Bridal shop closes, new retail, restaurant opening in downtown Wheaton
A long-standing bridal shop has left a void in downtown Wheaton since closing last month, but three other vacant storefronts soon will be filled by new businesses, including two that are moving from the south side of the city.
The Dress by Nicole closed March 6, after operating for seven years out of a corner storefront at 131 W. Wesley St.
"It was a very nice business that drew customers from the region, not just the immediate area," said Downtown Wheaton Association Executive Director Paula Barrington. "The closing was a surprise, but we certainly respect the decision the business owner made."
The owner, Nicole Kruz, said in a Facebook post that 2015 was "a year of big changes" for the store. Kruz had a baby last spring that kept her out of the shop longer than she anticipated and running the business as a mother had become challenging.
"Please know this was not an easy decision to make and it will be hard to say goodbye, but it is time to move on," she said. "Thank you for your understanding."
The Perfect Thing and Miroballi Shoes are moving to Front Street and Hale Street, respectively, from the Town Square Wheaton shopping center near Naperville Road and Blanchard Circle. The Perfect Thing is slated to open next Tuesday with a grand opening scheduled for late May.
Co-owner Kate Martin, who runs the store with her mother, Judith, said the new 5,000-square-foot consignment store - located in the former Kale Uniforms space at 204 W. Liberty Drive - is about half the size of their original location at 131 Town Square.
"We're refining what we're taking," she said, adding that the shop accepts high-end furniture, rugs, artwork, lighting and decoratives by appointment only. "We're sticking to just the best of the best."
In addition, the owners offer personal property appraisals and full estate liquidation services. Martin said The Perfect Thing is "more of a stand-alone business" and she is happy to be out of a strip mall.
"The downtown offers a more boutique feel and we wanted to be a part of that," she said. "We've been in Wheaton for 14 years and didn't want to leave where our roots were, so we looked for a place down here and luckily enough we found this."
Barrington said the Miroballi family recently purchased the building at 124 N. Hale St., with plans to divide the storefront into three retail spaces: one for women's shoes, one for men's shoes and a third that will be available for lease.
The building has been vacant for almost three years since a gift shop and stationary store called Paper House closed.
Another business with Wheaton roots, Choun's Thai restaurant, is slated to open at 226 W. Front St. on May 15. Owner Chounphit Jackels-Hatsady ran Pad Thai Etc. on the south side of the railroad tracks for many years before closing it in 2014.
"I love cooking and I have a lot of people ask for me to come back," she said. "After you take a break and rest enough, I have to find something to do."
Choun said she is looking forward to getting back into the restaurant business in the new location, where she feels there is more activity. The restaurant, she said, will have a modern look and offer a variety of fresh Asian and American cuisine.
"Our food is not greasy, it is not stir fry," she said. "It is light, using nice ingredients. It's not spicy, but it is really tasty. We aim on healthy."