Airbnb hosts and small businesses meet-up in Chicago.

Airbnb hosts in Chicago held two meet-ups to bring together the community and neighborhood businesses to talk about the state of home sharing and the positive impact it’s having on the local economy. The event brought a boost to small businesses and showcased the power of host recommendations and what both small businesses and hosts can continue to do for each other.

The first meet-up brought together hosts from the South Loop, Hyde Park and Bronzeville at  the Plein Air Cafe on the South Side.

The cafe, a quaint little place that serves pastries and coffee, was a featured business in our Chicago Local List. The list contains the small businesses that hosts most often recommend to their guests to get a taste of what being a local is like. It was a very intimate gathering where people exchanged stories and ideas surrounding current upcoming legislative events in Chicago.

The second meet-up was held on the Northwest Side in Logan Square by a host, Dennis Waldvogel, who also happens to own a small business there named Same Day Cafe. He actually started using Airbnb because he quit his job in advertising and the extra income allowed him to go into the cafe business.

There were 23 hosts from all over the Northwest side at the event, where Dennis’ Cafe served grilled cheese and allowed people to bring their own wine. It was an energetic room where hosts buzzed about why they love hosting on Airbnb and was one of the best turnouts we’ve ever had at one of these events to date.

We hope turnouts like this are just the start. Come join us for the next one. Sign up for Airbnb Action to get updates on events like this in your area.