Naperville businessman Jim Bergeron says "a perfect storm" led to the closing of downtown restaurant Tessa's. After 14 months, it closed its doors Sunday. Bergeron says the statewide smoking ban, home foreclosures, bad weather this winter and even the war are factors in the decision. Several other area restaurants have closed too, including the downtown restaurant Masala Yangu in June, and Petey Z's in Oswego, which had moved from near the downtown train station less than a year ago. National chains are struggling, too. Just Tuesday, the Bennigan's in Bolingbrook and Woodridge closed.
But Paul Junkroski, chairman of the Downtown Naperville Alliance, says Naperville restaurants are "weathering" the downturn in the economy. And from the crowds on Friday and Saturday nights and the traffic on Washington Street, he seems to be right.
What were your best experiences at Tessa's? Tell us about your favorite foods, wine or other reasons to dine there.
The communal mailboxes in the Cedar Glen subdivision are in really bad shape. They're rusted and broken, and the fine folks at the U.S. Postal Service say they'll replace them. But the post office won't do what the neighbors want, which is split up the clusters of mailboxes and give the folks individual mail delivery. The Naperville postmaster says once a delivery method has been established, it's virtually impossible to change.
Ah, good old bureaucracy.
What do you think? Is it reasonable for the Cedar Glen residents to want a different method of delivery? Is it reasonable for the Postal Service to turn down the request? What's been your experience dealing with the post office in Naperville, for any reason? Are you satisfied with the service you've received from the Postal Service?
The much-awaited Whole Foods Market at 75th Street just off Route 59 opens Wednesday. Sun reporter Susan Frick Carlman took an exclusive tour of the 50,000-square-foot facility last week - the first of the company's stores built from scratch. With a Naper-centric focus, including a coffee bar, WiFi and fireplace, the planet-friendly, human-friendly store will feature an international section and fresh pies baked on-site. The company also plans to seek food from a 250-mile radius. This means food that's fresher and more nutritious, which will support local economies and require less fuel for transportation, said Kate Klotz, Midwest regional public relations specialist. The city is excited, too. Doug Krieger, the city's finance director, sees assorted benefits on the horizon, including $300,000 in sales tax receipts annually.
Tell us what you're looking most forward to in the new store. How will your shopping habits change? Will the environmentally friendly amenities sway you to shop there? What will this mean to the eating habits of your family?
Joliet now has more people than Naperville, according to the latest Census estimates. The counts just in for July 2007 place Joliet at 144,316, moving it ahead of Naperville's 142,479. The five largest cities in Illinois, in order, are now Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Joliet and Naperville.
It's unlikely Naperville will reclaim the title any time soon. Joliet has a lot of room to grow, and Naperville is pretty much landlocked and built out. Sure, a special census is expected to show the addition of a few thousand more people have moved to Naperville, which will translate to more federal revenue. But within a few years, it's likely that Joliet will add a lot more and continue growing while Naperville pretty much levels off.
This census story offers the chance to ask, what do you like about living in Naperville? What don't you like? What could be better? Why do you think so many people have made Naperville their home? What qualities of life make Naperville so appealing to so many people?
Well, it appears Chris "Mr. Teardown" Cobb is going ahead with plans to demolish the historic Hammerschmidt mansion at 432 E. Chicago Ave. in the heart of Naperville. Less than a week after saying he was willing to field offers from anyone interested in buying the home to preserve this 1893 Victorian gem, he's now inviting in TV cameras for a Discovery Channel show "Total Wrecklamation" Saturday, and auctioning off the home's historic fixtures.
Boy, that was quick.
Should Chris Cobb be hailed as a hero of economic development? A master entrepreneur able to keep the economic engine turning during these sluggish times? Or is he exploiting the situation, a profiteer grabbing prime real estate who is unfazed by pleas from preservationists?
Ribfest is arguably the biggest summer festival around, with big-name entertainment and lots of food and lots of people. Love it? Hate it? Don't care either way? It's still Naperville's signature Fourth of July event, and a destination for many thousands this weekend.
So, what's your Ribfest experience? Good or bad, we want to hear about it. What could organizers do to improve it?
Members of Naperville's East Central Homeowners Organization say they're having cordial discussions with Chris Cobb and Susan Wilke, a couple who last year bought the historic 1890s Hammerschmidt mansion at 432 E. Chicago Ave. The owners - who live next door - are aware of the home's historic character. But preservationists say that while the house may be structurally sound, it's neglected and may need up to $500,000 to fix it up. For now, the owners say they just don't know what they'll do with the property, but that they'd be willing to sell it for what they paid for it -- an estimated $770,000.
How do you think this story will turn out? Will someone step forward, buy the home and invest in the repairs? The home isn't protected as a local landmark, and the city says it can't get involved in preservation efforts, so it's possible the home's days could be numbered. Teardowns are common in this town, no need to tell you that.
In general, how well do you think Naperville is preserving parts of its 176-year history?
