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Evanston, IL

Creating a commercial hub for Black-owned businesses and community wellness.

• Mission: Transforming a vacant warehouse in Evanston into a vibrant commercial hub that supports Black-owned businesses and promotes community wellness, with a focus on racial equity and empowerment.  
• Innovation: The Aux will house wellness services, food vendors, and creative makers, providing co-working spaces, entrepreneurial training, and resources for emerging businesses led by entrepreneurs of color.  
• Community Impact: Aims to revitalize the area while fostering a supportive, inclusive environment for cultural programming, economic development, and holistic wellness.  
• Design Focus: Prioritizes community engagement and collaboration, with a commitment to working with local Black-led firms for the design and construction of the project.  
• Investment Opportunity: Seeks to engage local residents and Black investors through equity investment, allowing them to share in the ownership of the project and contribute to its long-term success.  
• Leadership: The Auxiliary Cord LLC leads the initiative, co-creating the space with the community it serves, promoting connection, healing, and a thriving local economy.

The Auxiliary Cord is spearheading a community-focused initiative to transform a 16,500 square foot warehouse in Evanston, IL, into a vibrant commercial hub dedicated to supporting Black-owned businesses and promoting community wellness.

This project, known as The Aux, aims to create a multi-tenant space that will house various wellness services, food vendors, and creative makers, all designed to foster a supportive environment for entrepreneurs of color. By repurposing a vacant property, The Aux will not only revitalize the area but also provide essential resources, such as co-working spaces and entrepreneurial training programs, to help emerging businesses thrive.

The project emphasizes racial equity and wellness, with a commitment to engaging local Black-led firms for its design and construction. Through community investment, the initiative seeks to empower individuals and organizations focused on holistic wellness, cultural programming, and economic development.

The overall goal is to cultivate a space that enhances physical, emotional, and social wellbeing while serving as a gathering place for cultural and educational activities, ultimately strengthening the local community and economy.

Company Info

The AUX is a community-focused hub for healing, wellness, and racial equity.

The AUX is a community-driven commercial hub focused on healing, wellness, and racial equity. It aims to transform a vacant property into a sustainable building that promotes cultural, social, economic, and environmental impact. The project encourages community involvement through equity investment opportunities, particularly targeting Black investors and local residents to share in the ownership. The name “AUX” reflects the concept of connection, emphasizing the importance of community engagement in fostering a thriving environment for living, learning, working, and playing. The AUX is set to open in 2024 and serves as a space co-created and owned by the community it serves.