Small business hub in Englewood to house 4 Black-owned firms

Business incubator E.G. Woode has opened its first small-business hub on the South Side of Chicago to house four Black-owned businesses.

On Thursday, the organization held a ribbon cutting ceremony on the new property at 1122 W. 63rd St. in Englewood, where Powell’s Barbershop, consignment shop Marie|Wesley, Momentum Coffee and design firm Beehyyve will run out of.

“E.G. Woode has helped me to turn my dream into a reality. They’ve been like a parental guide helping me every step of the way to grow my business in service to the Englewood community,” Nanette Tucker, owner of Marie|Wesley said in a news release. “Now that I have a retail space to call home, I am working hard to really see my business grow.”

E.G. Woode is an organization founded in 2017 that provides Black business owners with business development, real estate and marketing strategies for their businesses.

The opening of the E.G. Woode space is part of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s INVEST South/West initiative meant to develop the South and West sides of Chicago through supporting small businesses and other community development projects.

“We’re trying to do things and help people in communities that need entrepreneurs most and ensure that they have opportunities to do well in their communities as entrepreneurs,” said Deon Lucas, architect and E.G. Woode partner.