Businesses closing, new restaurant coming to downtown Elgin
One business is closed and another one will be closing soon, but a new gourmet popcorn shop and a new bar/restaurant with live music are expected to open in the next few months — all in downtown Elgin.
Downtown just doesn't get enough foot traffic to support day-to-day sales, said Maria D'Angelo, owner of the now-closed Viking Thrift & Artwork store at 160 E. Chicago St., and Ron Weiner, owner of Mr. Cheap's Mattress at 215 E. Chicago, which will close after the end of May. Both moved last year from locations elsewhere in Elgin.
“We really wanted to be part of the art scene that Elgin wanted to build up,” D'Angelo said. “But when we moved downtown, our sales died by about 80 percent. You cannot survive on $10 days.”
Weiner echoed the sentiment. “I thought I was established enough for six years and people would follow me,” he said, adding his business dropped by 50 percent in the last six months. “I had absolutely no idea how people hate coming downtown, even to buy cheap mattresses.”
That's not quite true, Deirdre White, executive director of the Downtown Neighborhood Assocation of Elgin.
“There's other businesses and restaurants that would beg to differ on that,” she said. “I do know there are other businesses that are looking to either expand or new businesses opening up — and their focus is on Chicago Street.”
A new restaurant and bar with live music and a modern-day speak-easy theme will replace Mr. Tequila de Elgin, a Mexican restaurant at 51 S. Grove Ave., White said.
Mr. Tequila is slated to close May 2 and the new restaurant is expected to open in August, she said. “They are looking at signage, other details for that building,” she said.
Also, a gourmet popcorn shop is expected to open at 20 S. Spring St., she said. “I've been told by the property owner that he's coming in, but I don't have an opening date,” she said.
There were 35 empty storefronts out of 176 storefronts downtown Elgin as of a few weeks ago, White said. However, of those 35, eight or more had plans in progress and at least 10 have been chronically vacant for at least a decade, she said.
Weiner said he's looking for a new location, likely in Elgin. D'Angelo said the retail shop closure is permanent.
City officials like to tout Elgin's focus on the arts, but they should do more to make that apparent — such as having public art like sculptures and murals, said D'Angelo, who is an artist. She contends it's hard to succeed unless one is affiliated with Side Street Studio Arts, which has multiple organized events downtown.
Side Street Studio Arts Director Erin Rehberg, however, said those events welcome anyone who is interested. There is no such thing as competition among art galleries, she said. “If there are 10 galleries downtown Elgin, it's better for everyone,” she said. “We want people to be able to hop around because we aren't for everyone.”
Weiner also said the city should do a better job of plowing in the winter so customers can park downtown. Still, he gave props to city's community development department — especially senior planner Sarosh Saher — for helping him relocate quickly last year.