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Small Business Spotlight Series
Support Local!
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Downtown Wheaton is powered by small businesses! Join us this holiday season - and beyond - to celebrate small business and learn about the entrepreneurs that make it all happen. When you shop small, you're directly supporting these local entrepreneurs and their families. Shop small to make a big impact.
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Scroll or click to explore the businesses featured in the 2022 Small Business Spotlight Series!
Visit in-store to learn more about each business' story.
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A Baby Naturally | Alphagraphics Wheaton | Amante Marketplace | Amore Creative | Andrew's Garden | Best Way Rugs | Carlson Glass & Mirror | DoodleBug Workshop | Dry City Brew Works | Extract Juicery | Five & Hoek Coffee Co. | Kilwins Wheaton | Kimmer's Ice Cream | Midwest Cyclery | MilaGrace Boutique | MOORE Toys & Gadgets | NEXT yoga | Pedego Electric Bikes | Stones Jewelry | Wyckwood House | Yia Mas - A taste of Greece
A Baby Naturally
Lisa Upham, Owner
“When we started the business, we had babies at our feet… now they have grown up, and one has started college. The store revenue helps pay tuition and puts meals on our family’s table. We’re so grateful to the Wheaton community for your support. In 2022, we purchased
our building, which is a huge step for us, and symbolic of our plans to continue doing business here for many years.”
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130 W. Willow Avenue
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(331) 222-9588
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Alphagraphics Wheaton
Frank and Barb Kohout, Owners
Christine Fenne, Account Executive
“Serving the Wheaton community is truly a privilege, and we’re so grateful that our community has embraced Alphagraphics for the past 34 years. Because you choose to support local, we’ve built so many great relationships with business owners, churches, and individuals who live and work in our town. From new start-ups to established companies, from the city to the county, and the families who trust us with all their life events, we pride ourselves in meeting all their needs. Because of your support, we’re able to support our local non-profits, schools, the arts, and community events. We learned early on that the people of Wheaton continually support their local businesses. For that we are ever grateful!”
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128 N. Main Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 653-2442
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Amante Marketplace
Samantha Raftery, Owner
“Supporting local is at the core of Amante’s mission and is what makes our Wheaton community incredibly special! Shopping local is a personal investment in your neighborhood and community. When you support local, you’re giving businesses like mine a chance to walk in their purpose and
passions. One of the many reasons Wheaton is the place we call home is the soul and character that our local businesses have created - a place of culture, love, and tremendous people! Thank you for joining us on our journey to fill the global marketplace with unconditional love!”
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102 N. Hale Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 779-9714
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Amore Creative
Jessica and Eric D'Amore, Owners
“My brother and I come from a family of entrepreneurs, so we grew up witnessing first-hand the trials, tribulations, and incredible rewards of being a small business owner. Most casual dinner conversations in the D'Amore household included a light-hearted lecture from our dad on how owning your business is the best way for true flexibility and happiness in your future. On behalf of families like mine that are built on entrepreneurship, please consider shopping local and shopping small this year! If not from Amore, then from any local business — I know any of us would be overjoyed by your support. Your business directly
supports our growth and our families in the best way.”
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101 1/2 E. Front Street, Suite 103a
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 556-7345
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Andrew's Garden
Andrew and Tonya Parravano, Owners
“Shopping local is EVERYTHING! The Wheaton community has been such a blessing to our business – in good times, and in the hardest times (like the pandemic, when the everything came to a screeching halt), you have been amazing supporters. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you… Our entire Andrew’s Garden team thanks you.”
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131 W. Wesley Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 456-4689
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Best Way Rug &
Furniture Cleaners
Nancy Bertalmio, Owner
“Shopping local is very important to small business owners like us. It instills a sense of community between shop owners and customers. We’re different than the “big” stores – we know our
customers when they come through the door, and our customers know that their rugs will get the best care and attention. At Best-Way, each rug is washed individually by hand with "eyes on" the rug the whole way through the cleaning process, and we can treat each spot as needed. It is not easy to run a small business these days, but we have been doing it since 1939, so I think we may have found the key to success!”
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319 W. Front Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 668-7940
Carlson Glass & Mirror
Keith Carlson, Owner
“Carlson Glass & Mirror has been in business for 108 years and we’re incredibly proud of our long-standing, local, small business. We only service local customers, so without such a supportive and loyal community, we wouldn’t be here after all these years. Thank you to all of our customers who have supported local by shopping with us. We’re dedicated to our employees, our customers, and to keeping our small towns strong.”
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312 W. Front Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 668-7234
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DoodleBug Workshop
Sarah Starke, Founder & Executive Director
“When you shop local and support DoodleBug, it means the world to our Participants, especially to Alex and me. Creating products for our retail store builds confidence and teaches new skills to our Special Needs Participants. When you purchase our handmade products, not only do the funds directly support our mission, but each and
every sale instills an immense sense of pride and accomplishment in our Participants. DoodleBug thrives on our local community’s support – our amazing Participants, our dedicated volunteers, and all of you who choose to shop local. Thank you for
supporting our mission this holiday season and beyond.”
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314 S. Main Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 995-1328
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Dry City Brew Works
Jessica Sampson, Ben Sampson (pictured)
Lori Carr, and David Carr, Owners
“When you shop local, you’re lifting up your community. Your patronage allows us to invest in the community, too, by hiring local employees, offering them benefits, and dedicating ourselves to perfecting the products and services that we enjoy providing to you. There’s a reason that most breweries are hidden away in industrial areas... having a storefront in a bustling downtown isn’t cheap! However, we made a conscious choice to be in the heart of our community — a place where a spontaneous visit after dinner could lead to chatting at the bar with a new friend, while a local songwriter performs on stage in the front room. Through good times and bad, we sincerely appreciate all who have come by to show their support. We look forward to many new faces to come. Cheers!”
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120 N. Main Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 456-4787
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Extract Juicery
Kevin Walker, Owner
“Shopping local is so important. When we were looking for the perfect home for Extract, we chose a local downtown because we wanted to be a part of the community. We didn’t go to a mall or busy intersection. It’s important to us to know our customers and for the community to know us— to hear their stories and to be a part of their health journey. Like Extract is a small business, everything we make is small batch, so you’re getting the freshest juice possible — no preservatives, no HPP, no additives, no mixes, and no sugars added. We
love this community and have been so fortunate to be a part of it. We’re thriving thanks to the community that’s become family. Thank you for continuing to support us and all the
other amazing businesses here in Downtown Wheaton.”
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114 N. Main Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 868-3487
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Five & Hoek Coffee
Tyler and Beth Fivecoat and Erich Goepel, Owners
“Local is your community – it's your neighbor and coworker. When you support small business you’re building up your local community. We have been so fortunate to get to know so many customers of ours personally. We’ve celebrated life’s milestones – big and small – together, and even attended some of our regulars’ weddings! We’re
honored that so many customers have chosen us as their happy place on the way to work.
Local, to us, is the Wheaton community that’s embraced us... We love local, and we love Wheaton!”
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112 B N. Main Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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Kilwins Wheaton
Maribeth Barrett, Owner
“Local business represents the fabric of our community, and every local purchase you make strengthens our connection to one another. We are Wheaton proud to be locally owned and operated. When we work together to build up local, we improve the quality of life for our whole community. Stop in this holiday season for a delicious treat for yourself, or the perfect hostess gift!”
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100 N. Hale Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 668-2353
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Kimmer's Ice Cream
Kimberly and Isaac Yates, Owners
“When you shop local, you’re supporting the entire city; you’re helping small businesses thrive, which feeds the local economy and creates local jobs. We’re so grateful for the support of our customers – whether you’re buying a casual scoop in a Sparkle Cone, a pint to-go, or an ice cream cake, we wouldn’t be able to do what we love without your support. We are so fortunate to be a part of the Wheaton community… thank you for shopping local!”
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109 E. Front Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 765-7704
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Midwest Cyclery
Doug Jones, Owner
“In my business, it means a lot when people truly shop local. Not only do our customers receive prompt and reliable service, but local businesses like mine can offer a personal touch that the “big box” stores can’t. When you buy online, no one is there to help put your bike together or troubleshoot if something goes wrong or is damaged during shipping. When you support local, you’re supporting entrepreneurs’ investments into the community – our storefront, our local employees, and the service we provide back to our community.”
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117 E. Front Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 668-2424
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MilaGrace Boutique
Bobbie Rodriguez, Owner
“Experiencing God's love and grace has empowered me to fulfill my lifelong passion of helping others, with MilaGrace providing me the means to do so. When you shop local at MilaGrace, know that you’re supporting so much more! My heart is happiest when I’m helping others, and that desire extends through MilaGrace, too. Whether it’s helping provide shelter, meals to families, employment to refugees and battered women through fairtrade accessories and jewelry, or simply helping my clients feel beautiful, MilaGrace’s mission is to make everyone feel their unique beauty, while also giving back to local and global charities. In keeping with this vision, a percentage of all accessories and jewelry sales at MilaGrace go directly to charity.”
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217 S. Main Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 517-8131
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MOORE Toys & Gadgets
Diane Moore, Owner
“Well before my store was a twinkle in my eye, I walked the ”shop local” walk... filling my car’s tank at the Marathon station, buying clothes at Jeans & A Cute Top Shop and Bella Roba, snatching up perfect things at
The Perfect Thing, buying my boys’ shoes at Joe's StrideRite, dining at Front Street Cantina at least once a week, and the list goes on. We even shopped local for our homes, choosing each of them because we could walk to the train and to Downtown Wheaton.
Shopping local is important to communities like Wheaton, which has a robust downtown and Town Square full of thriving and unique independent retailers. Investing in these small businesses ensures that our establishments can continue to thrive, generate local sales tax revenue, and employ folks close to home. That MOORE Toys & Gadgets has a customer base who want to shop locally is heartwarming. Every single day, customers thank me for being here and I thank them right back.”
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107 E. Front Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 480-4285
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NEXT yoga
Debbie Russo and
Lauren Duncan (pictured), Owners
“Owning a small business has allowed us to invest our time and energy into something we truly love. Supporting small businesses means the world to us. Entrepreneurs put their heart and soul into their business... at the end of the day, a small business is more than a “business,” it’s the product of love and hard work. We have loved building our vision and watching it grow here in Wheaton. We are incredibly grateful for our community of teachers and students.”
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120 E. Liberty Drive #140
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 580-9222
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Pedego Wheaton
Jeff (pictured) and Andie Alvis and
Bill and Karen Budicin, Owners
"Growing up in Wheaton we always had a thriving small business community – Carlson’s, Horsley’s, Gaede’s, Carney’s Bakery, and many others. These businesses were owned by entrepreneurs with a stake in the community, and they always went out of their way to provide good service while making a positive impact on the community. As a kid, my dad always reminded me how hard local entrepreneurs worked and the
risks they took to open and run their own businesses.
Over time, Wheaton has done a good job re-establishing that small business feeling as the downtown has re-emerged as a thriving shopping and dining destination. I love the positive feedback from people who are looking to actively support small businesses. My wife – who also grew up here – and I thought it would be great, in our twilight years, to open a fun business and try to make a difference in the community. Since opening, we have been able to support the Wheaton Lions, MSHV, Young Life, Wheaton Youth Outreach, and DoodleBug Workshop.”
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128 W. Liberty Drive
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(331) 716-7997
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Stones Jewelry
Brad Huiner, Owner
“Stones Jewelry has been family owned for over 110 years, and that’s because our Wheaton community chooses to shop local. We have seen generations of customers return to Stones through so many stages of life, and it’s always exciting to celebrate engagements, weddings, births along with you. The best part of our job is helping you pick out the perfect item for every occasion – birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, even helping you find a special piece to commemorate the death of a loved one. Everything from chain repairs, restringing pearl necklaces, changing watch batteries, ring maintenance, and more, you have trusted us with all of your jewelry needs. We are so thankful for the relationships we’ve developed over the years and look forward to growing these and building new relationships here in Wheaton for years to come.”
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107 W. Front Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 668-0163
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Wyckwood House
Shannon Gutierrez, Owner
“Wyckwood House is inspired every single day by our local customers. You have made the store what it is today, and we’re so grateful to all of you who shop small and support women-owned businesses. We can’t wait to welcome you to Wyckwood House this holiday season and beyond!”
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126 N. Hale Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 795-9486
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Yia Mas - A taste of Greece
John and Demetra Minginas, Owners
“Downtown Wheaton is built on a foundation of entrepreneurship, and every time you shop local, you strengthen that foundation! Over the past few years, the importance of local has been magnified as we all focused on dining, shopping, and seeking entertainment closer to home. It’s so important to have a strong community to lean on in good times and challenging ones, and we’re so fortunate to have the best business neighbors and a community that loves and supports local.”
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133 W. Front Street
Wheaton, IL 60187
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(630) 668-8866
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Rain or Shine:
Unless otherwise indicated, outdoor events occur rain or shine. If lightning or other dangerous weather is imminent or present, the DWA reserves the right to cancel or delay any remaining event activities. Updates on the status of an interrupted or canceled event will be posted to Facebook and Instagram @downtownwheaton. Please note, event websites and social media pages may not be immediately updated to reflect any weather-related changes. In the event a ticketed event is canceled, the DWA will email ticket holders with options for their unused tickets.​
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