center, 400 Illinois Road, Suite #117.
- FREE Wi-Fi, office supplies, conference room and
dog-friendly.
- Find more information on
www.linkedin.com;
the City of Lake Forest Facebook page, download the
new Live, Work, Play smartphone app, or visit
www.YouTube.com
and search for Live, Work, Play Lake Forest.
-
Download April 16, 2012 press release here.
-
Download PDF
flyer and application here.
Live, Work, Play Lake Forest
Join the Live, Work, Play Lake
Forest campaign featuring the new FREE smartphone
app available on iPhone and Android. Local
stores can use the app for mobile coupons and mobile
loyalty cards. Promote your store using the
free logos below. Here is a
YouTube video showing how easy
it is to use.
FREE logos for your business and promotional
material
  
   
City of Lake Forest
Farmers Market
The 2012 City of
Lake Forest Farmers Market starts Saturday,
June 23rd. Every Saturday, through October,
join local farmers and food artisans for delightful home-grown
specials. For more information, check out the
Farmers Market webpage.
GET
ON THE MAP WITH
Claim your Google Place on
Google Maps. Its easy and its free. You
can also create your own Google coupons for
businesses. Visit
www.google.com and select Business Solutions
under the search box.
For
more information, contact Susan Kelsey at
Kelseys@cityoflakeforest.com.
More info on Google
Coupons
HERE
!
E-Marketing Solutions for your
business
Click here for free and
simple ways to market your business in the era of
web 2.0
Vacant Commercial Window Display
Program
Promote your vacant commercial space
for FREE. Available now from Deer Path Art
League and the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Historical
Society: Art, historic photos, exhibits of Onwentsia, Local Inventors and much more.
Contact
KelseyS@cityoflakeforest.com for more info.
Lake Forest Made
Program
 Join local artists
and businesses celebrating products made/assembled
in Lake Forest. The new "Lake Forest Made" program
showcases local products made or assembled in Lake
Forest. The new logo celebrates artist Sylvia
Shaw Judson, longtime Lake Forest resident artist
and sculpture. To apply for the "Lake Forest
Made" program, complete the
application and submit
it to the Office of Economic Development.
(50k - 2 pages)
Invest in Lake Forest!
Shop and conduct business locally to: create jobs for
residents; generate sales tax dollars; keep dollars in
the local economy; sustain vibrant, walkable town
centers that are environmentally friendly; maintain Lake
Forest's diversity and distinctive character; and help
businesses build a healthy, sustainable community and
contribute to local charities and non-profits.
The Office of Economic Development is located in City
Hall at 220
East Deerpath Road. Office hours are Tuesday through
Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Economic
Development mission is to enhance the economic vitality
of Lake Forest and maintain its outstanding quality of
life through the retention and expansion of existing
businesses, as well as the attraction of new businesses
to the Community.
The City of Lake Forest:
Overview
With a population of more than 20,000, Lake Forest is
one of the largest communities on the North Shore and in
Lake County, Illinois. Located 30 miles north of downtown Chicago,
Lake Forest business owners enjoy easy access to major
interstate highways, O'Hare International Airport and
Waukegan Executive Airports and passenger railroad
systems. Lake Forest is a major business center with
several national and multi-national corporate
headquarters located within or adjacent to the city
limits. From the quaint shops in the historic downtown
to the major corporations off of bustling I-94, Lake
Forest is home to several of Chicagoland's most popular
retailers and a wide assortment of four-star and casual
dining establishments. Major area private employers
include Abbott, Hospira, Tenneco, Trustmark, Brunswick, Pactiv, Grainger, the Chicago Bears, and the Lake Forest
Graduate School of Management.
The City of Lake Forest: History and Preservation
Founded in 1861, Lake Forest is physically
distinctive because of its picturesque street plan with
streets laid out in an organic manner that takes into
account many natural features including the ravines and
lake bluffs. Lake Forest is historically significant for
the many notable families who chose
 to make their
permanent or summer homes here. By World War I, the list
of property owners in Lake Forest read like a Who's Who
of the rich and famous in Chicago. In addition, Lake
Forest is noted for the quality and character of its
architecture, residential, commercial, and institutional
structures.
Doing Business in Lake Forest
The City of Lake Forest welcomes your business and
is committed to helping your business prosper. The
following offers you information on the strengths of
Lake Forest’s diverse economic base and gives you a
complete overview of our commitment to retail and office
development. The City of Lake Forest is a member of the
International Council of
Shopping Centers (ICSC) and the
Illinois
Development Council (IDC). Our profile is
available on the State of
Illinois's
Department of Economic Commerce & Opportunity (DCEO. Please e-mail
Susan Kelsey,
Economic Development Coordinator,
or call her at 847-810-3681 should you have any
questions or comments.
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