New look a big hit for Elburn's Fishermen's Inn

Have you seen the TV commercial in which the elderly couple visiting their daughter's family walks into a redecorated home, and they think they are in the wrong place?

That was my reaction when attending a wedding reception a weekend ago for the first time at the remodeled Fishermen's Inn in Elburn.

It had probably been about eight years since I attended an event at Fishermen's Inn. So the new look was a sight to behold.

It's a great thing for Elburn to see this place rejuvenated, considering just five years ago the inn's fate was in doubt. That's when company president Cliff Spence had to close the popular spot because of a dreadful economy and a slowdown in business.

The place needed a facelift, and that's what new owners Mark and Patricia Southern of Hinckley promised in 2012 after purchasing the restaurant and banquet hall for $1.2 million.

After pouring a lot more money into it, they opened the site to weddings, banquets and holiday events last April.

Mark's sister, Linda Hagen, the Inn's marketing and event coordinator, told me the revitalized inn is off to a terrific start.

The 2014 summer and early fall wedding season has been good to the barn-style setting, which enjoyed this sort of popularity as a restaurant for some 45 years before the recession put it on its heels.

"This is our 30th wedding reception," Hagen said. "Business has been very good, and we've been getting great feedback."

I should say so. The rustic atmosphere is very inviting, and the buffet-style food service at this reception was excellent.

The site now operates as an event center and features areas called the Great Room and the Loft Room.

"Great" pretty much describes what has unfolded at Main Street and Route 47.

Historic facelift

A local storefront that could win a prize for undergoing the most dramatic change is the Geneva History Museum.

The new color scheme and awning carrying the museum name stands out in a way you can't help but give your full attention.

This new look is especially wise because it now has the aura of a "fun" place for adults, kids and families. That's not a bad spin for a community history center to put out in the public.

After all, the alternative is just admitting that it's an old place with old stuff in it. A museum, of course, is so much more than that. But try telling that to kids who are wired for sound and excitement with today's mobile technology.

Change that turf

Geneva and Aurora Christian high schools play football on artificial turf fields. Those are two in the immediate area that come to mind.

Batavia and both St. Charles high schools are thinking about making the switch from natural grass to the new-age artificial stuff, which is really quite nice for players and maintenance staffs alike.

But here's my real reason for urging schools to take on what is ultimately a money-saving proposition for a school district: When covering games for the Daily Herald, I have to talk to players and coaches afterward. The artificial turf keeps my shoes clean on rainy nights.

It's crystal blue

How can anyone, especially of the female species, not like Tommy James and Shondells? That great 1960s band is playing Oct. 25 at the Arcada Theatre in downtown St. Charles, so I figured it would be an excellent trip down memory lane.

I also thought my wife would like to again hear these simple love songs that all teens heard on their transistor radios years ago.

But she shocked me in saying she didn't care for the band. Are you kidding? "Crimson and Clover." "Crystal Blue Persuasion." "I Think We're Alone Now." What's not to like?

I have some convincing to do over the next couple of weeks.

Fundraising feuds?

Steve Harvey sure does a nice job in hosting the TV game show "Family Feud." I never thought anyone could replace Richard Dawson in that format.

But in watching the "Feud" the other day, it had me wondering why a nonprofit agency hasn't chosen some form of this game as a possible family-oriented fundraiser.

We have trivia nights, scavenger hunts and golf outings coming out of our ears. There must be a way to get loads of "Feud" surveys and top answers to use for a night of friendly competition and a round-robin type tournament for families.

Scarecrow haven

If you haven't been in downtown St. Charles yet this weekend, you still have time Sunday to check out the Scarecrow Festival in Lincoln Park and the craft show along the Fox River and Pottawatomie Park.

If the weather is good, this festival has always been a great way to spend some of our last warm-weather days outdoors.

dheun@sbcglobal.net