The last citizens meeting for TCD3 will be held Wednesday July 29th at Downers Grove South in the cafeterium. The village is asking for a headcount by RSVP’ing via email to TCD3RSVP@downers.us no later than July 27th the Monday before the meeting. You should include TCD3 in the header.
Questions and issues identified at the series of meetings that began several months ago will probably be the focus of this meeting, and will be the last chance for residents to be heard. Major topic areas for business have shaken out as attracting business, improving the retail mix, and beautifying the various commercial areas. Top items from residential input includes tree preservation, expanded recycling, and improved energy conservation.
Call me crazy. But wouldn’t it be nice to start planning for additional railroad underpasses or overpasses, so that in about 10 years we might be able to begin construction. Each day,,,,more cars, more trains, more empty stores. Let me throw this out there…………..what is the primary reason people avoid shopping in Downtown DG? If you said traffic…join the crowd. Improved safety might count for something.
Traffic = people, aren’t people good for business?
I think the primary reason people don’t shop..anywhere..these days is a lack of discretionary funds, spare change in the pocket. Its the economy and it will be for awhile.
Our town is doing better than most. We frequent the Olive Tap, the Cellar Door and both Italian restaurants. We purchased birthday gifts at My Favorite Toy Store and the saleslady told me business is great.
As the units fill up so will the businesses, but it will take time. Traffic never dawned on me as a deterint. Our downtown is extremely walkable.
Business in Downtown DG is marginal at best and it has been that way for over 20 years. Look at the retailers that have closed their doors and the ones that are about to. Check out the empty stores. I wish business was good, but wishing doesn’t make it come true. Many shoppers simply do not want to fight the traffic on Main Street and wind up waiting for not one but several trains to pass.
I think we need some anchor stores and or a chain restaurant downtown. You can fit a TGIF or Chilies downtown somewhere. How about a Panera Bread? What about adding a small GAP store, Bath and body works or a huge book store with WIFI and a coffee shop? Maybe Anderson’s bookstore can expand. Maybe the Starbucks or Caribou coffee would want to downsize a bit and move inside a book store. Why not another Bar/restaurant? Right now you have Emmit’s and Ballydoyle. Why not add a third with an arcade like Dave and Busters. The grocery store is coming soon why not some other draws. I know this is not the popular opinion but it would drive business and traffic. Anywho…I am just thinking out loud.
Looks like there will be a new candy store soon. I think we should stay away from the poor food quality stripmall chains like TGIF etc. and strive for perhaps an Einstien Bros. bagels or a place like Travelers Cafe in Westmont or bar restaurant like Country House. We already have a few panera’s, and we NEED AN ASIAN place downtown or Indian even. As far as stores – a gap kids/gap combo or the like. It is sad to see so many empty stores but I know a lot of people who are unemployed right now and can only think of purchasing essentials.
I hear you Kelly. I am just tired of hearing that there is no money coming to the village. I know that our village staff, EDC and elected officals are on top of it.
Dear Downtown Biz Owner.
Where are you getting your informtion or facts about business being marginal atbest downtown? Do you have supporting info for those statements? I was in the Celler Door a few weeks back and not only was it jumping with free flowing Stella on tap and a big screen but the Manager told me there busines was up 35 % this year over last. The Olive tap and the chocolate store store on main both had similiar stories. With the new Lemon Tree, candy Store and new eateries all downtown and business looks to be steady at least I don’t see anything marginal unless you the biz owner actually have a different type of store or business that doesn’t attract a lot of foot traffic. Please advise.
Again business in downtown DG is marginal at best. A few stores maybe doing OK, but as a whole it is no great shakes. Count the empty stores, count the retailers like Hallmark, Herbert’s, etc. that had a long history in town and had to shut down because business was not good, count the lenght of time vacant stores remain empty, count the number of major brand retailers in town, and then count the number of trains passing through our community each day and the number of cars stopped in traffic.
Shoo-Fly Pie was good and so was Al’s but tastes, demands for certain goods/services and circumstances in business are constantly changing. Several Hallmark’s in towns around us have shut down and our former hallmark was full of dirty dusty items and mostly staffed by teens not paying attention. I believe it had numerous reasons for it’s failure like the popularity of, greater diversity of items and lower price point found at Card and Party stores. Herbert’s portrayed a “dated” image that I image was not attracting the 20-50 year old age group of men who buy the most clothing. We also just built alot of those empty stores when we had empty exsisting empty stores aplenty. the economic climate is to blame too, but Capri and Gatto’s have been pretty full most everytime I have been there and so has Egg Harbor. Traffic is terrible in Naperville’s downtown too.
Actually, Washington Street in Naperville has a railroad underpass and I believe no parking restrictions during rush hours so that traffic flows. In a recent article in a local DG paper Egg Harbor was complaining about business. Stillwater isn’t open for lunch because there isn’t enough business to support it being open at that time. I love downtown DG and have had a business there for many years. Retail business is marginal at best. The stalled traffic, and many trains, is keeping shoppers out of our downtown area, and no one is really doing any planning on how to improve traffic flow. Raise the track bed like in Oak Park and have underpasses at Forest, Main and Washington. Improve traffic flow and safety.
Yes, Herbert’s. I could never find a proper Fedora to match my favorite polyester gabardine leisure suit, and don’t get me started on their lack of selection in cuff links.
With few exceptions the businesses that are gone had expiration dates long past, and will not be missed. The demographic, the income level and the expectations have all changed over the last 20 years and local retailers are only now starting to catch up. Does that mean that ‘Every Day’s a Sundae’ should be replaced by ‘The International Novelty Frozen Products Consortium Retail Store #2337′? No, we don’t need the big chains, and I prefer Gatto’s over Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill any day. I absolutely love what the Cellar Door has done here in town, shifting focus from strictly retail to a sit down destination. Brilliant.
A quality product and honest service will always be in fashion, regardless of the economy.
Actually, I thought Herbert’s closed shop because of the owner’s retirement, not it’s poor fedora/cuff link selection.
Regarding Biz Owner’s original suggestion, I agree that a grade separation on Main Street (or even Forest) would be a good thing for downtown. When you find yourself scheduling music lessons or trips to the library or other downtown destination according to the train sked, the situation merits improvement.
And given how many years it has taken to begin to realize the Belmont underpass, now would be a good time to start the push.
Downtown Biz Owner.
Boy your sure a buzzz kill on business here. A lot of the store you mentioned had expiring leases and were dated in there product lines and it had nothing to do with business being bad. Business have leases as you most likely do and when they wish to not renew then they move on or just close. It’s called progress and change. Our downtown has never looked better in the 5 short years I have lived here. I’m all for expansion, new business, opportunities for new brands, With the new resindential area’s spread all over downtown hopefully between the ecenomic council and the Village staff , they can make downtown an ever growing popular spot for new business opportunities. Try and look at downtown as glass half full instead of half empty. Thje downtown can support two seperate italian eateries, two seperate cigar shops, 2 or more breakfast spot’s, a couple of bars with decent food, a few unique retail shops, etc.. Then something must be keeping them open. Yes the economy is in the tank but people are stil spending and eating out and making purchases. Hopefully we’re alldoing what we can to stimulate the economy. Peace!
Downtown Management has been trying to get a GAP or some national brand store in downtown DG for years, no takers. You are correct about new condos being built and occupied. I hope this a big help for business. I do accounting for several downtown businesses and they are just barely making it from year to year. I am looking for ways improve business, and not paint some picture about how great things are that simply are not true.
My point is that name recognition is everything. If all the local establishments have to wait for word of mouth they will go out of business. I knew MEAT wouldn’t want chain stores or eateries in DG. That is why he moved here from the NW burbs. Business in town will always just be ok until the marketing of the town grows to the point that people travel here from all over the state and see Downers Grove as a destination and not just a quaint little suburb. Either way I am happy living here. I just like to brainstorm outloud.
Wow, a whole new unexpected twist coming out of TCD3 last night! Based on the fact that every neighborhood is unique, a matrix was presented that would improve communication between government and individual neighborhoods in the village. I wonder how quick they can get this up and running? I have a block party planned for the end of August, seems like a perfect opportunity.
I was surprised also.
TCD1 = A hospital.
TCD2 = Sidewalks.
TCD3 = Better communication via (to be determined) groupings and meetings, facilitated (to be determined) by someone, on a (to be determined) regular schedule.
I was expecting/hoping something more tangible would result, but the topics were many and diverse. Perhaps that was a result of the process. TCD1&2 deployed smaller study groups to develop issues and information. TCD3 was much more inclusive and diverse at the same time.