First Impressions

Storefronts of Chabom Teas & Spices, Ms. Gilmore’s Tea Room and Vintage Suitcase, and Big Momma’s Coffee Shop. Regulars make their monthly, weekly, or daily pilgrimages to these renovated yet rustic businesses. (image source)

On a Sunday afternoon, C-Street is in bloom.

The six-block chunk of Commerical Street is filled with bustling coffee shops, cafes, and storefronts. This is no glitzy stretch for tourists and passers-through— C-Street is by locals, for locals.

The historic district runs from Grant Ave to Washington, self contained on Commercial street itself.

Graphic courtesy of the Commercial Street Community Improvement District. Renewed in 2019, CID works to promote the community of C-Street by marketing for current businesses, recruiting potential businesses, and performing maintenance and beautification.

A walk past the different storefronts yields a rich understanding of who North Springfield is, and what they’re about. Wedged between boutiques and teas shops lie hipster joints and flea markets. The diversity of businesses may be surprising, but the culture-mesh of C-Street works.

The exposed brick cafes and renovated lofts provide an air of rugged urban-renewal. Not the type of renewal backed by distant investors, but the type of revitalization that only native entrepreneurs can bring. Here, representation is not forced. Black-owned businesses thrive and justice flyers reside naturally on doors and windows.

These business owners come from the communities they serve. Naturally, this understanding builds rapport into the backbone of C-Street.

This Black-Owned business cycles through expert craftsmen who keep their patrons lined up and clean cut. (source)

Additionally, C-Street also offers many stores and services not represented elsewhere. Blu Styles provides a space most necessary. The Black- and local-owned business hosts a talented crew of professionals who supply the needed service and atmosphere of a barbershop.

The representative identity of C-Street is fostered by the local intimacy of the businesses and patrons. It is a product carefully molded by the community it serves.

For those looking to pour into this community, the Commercial Club is “ the heart and driving force” of C-Street. Made up of individual donors and self-starters, they rally community efforts and provide funding for a number of community projects.

For more information about C-Street, The Commercial Club publishes The Communique, a monthly eNewsletter, to detail different events and historical anniversaries. The April issue of The Communique covers the Farmer’s market, a staple C-Street. In addition to their newsletter, community organizers are active @historiccstreet on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to provide updates on the beloved district.