[ad_1]
Little Village is known for its business district and Latino entrepreneurship. The space that will be created in the heart of the community is designed to enable people without access to resources to start a business.
At the corner of 26th Street and Drake Avenue stands an empty three-story building.
“We decided to take over a building that was built in 1880 and instead of tearing it down, we would reinvest in preserving this building and revitalize this building,” said Little Village Foundation, which runs the team. said Kim Close, executive director of. It’s about renovating buildings and turning them into community hubs.
“It’s called Xquina because it’s on the corner, but it’s really about investing in the resources that already exist here and breathing new life into them,” Close said. “That’s why we’re working with local carriers.”
This space will become the Xquina Incubator & Café. Close said it will be home to La Catedral Café and Food Hero, a Latin-led cooking school, as well as a space for entrepreneurs to explore their ideas.
“The idea is to bring together resources, programs and local partnerships to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem that helps everyone grow,” Close said.
Little Village has a long history of entrepreneurship. Mr Close said coworking spaces would give people the opportunity to improve their businesses and work together.
“This was created in collaboration with the business community,” Close said. “That’s why we have a commercial kitchen, because 80-90% of the entrepreneurs who work in Little Village are interested in the food business. To bring salsa to market.” – That’s why We have set up a communal kitchen in Little Village to meet your needs. ”
In partnership with the Little Village Chamber of Commerce, the city and private organizations funded the project. The hub will also include a multimedia room, artist gallery, and event space.
“Long term, this is a project based on corridor revitalization, cultural preservation and community wealth building,” Close said.
Phrase 1 of the project is expected to be completed by summer, giving local residents access to a cafe and communal kitchen.
[ad_2]
Source link
