National Small Business Week Shines a Spotlight on Taylor Street's Thriving Local Shops and Eateries
By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/University Village Little Italy ·
It's National Small Business Week in Chicago — and University Village Little Italy's Taylor Street corridor is exactly the kind of place the citywide celebration was made for. Running May 4 through May 9, the week is officially recognized by Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) as a moment to honor the entrepreneurs who power local economies and strengthen neighborhoods across the city. For Little Italy, that message hits especially close to home on a street where family-owned businesses have been the backbone of community life for generations.
From long-standing delis and Italian bakeries to newer arrivals like the recently opened Tai Chi Bubble Tea, Taylor Street's mix of homegrown small businesses is a living example of what NSBW is all about. The City's Shop Local Chicago campaign — running in tandem with the week's events — encourages Chicagoans to spend their dollars in neighborhoods like University Village Little Italy, where every purchase directly supports the families and employees behind the counter. And just steps from Taylor Street, the National Public Housing Museum — housed in the last remaining building of the historic Jane Addams Homes — continues to draw visitors to the neighborhood as a powerful cultural anchor celebrating the Near West Side's deep community roots.
This week is the perfect excuse to stroll Taylor Street, grab a meal at a neighborhood favorite, and discover a shop you've never tried before. Which local small business on Taylor Street deserves a shoutout this week? Tag @SocialhoodChicago with #ShopLocalTaylorStreet and let's celebrate the heart of University Village Little Italy together!
Sources:
1. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/bacp/provdrs/business_support_tools/news/2026/may/nationalsmallbusinessweek.html
2. https://www.choosechicago.com/meeting-planners/plan-your-chicago-meeting/chicago-meeting-ideas/whats-new-in-chicago/