Unable to wait for the official launch, we took the opportunity to scope out the place at closing time Saturday night. And we liked what we saw (and what we purchased).

The store reminds me of a big-city specialty grocer: compact, visually pleasing and with lots of goodies artfully arranged in a compact space. There’s a fresh meat and fish counter, a very nice and competitively priced produce section, really good wine (including chilled whites) and liquor choices (Limoncello!), a nice cheese selection, plus a coffee bar.

The prepared foods department was closed by the time we got there, but I managed to snag some grilled asparagus and roasted vegetables — very nice. I noticed a lobster roll on the menu, which I would have liked to enjoy with a glass of wine at one of the outdoor tables. Maybe next time.

The store’s staffers (full disclosure: my kid is a part-timer there) are welcoming and knowledgeable. On the recommendation of Dennis, we bought a couple of bottles of wine, as well as a block of cheddar cheese, plus some whole wheat croccantini crackers and grapes to accompany it. Not a bad (late) evening repast.

(We weren’t alone in our positive response to the Lemon Tree. Wine from the store figured prominently in the offerings at a cocktail party I attended Friday evening.)

Looking forward to a return visit soon.

We want to start by saying thanks to everyone that has given feedback. We do appreciate all comments. Only through feedback will we truly understand our customer’s likes and dislikes, which helps us towards our ultimate goal, impeccable customer service.

After reading a few of the articles that were written about this project we can see where some of you could have been offended by our suggestion that people should dig into their pockets to help out a private business, especially in this tough economic time.

It is important for us to address the “roots” wall and its original intention, because we feel like some people have gotten the wrong idea. The true purpose of this wall is to allow our friends, family and neighbors to become a permanent fixture in the store.

After suggesting the idea to friends and family we received a positive response. Everyone believed it was a great way to support something so special to the two of us while providing lasting attractive artwork for everyone to enjoy.

The “roots” wall was not intended as a solicitation of Downers Grove residents. In fact, we did not approach any media in an effort to raise capital for our store. We were approached to discuss the wall after it was seen on our website.

In hind site, neither my partner or myself should have given any quotes to the media regarding the “roots” wall as it has only lead some people to unsavory conclusions, for this we apologize.

A few facts about the money being raised through the “roots” wall campaign:

The money will go towards the design and execution necessary for our artists to hand paint the artwork on the wall. If there is any money left over we were planning on using it to pay for the mural that will be attached to the “roots” wall.

We have since changed our minds and will now be spending any additional resources on a catered reception for all of the individuals who supported this project. No money will go towards the general operations of the store. This was never our intention.

We would like to address another misnomer that has been mentioned.  The delays in the construction of the store are not from and have never been from a lack of funding.

Sure this project is over budget (not sure how many projects of this kind are ever on budget) and we have approached a small group of people that have expressed interest in investing in the store, but this is very common in businesses such as this one. We never intended on making this a matter for the public but since it’s out there, we felt it was important to mention.

Tim and I have literally poured our hearts and souls into this project in an effort to bring the residents of Downers Grove a unique and convenient place to shop. Please accept my personal apology if we have offended anyone through this process, it was never our intention.

We hope all of you will give us the benefit of the doubt and allow us to earn your trust through superior food and impeccable service after we open our doors. Only through the support of our friends, family, neighbors and of course the village would this project have been possible.  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Shaun Black
Tim Canning
Lemon Tree Grocer

Owners Tim Canning and Shaun Black have launched the Roots Project to encourage supporters of the downtown market and eatery to contribute $50 or more. In return, their names will be inscribed in an art installation in the store’s bar area.

“These literal roots will become symbols of our dedication to our community of Downers Grove while at the same time building up the Lemon Tree,” the store’s website states.

A contribution of $50 or more adds the contributor’s name to the Roots Wall and snags a $10 gift card to the store. For $250 or more, contributors will see their name included in the lemon tree artwork, receive three $20 gift cards and gain an invitation to the store’s Grand Opening Gala. The deadline for donating is April 30.

Canning borrowed the “roots” concept from a friend who opened his Cambridge, Mass., restaurant The Hungry Mother on a shoestring.

“The Roots Project is very similar and is a creative way to bring family, friends and supporters together to embed them into the Lemon Tree’s future,” he said. So far, the store has reached about 25 percent of its fundraising goal, although donors have been “very generous,” Canning said.

The store has incurred some unexpectedly large expenses in its quest to become Downers Grove’s long-awaited downtown grocery. Building permits and variance costs for signage have added up, said Canning, a chef whose previous experience has been in the restaurant business.

“With new additions and little changes here and there costs have crept up along the way,” Canning said. “But we are set in offering the best ideas to the folks of Downers Grove and are willing to accept the costs because we believe the end result will be worth the dollars.”

In preparation for the opening, Canning and Black have traveled the nation to learn from the best gourmet grocery stores.

“Shaun and I were doing research for over a month in Colorado, California, Arizona, Dallas and New York City to fine-tune the Lemon Tree project,” Canning said. The goal is to develop a menu of delicious prepared foods, which will be the centerpiece of the store’s offerings.

Among those dishes will be the creations of the store’s recent recipe contest winners, including the  “Crispy Pancetta, Pear & Goat Cheese Sandwich” by grand prize winner Becky Rheintgen,  soup category winner Chandra Venkat’s  “Lemon Soup,” sandwich winner Elizabeth Walp’s “Salmon Sandwich,” salad winner Margie Cleveland’s “Gorgonzola, Roasted Pecan and Mixed Green Salad” and dessert winner Anne Reilly’s “Lemon Cake with Lemon Frosting.”

Meanwhile, work is continuing on the store’s interior.  “Getting the correct lighting has been the biggest challenge,” Canning said. “To showcase our vibrant produce, we outlined this entire area with special tracks that will ‘pop’ the natural colors of our fresh-picked bounty.”

The store will feature dark wood and stainless steel to showcase the food. “The bar area has a cool feel with Oceanside tile and high bar stools which are perfect to hang out after work and have a glass of wine or cold local draft beer,” Canning said.

“Outside, we are creating a European-feeling patio with an abundance of flower boxes and lots of natural tones,” he said.

It literally has taken a village to bring a gourmet grocery store to the pricier environs of downtown Downers Grove.  As part of an agreement with Michael’s Fresh Market, which recently opened at 7241 Lemont Road.,  the village offered to rebate 37.5 percent of that store’s sales tax for 10 years to operate the Lemon Tree.

Click here to visit the Lemon Tree Grocer fan site on Facebook.

The more participating restaurants you visit, the better your chance to win a $200 cash prize , a $100 downtown Downers Grove gift certificate or Downers Grove gift certificates.  Entry ballots will be distributed by servers at the participating eateries, which each will  feature a prix-fixe lunch for $15 and a prix-fixe dinner for $25 (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity).

The list of participants follows. Click on the restaurant name to view the promotional menus.
Aurelio’s Pizza, Ballydoyle Irish Pub & Restaurant, Bello Tea, Carlucci Restaurant & Bar, The Esplanade Restaurant at DoubleTree Guest Suites, Emmett’s Ale House, Gatto’s Restaurant & Bar, Allie’s American Grille at the Marriott Suites, Parkers’ Restaurant & Bar, Qdoba Mexican Grill, Ruby Tuesday, Scusa Mi Pizza and Catering, Tivoli Bowling Center, (call in advance for availability) and Toscana’s Grill & Pub.

The Lemon Tree recipe contest has been extended until March 22, giving local cooks more time to submit their original or modified recipes in sandwich, soup, salad and lemon dessert categories.

Laura Hart, the store’s specialty food manager, encouraged local cooks to submit published or family recipes that they have adapted, as well original creations.

“By tweaking an ingredient you can turn someone else’s recipe into your own,” she said.

Coincidentally, I tweaked a lemon dessert recipe just last night, although in my case, “tweaking” meant combining the ingredients of the Barefoot Contessa’s Lemon Yogurt Cake in the wrong order and failing to reserve a half-cup of lemon juice. Instead of using it to create a syrup that would have been poured over the freshly baked cake, I tossed it into the mix, which then necessitated the addition of sugar.

My family liked it — once it completed baking, which took a very long time, considering all the liquid ingredients — although I doubt it would pass muster as a possible addition to The Lemon Tree’s menu. Dishes from the winning recipes will be available for purchase at the store through August.

Recipes can be submitted through the store’s Web site, where contestants can find rules and instructions. Finalists will prepare their dishes for judging at Dream Interiors, 5122 Main St., on March 28.

The  State of the Village at the Jan. 13 Downers Grove Area Chamber of Commerce Luncheon gave a look back at 2009 and goals and aspirations going forward for the Village in 2010.  Mayor Sandack spoke at the event, giving a review of the Village’s budget process and the necessity to change the Village budget at the same time that residents are reviewing their personal budgets.

Here’s a review of achievements for the Village throughout a difficult environment in 2009:

The Mayor presented ways in which the Village cut back, both as a necessity and creatively.  For example, in 2009, the fleet service for public works was enhanced by the following:

• Reduction of 15 vehicles
• Scheduled maintenance for the vehicles was established to promote longevity
• Using nitrogen gas for tire inflation improving gas mileage
• A reduction in age of older vehicles
• Using alternative fuel in 95 vehicles within the public works fleet

In 2009, the Village completed 22 major infrastructure projects, the most visible being Prairie Ave, Rogers Street, and coming up for completion in 2010 are Washington Park and McCollumb Park improvements.

TCD3 was also a major part of 2009, requesting input from local Downers Grove Residents for future improvements in infrastructure.

Downers Grove will also welcome DeVry and the Dover Corporation to the Village in 2010 as a result of their desire to relocate in 2009.

Ziegler Automotive is also establishing a car dealership at 2311 Ogden Ave, where Downers Grove Dodge was previously located.

In 2010, the Village will make it a priority to work on many environmentally conscious projects, among them analyzing and improving recycling throughout the village, eliminating diesel vehicles, reducing streetlight electricity used, establishing the use of solar panels for utility pumping stations and researching the benefits of rainwater collection.  Primarily, this will be the focus of the Environmental Concerns Commission throughout 2010.

The mayor also spoke of the establishment of the Comprehensive Plan Committee, and the need for the Village to update their Comprehensive Plan.

In 2010, the village plans to complete 29 infrastructure projects, totaling approximately $29.5 million.

He stressed the desire for the village to up it’s customer service to the residents in 2010 and to ‘do more with less.’

In conclusion, Sandack introduced and acknowledged the Village Staff, whom typically are not recognized for their public service.  A nice touch for those that work behind the scenes, providing a lot of the services that we as residents have come to expect.

Sandack’s speech lasted approximately 20 minutes.

- Ryan M. DeProsperis

The EDC submitted the text amendment to create new category in between the largest signs allowed (for multi-store properties) and the rest of the smaller single store properties by carving out a middle classification.  The text amendment proposed by the EDC would allow free-standing signs that are 15 feet tall and 60 square feet on lots with a minimum frontage of 260 feet with a minimum of two-and-one-half acres even if they are single tenant properties.

Staff is against the text amendment (mainly because staff has no direction to change the sign ordinance) but acknowledged there is a gap that exists primarily for large single tenant properties.  These buildings have larger setbacks from the road and the description fits a lot of properties along Ogden Avenue.  Think car dealers.  Staff and the EDC also found that most of the big car dealers down by Finley along Ogden are in M-1 zoned land, and the current ordinance amendment would cover B-3 only.

Dick Benes (?) spoke, he was on the Sign Ordinance Committee.  He reiterated the purpose of the work his group had done.   He gave some context that the shopping center signs were given a larger size to adequately allow for advertising the multiple stores, not because of the width of the property.

Since the new sign policy, most cases that have come before the Zoning Board of Appeal have dealt with requests for sign variances.

One point he made was that any exceptions to enlarging the size allowed is that it’s kind of a camel’s nose under the tent, first 15 feet, next the businesses will want higher.  The Firestone sign was cited as an example of a sign that was far larger than needed.  The Dodge sign that change east of Belmont was also cited as a positive, and he noted when that occurred it opened up the whole area.

Greg Bedalov, President of the EDC spoke and he thanked staff for working with them on the text amendment request.  There’s 14-15 businesses (plus five or more are zoned M-1 that probably should be B-3) that would benefit from the proposed change.  Those M-1 property owners have no problem with zoning to B-3 from M-1; it’s no skin off their nose because their business is already allowed in that land space.  He wants businesses to be able to site signs generally where they feel the sign will do the most good.

Plan Commission PC-19-09 A petition seeking an Amendment to Chapter 28 of the Municipal Code – Zoning Ordinance Section 28.1502.01 Monument Signs and Shingle Signs to amend the original monument sign regulations as they relate to shopping centers and automobile dealerships; Downers Grove Economic Development Corporation, Petitioner, was sent to council with a 6-1 vote that supported approving the text amendment request.

Commissioner Marilyn Schnell noted that the sign variance requests getting through the Zoning Board of Appeal take time and are hard to obtain.  ZBA has a rightly high standard they want to see met.  They usually deny such requests, around a half dozen or so since the sign ordinance took effect.  She supported an idea put forward by a different unnamed committee member who called several council members and suggested they think of two 10’ signs allowed versus one 15’ high sign.  Director of Community development though two signs might add to the confusion and chaos more so than one 15’ tall sign.

Commissioner Geoff Neustadt noted the suggested setbacks from lot borders might put two signs right by each other, so he thought he could support the text amendment as requested by the EDC.

Commissioner William Waldack noted the ordinance was only five years old but there was a need to evaluate the ordinance and get some additional input.  He noted most non-complying signs still were not changed out.  Given the time spent on signs, and zoning conflicts, and the lack of current enforcement, the ordinance should be revisited in whole rather than apply an amendment patch.

Commissioner Bruce Beckman wanted to stay zeroed in on the request at hand.  The existing sign gap existed, and the amendment address the option of large properties having a single sign the same size as similarly sized properties and building heights.

Commissioner Bob Barnett wanted a copy of the power point presentation.  They couldn’t find the slide he was looking for but he asked if the Ogden Plan concentrated on reducing clutter; the number, size, and height of signs.  It did, but talked about general guidelines without specifics, but did call for siting and size similarity, so one sign didn’t obscure another.

Mayor Ron Sandack acknowledged the seeming conflicting goals of beautification of Ogden being so difficult, and finding that one size ordinance does not fit all areas of the village.  He agreed that the sign ordinance should be revisited, but maybe after the compliance dead line, which is in two years.  He noted that the 15’ signs for multi-tenant properties already exist.  He would favor de-cluttering with fewer signs, but switching right now might send a negative message to those businesses that spent the money and changed out signs, and wanted to make sure he had additional information on how the ZBA adjudicated variance requests, and would have to roll it around some more.

Commissioner Sean Durkin supported the amendment.  He asked if any companies that were going to come into Downers Grove changed their minds due to the sign ordinance.

It’s tough times right now.  Travel down Ogden from Naperville east.  Naperville has huge signs at big single tenant properties, mainly car dealers, that block out the sun but you sure do see them; Lisle has big signs too, mainly for car dealers; Westmont and Clarendon Hills have bigger signs:  Durkins’ query has merit.

The Sign Ordinance Committee was not designated as an Ad Hoc Committee, so they could be called back into duty if needed.  The Committee members did some heavy lifting when they did their homework.  At the time the original Sign Ordinance changes took effect it was specifically noted that the Village had the flexibility to make changes to the changes if needed.

COC, DMG, and EDC have worked pretty well to smooth over the economic trough we are suffering in.  It isn’t apparent now but it will be when the economy kicks back.  Giving them tools they request makes sense within limits, and adding a bridging category to the sign ordinance seems like one of those very tools; limited, within the existing parameters, and beneficial to making large sales tax generating businesses happy to locate here.  In the mix, DG should look at the requested rezoning and get that straightened out.  That area near Belmont is the largest chunk of deep lots along Ogden Avenue, and if car dealers go away, having a large B-3 area one step easier for re-development makes sense.

-Mark Thoman

The event, which was open to the community as well as Chamber members, sold out earlier today.

This marks the third year Sandack has addressed the Chamber on the state of the village at the invitation of  Laura Crawford, Chamber president and CEO.  The practice is common in many DuPage County communities, including Naperville and Wheaton,  said Doug Kozlowski, village communications director.

The Downers Grove Chamber of Commerce represents “a huge portion of the community,” he said. The village is making a continuing effort to enhance its communication with the public and through its partnerships with the Chamber, the Downtown Management Corp. and the Economic Development Corp.

DGTV, the local cable station, will tape Sandack’s speech for broadcast “as soon as possible,” Kozlowski said. The Chamber also plans to put up podcast of the speech on its site.

Sandack will deliver a second State of the Village speech at a village council meeting sometime in February, Kozlowski said.  In the future, that speech may be scheduled earlier.

“We are trying to get back on schedule after the stub budget year,” he said. “The ideal is to deliver the year-end report or State of the Village address as soon as possible in the new year. ”

The speech is meant to coincide with the publication of the annual report, he said.

Yesterday, she followed up with an electronic thank-you note that made an excellent case for shopping locally — at Christmas and throughout the year.

Entitled “Thank You for Buying Local,” the e-mail offered five reasons it pays to spend our discretionary dollars at home:

1.  You kept your dollars in the community…for every $100 you spend at an independent shop statistics show that $68 will stay in that community.  Only $43 stays in the community when you buy at a chain.

2.  You created local jobs…we have a staff of eight FABULOUS local girls who use their paychecks in our community.

3.  You nurtured the community…we support local entities, like the $5000 the Downtown Downers Grove shops raised for our elementary schools in one fabulous evening last fall.

4.  You invested in the community…when you spend locally instead of online you ensure that your tax dollars are invested where they belong, right here in our community.

5.  You kept local property taxes down…the tax revenue generated by businesses offsets the property tax costs to run our village.

As someone who found beautiful gifts for my teen-aged daughter and nieces (plus a trio of hand-crafted felt Christmas tree ornaments and a little something for myself) at Joer’s shop, it’s nice to be thanked.

And even nicer to feel like you’re helping the local economy and an independent merchant by keeping your discretionary dollars at home.

So I thought I’d open a thread where readers could share great gift ideas from local establishments. For example: I’ve really enjoyed Jolie Boutique’s 12 days of Christmas e-mails, which suggest gifts at various price points. My daughter and I stopped at the store at 937 Curtiss St. a few minutes before closing last night and snagged presents for the cousins: a plaid scarf for the high school freshman and a cute metal message board and lip pomade for her 13-year-old sister.

I’m also planning on picking up a Downers Grove Park District gift card for my nephew, who is quite the young baseball player. He’ll use it to reserve a batting cage at the Rec Center beginning in January, but the cards, which are available in all denominations, may be used for any recreational program.

Other gifts with a “taste of Downers Grove” include downtown gift certificates available at the Downtown Management Corp. offices at 933A Curtiss St. and a calendar of Downers Grove landmarks created by sixth grade students at Henry Puffer School.

The students teamed with Village Hall to produce the calendar (pictured above), which features such favorite scenes as Prince Pond, Lyman Woods, the Main Street train station and the Tivoli. It’s available at Anderson’s Book Shop.

These are just a few ideas. Feel free to add your suggestions below.