Tonight I met with a bookclub at The Bookstore in the CBD. I guess I haven't been downtown in quite a while, except to go to see Roger at Vittorio's, and also go to McChesney's once in a while, because I was totally shocked by the empty storefronts - Georgia Rae's, M & Ems, Maison Suzanne, a couple of others on Crescent, in addition to the ones that have been empty for quite a while (like the old Daffy Down Dilly location). Anyway - wow. I had no idea it was that bad. I mean, it's been bad for a long time, but it seems worse than usual.

I guess it can all be chalked up to the economy, in addition to the usual things I hear about ridiculous rents. Still, I was pretty surprised. And I'm someone who thinks she does a fair amount of patronizing the CBD, but now I realize that since I was so shocked by the situation, I guess I don't. I'll try harder in the future, but it'll be mainly be the restaurants & the Bookstore, as there's not much else there.

What this village needs in a committee dedicated to fixing that shocking situation. I think we can get one for $5,000.00 a week. Maybe we can talk them down to $257,000.00 per year. For that I bet we can get a group to exclusively market the central business district. I would propose that they only market the CBD . . . and none of the other business areas in Glen Ellyn. While we are at it, let's commit the money prior to anyone being in charge or having a solid plan. I think that's the best idea.

I invite you to visit Hinsdale, Winnetka and Wilmette . . . even Lake Forest. You will see that Glen Ellyn is not the sole hamlet being affected by the change (perhaps permanent change?) in retail due to the economy and changing lifestyles of us USAers. Last mid-sized town that I was in that was absolutely thriving was Evanston. But they have a big university and a lot of big stores that draw little stores.

Well, the landlords are obviously happy with getting $0 in rents.

Glad to see they can afford to keep rents high and rake in all those zany zero dollars.

I guess it's quite the boom for them.

Didn't mean to draw the snark out of people - I'm well aware this is a tired subject and that we're not the only village with the problem. I simply hadn't been in the CBD in a while, and hadn't realized it was even worse than I remembered.

Sorry but I don't agree. We just had lunch the other day in downtown Wheaton and the town seemed busy to me. There are some open storefronts, but not nearly as many as Glen Ellyn. There was also a discussion on this site about Geneva. There's another town that has a lot of shops and very little for rent signs. To me, it seems to be a combination of lack of parking here, lack of real stores (not just stores that sell stuff we might need once in a year), and also from what i've heard the village has not exactly been helpful. Is that rumor true about Potbelly? I heard they tried to open in downtown GE but were shunned by the village.

I am on the phone with a Geneva resident right now. She says there are plenty of vacancies in Geneva should anyone wish to open a business. She lives on River Road two blocks from town.

quote:

Originally posted by D87parent:
Is that rumor true about Potbelly? I heard they tried to open in downtown GE but were shunned by the village.

I was at the workshop on monday night (for the manor woods issue) and heard this discussed. From what I remember, it sounded like the CBD was suggested to Potbellys, but they wanted the visibility Roosevelt provided instead due to the increase in potential customers.

I saved this e-mail from March 2003. The PB website had a "franchise" link allowing you to inquire about opening a store. I had visions of opening one in the old creepy convenience store/bank(s)/Keller Williams site in that depressing strip mall by the tracks:

"Dear XXXXX XXXXXX,

Thanks for visiting our Web site, and for completing a Franchise Contact Information form. All of our stores are company owned, and we do not currently plan to franchise; however, we will keep your information in our database, and will contact you should this change in the future.

Thanks again for your interest in Potbelly! We really appreciate it!

Sincerely,

Bryant L. Keil

Chief Executive Officer"

In hindsight they were just using me and others as a scouting service. In theory, I suppose that I have recruited just as many businesses to GE as some of the paid groups that we employ.

quote:

Originally posted by D87parent:
Is that rumor true about Potbelly? I heard they tried to open in downtown GE but were shunned by the village.

It was actually Corner Bakery that was shut out. PB wanted to be on a main drag.

It's depressing, but I don't think it's as bad as a couple of years ago, though I may just be getting used to it. Bummer that we have two very large spaces available on Pennsylvania that now look so ghetto there is no way they'd attract a tenent.

Not certain the village had anything to do with the alleged demise of a potential C.B in the CBD. There was talk of one being located in the old corner space where M and Em's is, but I have heard that just just wishful thinking hearsay on behalf of many residents and that the village had nothing to do with it . . . because I'm not sure it never happened. Space probably never met their lease requirements anyway. Now . . . the Chik-fil-A ball dropping on Roosevelt and Main . . . that really happened.

I will say that I want my Potbelly's franchise . . . now.

I have a friend in the Tommy Bahama organization and I said to him "why not have your boys check out Glen Ellyn?" He said he would kick it around. A few months later, he said to me in an email "nac. suicide."

I heard many a resident complain about the downtown area but never a property owner.

I do find it interesting how there are frequently lots of people up at the Starbucks and Chipotle on Roosevelt sitting outside. Its almost like by not leeting more chains in the downtown area, people have been pulled away from it. For what its worth the Starbucks manager on Roosevelt said that they are the busiest drive thru in the Midwest.

That Starbucks on Roosevelt - the one here, not in Lombard - is also the slowest one in the Midwest. I've given up going there, choosing instead to drive to the one in Lombard or the one on Crescent. It doesn't matter whether or not you do the drive-thru or go inside, that one on Roosevelt is beyond frustrating.

But there's no Chick-Fil-A coming here, is there? There's one in Wheaton, I know. And maybe it's a good thing we didn't get the Corner Bakery, as the one in Wheaton closed down a while ago.

I do stand corrected concerning my original post - I went back to the CBD today, and now I realize M & Ems has only moved to that new location. I also went into Dessertz for the first time, thinking I'd pick something up for dessert, but left very disappointed and empty handed. I don't care how delectable your goods are, an empty storefront and display case aren't going to persuade anyone to spend ridiculous amounts of money. They wanted $2.50 for a cupcake. One lousy cupcake! Dessert for 3 people would have come to $7.50, plus tax! The woman behind the counter was eager to tell me that they use real butter in all their products. They'd have to bake them with real gold, as well, to convince me to pay $2.50 for one measly cupcake. And there were only, like, 5 cookies, 2 cupcakes and a few cheesecake cupcakes in the case, anyway. Nothing else.

Oh, well. I didn't need anything fattening, anyway.

I never go to the drive thru at GE Starbucks. I prefer to have the stone-face or indifferent counter help take care of me than sit in a drive thru. I really hate drive thru, to the point of (did I make this clear?) being treated like an annoyance at the front counter.

I never noticed the GE Starbucks drive through being slow. It seems like that one, the Lombard one and the Villa Park one are all basically the same.

the store that sold Tommy Bahama in Glen Ellyn closed down!!!!

Okay do not get me started on the slowest Starbucks in Glen Ellyn. I have had consistently slow service at the downtown Ge Starbucks. So much so that I have sent multiple emails to Starbucks ( yeah its a hot button with me). I wont even go to that location if I dont have at least 10 minutes before the train. They seem to be in a little happy downtown Ge bubble (where everyone doesn't have to be anywhere). Sorry I feel better now. I am spoiled by the ones in the city where they remember your beverage which I find amazing.

Corner Bakery where the chase bank was???? I wonder if that would work.

To start up a successful business in this economy, you need to spend money on some simple marketing.

Specifically to the Dessertz place. If she sent out some coupons for $$ off a lrg cheesecake or buy 2, get 1 cupcakes, wouldn't we all at least try it? And if it's good and we know it's good, wouldn't we all go back and pay full price? Yes and yes! This isn't rocket science, people.

I can't understand for the life of me how someone can open a store/restaurant/etc... and simply sit there hoping someone is going to walk in and buy something.

Am I missing something with Dessertz? Isn't the storefront just her workspace for the restaurants she supports? It's not the walk in traffic or the $2.50 cupcakes (is that expensive now? Starbucks food is frozen and cost near that) that keeps her busy. In march we tried to order a Birthday cake there two weeks in advance of the party and were turned away because her limit was full.