Did not know about Wm. Stout. I will have to go there next time I am in SF, which is hopefully at Thanksgiving.
Riverside Info » About Riverside
CBD, What businesses do we need/want?
(67 posts)-
Posted Thursday Jun 25, 2009 18:04 #
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I'd love to see a store like Wild Birds Unlimited. I doubt a franchise would open here, as they tend to be in plazas with more drive-by traffic. But a similar store which sells seed and bird houses, and garden paraphernalia (bird baths, flags, statuary) and gifts would do well in a town like ours. It would highlight our emphasis on nature and landscaping. And, it would mean I wouldn't have to drive to Palos for my bird seed! And it could feature locally made art items.
Posted Saturday Aug 22, 2009 22:33 # -
Try the Feed Store on Harlem just past I 55 - before Archer. They have all kinds of feed and lots of other stuff, also small animals and some pigeons, etc. for sale. Nice people - they've been there for a long time. Just past the Shell station.
Posted Sunday Aug 23, 2009 09:08 # -
I was cleaning out my file on Riverside today, and came across a couple interesting items I will gladly give to anyone that wants them:
Camiros's April 2002 materials for the Downtown Riverside Planning Workshop. This shows the street scape and collective parking plans the Village's consultants had developed.
My Village Enterprise Plan and maps for the CBD from the 2007? workshops. It presents a plan for redevelopment in a manner and location where it would do the most good, improve the quality of life for all residents, bolster historic preservation efforts and raise the EAV of the underperforming properties. And do it at low cost.
My proposal to the Village aimed at revitalizing the CBD by generating increased visits and FOOT TRAFFIC (shoppers) from both visitors and residents. This was done after the TIF and centered on the creation of "A Window to the Arts" where every business would display reproductions of great art from the Art Institute and other museums and thus turn Riverside's CBD into a 24/7/365 outdoor gallery that would draw people to get out and walk and peer into our shop windows. And do it at low cost. Maybe the Chamber or some merchants would care to take this to the EDC and the new Admin? I'm happy to donate it.
Posted Sunday Aug 23, 2009 12:59 # -
Spatny, I must say I am not a fan of this particular idea of art reproductions, but a display of local artists might be interesting if it were juried by someone competent.
I was in Joliet very recently; I had never been there before. It has a thriving old downtown, lots of foot traffic, and a variety of businesses. What struck me very forcibly was the useful and aesthetic way they unified it and marked it out. It was done with very lush baskets of hanging flowers on both sides of the lampposts. (I don't mean wimpy baskets.) The flower color was very tasteful. If you became disoriented or didn't know if there was more district or whether you were wandering off, these baskets told you.
I have long though we needed some such unifying element in the CBD. I had been thinking cloth awnings but of the difficulty of getting everyone to agree and put them in. Joliet's method was very attractive and effective.
Posted Monday Aug 24, 2009 12:15 # -
I just saw it as a PROVEN (elsewhere) and mostly inoffensive way to draw potential customers to our merchants windows. Perhaps the "arts community" might have a better spin on it. I want to say how great it is to be able to drop off a car for repairs in town (as I did yesterday at Jeff's) and get a call in the morning that it's ready and then WALK over to get it. (and incidentally find that it was done reasonably and correctly the first time!) There is no "higher use" for locations and businesses like that, and we should help them to stay here and prosper by not threatening their existence. This is what it means to be of service to the residents. Amen.
Posted Tuesday Aug 25, 2009 12:09 # -
Well, Don, no doubt you are right. I am just stating a preference.
I agree as to the latter. Remember when the "design" consultants wanted Riveside Garage to go. They asked Riverside Plumbing if they would consider moving because "plumbing" was not tony enough for viewing from the train!! Yet they are both amongst the best looking and most successful businesses in town. Thank heavens that nonsense is over.
Posted Tuesday Aug 25, 2009 21:15 # -
EricS, any chance the Chamber saw this posting on the Berwyn blog? Admittedly it took a weird turn, and the business owner wasn't being helpful by not saying what the biz is, but hey, someone was considering moving their biz to Riverside.
Posted Thursday Sep 17, 2009 18:00 # -
First we have to do things to attract business...like more parking and a board that will make it easy for someone to get started here. I don't think we have a welcoming reputation. I think if we listen to our current merchants and work with them and others will follow.
Posted Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 20:56 # -
Nope. It was never referred to at the last chamber meeting so this blogger has never contacted us. I am curious as to the nature of his/her business. If it needs High volume foot traffic I think the only good spot would be Harlem ave near the RR.
Posted Tuesday Sep 22, 2009 22:41 #
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