Millikan Computer Technologies, Inc.

If you walk into Millikan Computer Technologies, Inc., you get this odd feeling you’ve just walked into the friendly sort of space you feel when someone invites you into their living room for coffee, despite the fact that it’s very professional looking.  It all makes sense, though, when you learn that Jim Millikan started the company out of his home in 2003 and has maintained a family feel, despite moving to storefront space earlier this year. 

 “I’ve been doing this – working with computers – for 20 years,” Jim told me. “In the late ‘90s, I was working for a consulting firm. One of our clients asked us if we did software training.  We hadn’t done it, but my background was in education.  So I would go into companies and set up little training rooms and work with small groups and large groups, and I was doing the training.  In 2003, I said this is silly – I can do this on my own.  So I started my own home-based business.”

Jim had success from the beginning, and one of his big early clients asked him to get involved with hardware, as well.  That began a shift for Jim almost entirely to hardware.

Eventually, Stu Millikan, Jim’s 22 year-old son, joined the business. 

“Stu was the kind of kid who built computers for fun, so it was just a natural fit,” Jim said. He built a couple of computers for customers, and there was no turning back. Eventually one of Stu’s friends, Michael, joined the team, too.

In March of this year, they opened the doors of Millikan Computer Technologies, Inc. at 1577 Maple Street, in Evanston.  They are thriving with their PC hardware building and repairs.  Check out their website at http://www.mct-tech.com/, or stop by for a chat.

TIBETgift

The story of TIBETgift's start is as riveting as the eyes of the Buddha gazing from its window. 

Tashi Phuri came from India in 1998 to open the store and its sister organization, The TIBETcenter.  Tashi’s wife, Dolma, entered the U.S. in 1992 under the U.S. Immigration Program to resettle Tibetan refugees, but it took six long years and a harrowing immigration process for Tashi, his wife and their three children (then 10, 9 and 6 years old) to reunite in the U.S. 
 
Tashi’s background prepared him both professionally and spiritually for his work here.  He’d spent 19 years working in the Tibetan Government in Exile prior to coming to the U.S., first as the Managing Trustee of H.H. The Dalai Lama’s Charitable Trust and subsequently as the Director of the Tibetan Medical Institute.  He understood the import/export business as well as the spiritual foundations of Tibetan Buddhism, so when he came here, he researched cities and markets for establishing a center for Buddhist training programs and the Tibet Gift shop. 
 
He opened The TIBETcenter in 1999, and a permanent site for the TIBETgift shop space was established in 2001. 
 
TIBETgift is nestled between shops and businesses on Dempster Street in Evanston, not far from Shaker Traditions, our featured business from last week.  In contrast to the American-made products of Shaker Traditions, though, everything in TIBETgift – its books, gifts and its owner – traveled from Tibet, Nepal or India to get here.  There are gifts and products ranging from the decorative arts to Tibetan Medicine to Tibetan Buddhist teachings.  Tashi and peaceful music are part of the ubiquitous presence you'll enjoy whenever you stop by.
 
TIBETgift is located at 828 Dempster Street, and their hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 1:00-7:00 p.m.  You can call them with questions at 847-492-0809.
 
 

SHAKER TRADITIONS

In our inaugural issue of EvanstonBiz Showcase, we’re featuring an interview with Judy Igliori, the owner of Shaker Traditions in the Dempster-Chicago shopping district of Evanston. Judy’s shop specializes in American made gifts and home accessories.

In our interview, Judy speaks about the beginnings of Shaker Traditions and her own fascination with the namesake of her business.

“My husband and I had a caning business, recaning furniture. We did some Shaker chairs and were impressed with the quality of workmanship,” Judy said. “We started to become familiar with the Shakers and eventually opened Shaker Traditions in spring, 1986, as part caning and part gifts. “Our niche is and always has been American made,” she continued. “Most of our things are made by smaller family businesses. I like making the connection between the artist and the customer. Most of the time, I can name the artist who made any given item in my store.” Shaker Traditions still offers hand caning, and its artisans come from many walks of life – not just Shaker – but the original commitment to quality is still evident in the selection of products offered in the store.

One of the reasons the Shakers have such high quality workmanship, Judy shared, is their spiritual credo, “Hands to work, hearts to God.” Whatever they create with their hands is an extension and expression of their prayer lives. The Shakers came to America from England in 1774. They established utopian societies here at that time, and there remains one living Shaker community in Sabbathday Lake (Maine). The Shakers themselves no longer produce the volume of furniture and products they once did, but their legacy of beautiful creations continues to inspire Judy and her patrons.

Shaker Traditions is located at 613 Dempster Street, and they are open Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.