In 2013, from shopping and apparel to dining and entertainment, Downtown St. Charles again featured a number of new business openings, business improvements, and events with the purpose of bringing people to experience Downtown St. Charles.
Downtown St. Charles welcomed several new businesses this past year including Forever Yogurt, Sportiva Soccer, One of a Kind Find, and Shooting Star Studios.
Another addition to downtown in 2013 is Water Street Studios PrintLab, which offers arts education in a variety of media as well as a shared studio environment for artists working in all types of fine arts printing. They now occupy the lower level of 117 W Main beneath the new Forever Yogurt.
Acosta’s Consignment opened a second St. Charles location and now shares space with Amlings Flowerland at 116 E Main St. Acosta’s Consignment features upscale previously owned furniture, décor, and jewelry.
Shooting Star Studios opened in the upper level of 15 S. 2nd acting and audition workshops, and places talent in print ads, commercials, movies and TV series.
New businesses that opened downtown include:
- Acosta’s Consignment, 116 E Main. St.
- Forever Yogurt, 117 W Main St.
- Greenleaf Yoga and Mediation, 16 N. Riverside Ave.
- One of a Kind Find, 228 W. Main St.
- Puebla Modern Mexican, 51 S. First St.
- Shooting Star Studios, 15 S. 2nd
- Sportiva Soccer, 113 E Main St.
- Water Street Studios PrintLab, 117 W. Main St.
- Prime Bistro, 106 S. Riverside Ave.
Several downtown businesses reached milestone anniversaries this year and had celebrations to mark the occasion. Owner Doreen Brandolino of the What-Not-Shoppe (106 E. Main St.), which sells European museum quality antiques, estate and vintage jewelry, celebrated 25 years in business and held a one-night, in-store public celebration.
Jim Petterec of JP Jewelers (151 S. 1st throughout the month of October, highlighted by a Ribbon Cutting with Mayor Ray Rogina.
President Mara Hauser of The Hauser Group (100 Illinois Street, Suite 248) won the National Association of Women Business Owner’s Chicago Area Chapter “Cynthia Bland O’Toole New Venture Award” for Catalyst Coworking, which is a community of flexible and dedicated meeting and work spaces with a focus on amenities and benefits to help entrepreneurs and small businesses become more successful.
The Jalapeño Grille (602 Geneva Road) in downtown St. Charles, owned and operated by the Calderon family, celebrated 10 years in business this past September. In addition to a special celebration, the business was featured during a WGN Channel 9, “Chicago’s Best” episode. The episode featured one of The Jalapeño Grille’s breakfast choices, the “Volcan,” a homemade corn patty loaded with beans, Chihuahua cheese, chorizo, and topped with three eggs and homemade ranchero salsa.
Kimmer’s Ice Cream (1 W. Illinois St.) won Glancer Magazine's Readers Choice Award for Best Ice Cream and was also recognized by West Suburban Living's Best of the West as one of the favorites. Kimmer’s Ice Cream celebrated its 3 year anniversary in October.
Dick Pond Athletics (303 N. 2nd St) St.), America’s Oldest Running Shoe Store, doubled its size with an addition in April, and then celebrated ten years in business in St. Charles this past May. Dick Pond Athletics was also named one of the Top 50 Running Shoe Stores in the USA by Competitor magazine in 2013.
In addition to Dick Pond’s expansion, several other downtown businesses made exterior, interior, and business improvements. Doc Morgan Inc. (108 S. 2nd St.) St.) improved its exterior by the beautification of landscaping and a new flag pole. Through the business and website, Doc Morgan increased its e-commerce presence for many of its organizational accounts. The Hauser Group/Environments that Work (100 Illinois Street, Suite 248) remodeled their office in a blended location. The Hauser Group is known for its Design Management Services, from Interior Design to Project and Construction Management.
Kimmer’s Ice Cream (1 W. Illinois St.) updated their packaging and has now branded both their quarts and pints. According to the owner, this change has helped sell more units in their wholesale efforts due to increased visibility than the previous generic containers. Kimmer’s Ice Cream also partnered with Moveable Feast of Geneva and Arcedium Coffee house for ice cream ingredients. New flavors this year for sorbets included Cranberry Orange, Apple Cider, and Raspberry Mango, and the newest ice cream flavors have included Fairy Tale Cookie, featuring Moveable Feast's Almond sugar cookies, White Chocolate Salty Oatmeal, which also featured a Moveable Feast Cookie, Peanut Butter Cinna-mel, a cinnamon based ice cream with Caramel and Peanut Butter ribbons, and a Coconut Cake ice cream. Kimmer’s Ice Cream also created "Seasonal Sparkle Cones" for each season in addition to the year-round Pink Sparkling Cones.
In the summer from June through September, the Downtown St. Charles Partnership coordinated the new, live entertainment program STC Live. The new program featured live entertainment Wednesday and Friday evenings in the 1st Street Plaza and among downtown businesses including The Blue Goose,
Kimmer’s Ice Cream, Dolce Bakery and Café, Sportiva Soccer, and Dick Pond Athletics. From Magician Arman Sangalang to juggler Josiah Jones, vocalist Carl King, and acoustic band Plaza Folk Union, more than 23 unique groups and individual performers shared their talents during more than 60 performances as a way to promote downtown activity through live, complimentary entertainment.
Downtown St. Charles Partnership Executive Director Lynne Schwartz notes, “This was an exciting year in Downtown St. Charles, with a host of great new businesses opening, expanding and reaching milestone anniversaries. In addition, downtown was home to events and programs, both new and old, which engaged the community and brought people here to enjoy our beautiful downtown district. As
we look to the year ahead, we see this trend continuing and invite everyone to come downtown to see this trend continuing and invite everyone to come downtown to see what’s new.”
About the Downtown St. Charles Partnership
The mission of the Downtown St. Charles Partnership (DSCP) is to enhance the economic viability and to preserve the character and beauty of Downtown St. Charles. The Partnership produces the St. Charles Fine Art Show, Holiday Homecoming, Jazz Weekend, and the St. Patrick’s Parade. For more information about the DSCP, including membership, volunteer opportunities,
and events visit www.downtownstcharles.org.
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