Downtown men's clothing stores sorely missed

It's been almost two years since the concept of a men's clothing store in a downtown district took a major hit when Erday's closed in Geneva after nearly 88 years in business.

Though they represent a rare breed these days, some men still have to don a suit daily for work. But there's no such thing as stopping in to see "your" tailor downtown these days.

For years, men in the Tri-Cities could generally count on Erday's or Gunter's in St. Charles as places to get custom tailoring during a downtown visit. You'd get to know the clothing store owner and tailors like family members.

Men wore suits for work on a regular basis until the 1990s rolled around. Then things began to change, and business-casual or even casual became the norm. Today, a ride on the Metra train into Chicago during the week confirms this. The number of "suits" getting on board is limited. Sure, our big box department stores and even some high-end men's clothing chains can still get a man looking sharp in a nice suit. But is it the same as when area residents went to Victor or Bob Erday in Geneva or Gunter Hoepfner in St. Charles for friendly and meticulous service?

"I was an Erday's customer for 60 years," Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke said. "When they closed, it really put a hit on me. When you remove a store like that from a neighborhood, as a consumer, I felt lost in the wilderness."

Schielke found out that Bob Erday now works at Von Maur at The Quad in St. Charles, so he's happy about his tailoring again when he needs it.

"Losing Erday's was a double tragedy for consumers in the Tri-Cities," Schielke said. "They were the king of the hill and a third-generation family business.

"Once those guys got to know you, they right away got your tailor when you walked in the door," Schielke said. "Everything was tailored to the inch, in perfection, and you had nothing to worry about."

Former St. Charles Mayor Fred Norris was another who spent most of his working life in a suit. "Now, I just wear a suit for a funeral or a wedding," Norris said.

St. Charles had a place to call its own when Gunter Hoepfner left his tailoring job at Erday's to open his clothing shop along Third Street, Norris said. It was a men's clothing staple through the 1970s and into the '80s.

"Gunter went on to do many other things, but at that time he felt men's clothing was a good business to be in," Norris said.

For younger set

Any talk about men's downtown clothing stores from the past has to include Eaton's Junior Gentlemen in Geneva. Joe Eaton owned the business from 1985 to 1997, before it, too, became a victim of wearing suits on a regular basis falling out of favor.

Stanley Eaton Jr. bought that store on Geneva's Third Street from previous owners in 1972.

Bring on the parades

The recent cold snap makes it hard to think about community parades, but then again, maybe warm thoughts will help.

Things may not be warm for the St. Patrick's Day parade March 14 in St. Charles. But it is a parade, and we can't have those when it's below zero. Anyone planning to be part of that parade has until Wednesday to contact organizers at (630) 443-3969.

And here's a reminder that the Batavia VFW Post 1197 is accepting applications from organizations seeking a spot in the 41st annual Loyalty Day Parade.

This year's parade through downtown Batavia is May 3 with a theme of "Batavia Leading Loyalty to our Nation."

For more information, call the VFW at (630) 879-9630.

Fits the mold

The new homes going up between Fifth and Sixth streets along Campbell Street in Geneva are taking shape - and they fit nicely with the neighborhood.

I mentioned this development a few months ago because it is taking place on longtime Geneva icon Merritt King's property.

When you consider the Geneva Library has just purchased the nearby Sixth Street School with the intention to build a new library on that site, this is shaping up to be a special part of town.

Add those sandwiches

The Early Light Café sandwich shop at Mill Race Cyclery along the bike path in Geneva, which has only outdoor seating, is obviously closed during these rugged winter months.

But owner Dawn Phillips is serving her homemade soups, sandwiches and salads at the Sugar Path in Geneva.

The sweet treats shop at 315 W. State St. can now boast of other specialties for visitors.

I've had one of Phillips' great menu items - a sandwich called Morning Ride. It's an egg sandwich on crusty ciabatta or bagel, with spinach and tomato. You can pick ham or bacon as the meat. Yummy.

Busy cultural arts

The Geneva Cultural Arts Commission has a lot on its plate, preparing the Eat Your Art Out event March 7 at the Herrington Inn and the Geneva Film Festival, which starts March 12.

It's not too late to get involved in the Eat Your Art Out fundraiser and its four-course dinner from executive chef Jeff Meyer. Call the commission at (630) 938-4530 to learn more about this art show and fine dining.

The film festival will have an interesting twist this year. It will take place at Shodeen's Dodson Place on Second Street. Those who have been around the area a long time know that this building is basically what is left of the old Community Hospital.

If you have an interest in excellent independent films, be sure to check the GenevaFilmFestival.org site for details.

dheun@sbcglobal.net