Several small businesses across the Chicago area will not open their doors Friday in support of a national general strike to protest federal immigration enforcement that in recent weeks has led to the shooting deaths of two Americans in Minneapolis. The Brewed Coffee shop, which serves 300 cups of c offee in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood on a typical Friday, began having conversations about observing the nationwide shutdown Sunday following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, who was born in suburban Streamwood, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's continued occupation in cities across the country, said Nick Mayor, the co-owner.On Wednesday, the business wrote in an Instagram post, "While the stormtroopers of our government murder more innocent people in the streets than the alleged criminals they claim to be after, we're struggling to fight the horrors of this tyrannical system under which we live but we want to send a message where we can," to inform customers of their Friday closure. The post featured a photo that read "ICE OUT! Nationwide shutdown! No work. No school. No shopping." In the past week, the photo has appeared across the pages of several other Chicago area businesses announcing plans to close their shops Friday. Part of a larger, decentralized grassroots movement taking place in cities across the country, the National Shutdown movement has seen hundreds of organizations endorse Friday's strike. "If we can do anything to prompt some conversation, spark any change in anyone's minds, then we're happy to participate 100%," Mayor said. He added, "I don't think anyone who's participating imagines that [President Donald] Trump or [Border Czar Tom] Homan are going to have a change of heart about their agendas, but I think the most impactful progress that could be made is just kind of having conversations." Sugar Moon, Firefly Fiber and Rooted Living in Avondale have also announced their closure ahead of Friday's general strike. Other small businesses across Chicago that have announced their closure include Pie Pie My Darling, Katherine Ann Confections, Bueno Days, Casa Cactus and Restoried Bookshop. "Not everybody is in a position to make the same decision we are," Mayor said. "We're able to have the privilege to be able to to absorb the cost of what this is going to mean for us, lost revenue and hourly wages that we're paying our staff."He added, "But I think that the cost that we are bearing fails in comparison to the cost of what is happening to other people and their families, with their lives getting taken and torn apart." ...read more read less