Aldermen Question Façade Grant to 'Chicken & Waffles'
Evanston aldermen ultimately voted to grant $7,947 from the city’s façade improvement fund to Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles, a restaurant opening soon on Dempster Street.
Aldermen voted Monday to grant nearly $8,000 in façade improvement funds to Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles, a new restaurant planned for Evanston’s west side. The grant comes on top of $200,000 in city funds that council members agreed to loan the business in April. While council members ultimately voted 7-2 to grant the money, Ald. Coleen Burrus (9th Ward) and Judy Fiske (1st Ward), who voted no, both said they had serious concerns about spending the money. Set to open soon at 2424 W. Dempster St., the restaurant will be the third location of Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles, which also has locations in Bronzeville and Oak Park. Aldermen approved a $200,000 loan to the business this spring, using some of the $500,000 allocated …
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Jim Osburn
3:21 pm on Thursday, December 13, 2012
Like it or not, facade rebate programs are an accepted tool to help small businesses in Illinois. As long as the rules are objective and administered fairly, I see no problem with using funds this way. Hmmmm, chicken and waffles, sounds delicious! more ›