Batavia man hopes good product builds business
Amin Kanchwala realizes it is a little bit like being alone on an island, but he’s hoping people begin to find his father’s business at 909 E. Wilson St. in Batavia.
His father, Moiz Kanchwala, has been making pizzas for more than 30 years, but about seven months ago he decided to bring Chicago Pizza & Catering to Batavia. And he chose a spot in a fairly new retail strip center on the city’s east side.
Problem is, Chicago Pizza is the only business setting up shop in that center.
“To be honest, it’s been kind of slow,” said Amin, who works for his father at Chicago Pizza. “Because we deliver and cater, it’s not like we rely heavily on walk-up business, but it would be nice if other businesses were here, so that people could see our store and see the phone number.”
Summers Commercial Realty is handling the leasing of the spaces at the center, which doesn’t really have a name, other than being referred to as Wilson Street Retail.
“It’s a great little center, but it’s a struggle right now in this economy and making sure the location is a good fit,” said listing agent Sharon O’Leary. “This is a good location, with an office park behind it, and there has been a lot of interest, but people are reluctant.”
O’Leary said an ice cream shop, a dry cleaners and a convenience store would be logical businesses that could find a decent home in this type of center. But she realizes things won’t move as quickly as some of the realty company’s other projects along First Street in St. Charles and Dodson Place in Geneva.
For now, the Kanchwalas have to rely on their confidence that people will like the pizza they have been making in the Fox Valley for 32 years.
“We’ve always been Chicago Pizza and we’ve always been in this area,” Amin said.
The other retail center: Batavia has another retail strip that is lacking businesses, but is now in the midst of revitalization mainly because a park district recreation center won’t be taking its place.The retail strip along Island Avenue is undergoing sidewalk and facade improvements as owners Andy and Steve Alex make a new push for tenants in the wake of the park district referendum failure.#147;This center is being completely redone from top to bottom,#148; said listing agent Neil Johnson of Sperry Van Ness/Landmark. #147;The recreation center vote had put the center in limbo, but now there is a lot of good interest in it.#147;The demographics of Batavia are really good and it makes it easier to attract people, but it will take some time,#148; said Johnson, who co-lists the building with Joel Miller.Computers Plus and, more recently, Structures and Trains represent the only two businesses operating in the center. Johnson said there was great interest in another restaurant taking the north side of the building, where Chapala Restaurant was located, and a lease signing could be coming soon.#147;It#146;s always a challenge when you have vacancies, and you have to build some momentum,#148; Johnson said. #147;But this could be a very good retail hub for downtown Batavia.#148;Prairie band fits in: RiverPark in Geneva got its name from a pretty simple reality. It is a park set right along the river, just north of the North River Lane retail area that features Riverside Banquets and The Dam Bar and Grill.But the grasses and flowers that make up this pleasant setting remind me that Illinois at one time truly lived up to its name as the Prairie State.It seems quite fitting that the Prairie Brass Band will play at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 10, in the first of four Sunday evening concerts scheduled for RiverPark.The Geneva Cultural Arts Commission, which sponsors the series, encourages visitors to bring lawn chairs and a picnic dinner to enjoy while listening to the music.Cupcake ladies: Parishioners at St. Peter#146;s attending services this weekend are marking the end of the parish#146;s centennial year of celebrations. And it#146;s being symbolized with some sweet memories in the form of cupcakes for everyone made possible by the hard work of volunteers (mostly ladies, I must assume) who put together a push to have 3,000 cupcakes ready to hand out.That#146;s a lot of cupcakes by any measuring stick, and the ladies should be applauded for their baking prowess.Flower ladies: If the hanging flower baskets along the Main Street Bridge in St. Charles don#146;t catch your eye this year, nothing will.The Pottawatomie Garden Club has always done a nice job with the plantings and flower boxes along the city#146;s bridges, but there#146;s something about this year#146;s baskets of petunias that really give the downtown a nice look.This club does a lot of things to educate people about gardening, but most of us think of it basically as a group of ladies who want the bridges looking nice. So we again thank the club for brightening up the walk or drive through town.dheun@sbcglobal.net 40002557Chicago Pizza & Catering at 909 E. Wilson in Batavia opened seven months ago and is the only business in the new strip mall.Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com 39772289Chicago Pizza & Catering at 909 E. Wilson in Batavia opened seven months ago and is the only business in the new strip mall.Laura Stoecker/lstoecker@dailyherald.com