Chicagoland-deep, not statewide-thin.
Deals go better when your advisor has stood in your shop. That's why Lakeshore serves the Chicago metro in person rather than covering the whole state from a phone bank — and why owners from Waukegan to Joliet, Elgin to Gary, get the same team at the same table.
Elsewhere in Illinois? Start with the free phone consult. If the fit is right we take engagements beyond the metro case by case — and if we're not the right firm for your county, we'll say so and tell you what to ask the broker who is.
What's different about selling in Illinois.
- Broker registration is a real thing here. Illinois regulates business brokers under the Business Brokers Act of 1995, with registration through the Secretary of State. Ask anyone you interview about their status — and who on the team holds the professional credentials behind the pitch.
- The paperwork stack is local. Bulk-sales notifications to the Illinois Department of Revenue (and, for Chicago businesses, the city), county recordings, and license transfers all sit on the critical path to closing. Miss one and your closing date moves.
- The buyer pool is the real asset. Chicagoland runs deep with roll-ups consolidating the trades, strategics buying capacity, search funds hunting their one company, and family offices that hold for decades. Knowing who's actually buying businesses like yours — and what they pay for — is worth more than any listing site.
- Taxes decide what you keep. Asset sale versus stock sale, allocation, and timing change your after-tax outcome materially. We coordinate with your CPA and attorney so the deal structure and the tax answer are decided together, not discovered after the LOI.
Illinois owner questions, answered.
Do you serve my part of Illinois?
In person: the Chicago metro — Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will — plus Northwest Indiana. Beyond that, start with the free phone consult; we take engagements case by case, and we'll be straight with you if a local firm is the better fit.
Are Illinois business brokers regulated?
Yes — the Illinois Business Brokers Act of 1995 sets registration requirements through the Secretary of State. It's a fair first question for any broker you interview. Our own fine print says it plainly: sale representation is offered subject to applicable Illinois registration.
What will selling cost me in Illinois?
The same fee structures apply statewide — 8–12% main-street commissions, sliding scales above roughly $2M, plus the quiet fees in the agreement. We published the full breakdown in our broker fee guide. Lakeshore itself runs flat-fee preparation and a per-deal sale structure agreed in writing.
How do I start?
The free 30-minute Owner Consult, by phone or in person: your numbers, your county, a realistic value range, and the two or three gaps most likely costing you value. Weekdays 9–5 we call you back within the hour.
Start with the free Owner Consult.
Your numbers, your county, your timeline — and the clearest path to a sale, whether that's preparing first, listing now, or selling to us directly.
Send this on a weekday between 9 and 5 and an advisor calls you within the hour. Evenings and weekends, first thing the next business morning. No newsletter, no drip sequence.
Thanks — an advisor will call you within the hour if it's a weekday before 5pm. Otherwise, first thing the next business morning.
Prefer to talk now? (312) 278-2109 — weekdays 9–5, a person answers.