The West End Market has become a place for young Evanstons to nurture their entrepreneurial dreams and sell jewelry, handmade treats and crafts.

10-Year-Old Entrepreneur Ellie Baker Carrillo Starts Her Business Selling handmade slime at the early summer market. She started Ellie’s Slime Shop, inspired by watching her mother start her own small business, Beards & Bellas.

“I asked my mother, ‘Can I have my own business like her?’ ‘And she created a website for me. ,I like it very much.”

The West End Market is set up on the corner of Church Street and Dodge Avenue every Saturday from 8am to 1pm this summer.Market hosted by the Central Evanston Business Association According to CEBA member Donna Walker, it started including young people in its list of vendors this year to give them opportunities in local markets.

Walker, who also owns the Cutting Edge Hair Gallery, noted the importance of investing in Evanston’s youth, especially Ward 5. Both the market and his CEBA mainly serve the area.

“We are very excited to give young entrepreneurs the opportunity to sell what they are making,” said Walker. “We are the heart of Evanston, so we put our hearts into these young entrepreneurs.”

Walker said it is easy for young sellers to enter the market. Interested entrepreneurs can visit his Facebook page on CEBA. Many of the children of small business owners are young market entrepreneurs.

Nine-year-old entrepreneur Lexi Barrett started her business a few weeks ago. She sells her own product, her Better Butters, next to her mother’s Lauren Lovinger stand.

Lovinger Owns With Love, Evanston’s organic bakery business. Barrett said she wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps and make her own, she came up with the idea for her flavored butters after visiting her local restaurant.

“[My mother]always makes something, so I was always interested in making something,” Barrett said. When I saw it, I wanted to try making it.”

Lovinger says his daughter’s business is also influenced by fellow young entrepreneur Baker-Carrillo. While developing, experimenting and selling slime, Baker-Carrillo says he learned a lot about being an entrepreneur and the importance of meeting new people.

But it’s not just West End youth that are enriched with market experience. Lovinger also said she enjoys spending time with her daughter and friends at the market.

“It’s more fun when she’s with me, and it’s great that she has a little entrepreneurial spirit,” said Lovinger.

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