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A look at Pheasant Run through the eyes of visitors

A look at Pheasant Run through the eyes of out-of-towners

It's been three years since the opportunity arose to get a close-up look at how out-of-town guests viewed Pheasant Run Resort and its immediate area.

The setting wasn't a particularly pretty sight at the time. Main Street in St. Charles was under heavy construction, extending out toward Pheasant Run. It left piles of rocks in the construction strip down the middle of the street. In other words, that was your main view of the area when looking out from the resort property.

The guests were in town for a retailers' conference I was reporting on and some of the ladies in attendance were excited to see a big mall right down the street.

What they didn't know at the time was that it was big and, for the most part, empty as well. They came back the next day rather surprised at what they saw at the albatross known as Charlestowne Mall.

And others at the conference, especially those who were from out of the country, had the general complaint that Chicago was so far away from St. Charles. Their plans to visit the city during soft spots in the convention schedule didn't pan out the way they had hoped.

Which leads me to this: It's a good idea that Pheasant Run owners, Saint Charles Resort LLC, are contemplating more stores on the site, even while they continue to hash things out with DuPage Airport officials over various renovation plans and land uses.

Personally, I'd hate to see the golf course somehow get shut down over time, but nobody is saying that just yet.

Pheasant Run has a place in St. Charles history and has hosted a zillion events and shows over the past several decades.

If it can somehow transform itself by offering appealing retail spots that tie in with the resort and surrounding area as a whole, it gives the location a chance to move ahead with the times and stay relevant.

This will certainly take some time. Resort owners may even have to wait to see if the city's version of Mission Impossible, that being any type of upgrade at Charlestowne Mall, actually takes place.

The ultimate outcome for city officials would be a welcome challenge - rather than worrying about how to fill empty spots, they'd be making sure the retail unfolding at Charlestowne isn't identical to that being considered at Pheasant Run.

Either way, the resort and the city can't afford too many other events in which the only take-aways for visitors are torn up roads and an empty mall.

Doing Mariano's homework:

A reader intrigued about the empty Sports Authority location on Randall Road in Geneva tells me he talked to a person involved in Mariano's search for real estate nearly two months ago about that site, as well as the Dominick's location across Randall.

Rich Schram of Geneva was told the ownership mix somewhat rules out Mariano's from going into the old Dominick's location because the owner of the building also owns Albertson's, which owns Jewel. So they don't want a Mariano's competing with a nearby Jewel.

The minimal dock area that I mentioned about Sports Authority a few weeks ago comes into play in the Mariano's equation as well, Schram was told. So that also doesn't seem likely.

Schram said Mariano's claims to be "extremely" interested in the Tri-Cities area, but just has to find the right location.

Olympic glory strong:

If Marmion graduate Ben Kanute of Geneva ends up on the Olympic medal stand after the Thursday, Aug. 18, triathlon event in Rio, he might generate as much long-standing fame as another outstanding track and field Tri-Cities athlete.

Folks in these parts buzzed with pride for many years after Rick Wohlhuter of St. Charles won a bronze medal in the 800-meter run at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. His thoughts of trying again in 1980 were dashed when the U.S. boycotted the Moscow Olympics that year.

But he forever locked his name into St. Charles sports fame.

Even more sweets:

And who says we have enough bakeries and cupcake shops around here?

Sweet Natalie's at 228 S. Third St. in Geneva must sense that we simply can't get enough.

What other reason would there be for just about doubling its size by moving the retail portion of the bakery to the first floor of the same building at the corner of Third and Franklin streets?

This expansion also tells us something about the gluten-free movement these days. Sweet Natalie's went to an entire gluten-free operation last year, as well as bringing in bakers who make goodies that are peanut-free.

This is a place worth checking out if food allergies are a concern in your family.

Expanding eateries:

It's always good to hear that a restaurant is doing so well, it needs more room.

That has to be the take-away when hearing that Gia Mia on Third Street in Geneva is seeking an outdoor patio for extra seating, and Abby's Breakfast & Lunch is obtaining extra space from an empty location next to its current spot at 11 N. Third St. in downtown St. Charles.

We know The Range Grill & Tap in Batavia had some excellent plans in place to create an outdoor patio expansion, so we are hoping those are still a go at some point.

These types of news items are more fun to write than those of the past few years in which we spent more time listing places that were closing.

dheun@sbcglobal.net

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