Business still booming for this father-son team
It's always good to share business success stories during this stormy period with our nation's economy.
Earlier this year, I touched base with developer/property manager Don Wickman of St. Charles and his son, Eric, to get a feel for how office buildings and commercial development were faring in a down economy.
Since then, the economy has gotten much worse - but I discovered that the Wickmans, particularly 25-year-old Eric, continue to forge forward, apparently defying odds that are obviously against business growth these days.
Eric was featured on the cover of a Buy Lease Build magazine last month for his successful venture in the suburb of Berkeley, where he developed a business center anchored by a Dunkin' Donuts and a Sprint store on St. Charles Road.
"I was able to develop, broker and build my own strip center with no co-signers, investors or partners, at age 25, in a suburb that had not had a commercial development in over 20 years," Wickman said.
On top of that, he's now telling me he's about to start construction on a 7,000-square-foot office building at 1702 E. Main St., located on the north side of Main, about 200 yards east of the Colonial restaurant at Tyler and Main streets.
He's pulled off this feat in what he's calling "the worst economy since the Great Depression."
With a tenant already secured for 2,000 square feet of the building, Wickman realizes it will still take the better part of the next year or longer to fill the building.
Still, he jokes that it may be time "to ask Donald Trump to move over."
Double that Mel's: I'm not a regular patron, but I've had a couple of business breakfast meetings at Mel's Diner on State Street in Geneva, and it's an interesting and enjoyable place to dine.
Again, it is good to see any business being able to expand its offerings at this time. So congratulations to owner Karen Ortiz, who has opened a second Mel's Diner location in Campton Square, at LaFox Road and Route 64.
If you are not from the western regions of the Tri-Cities and haven't made your way out to Campton Square yet, give it a try. Several good restaurants have popped up out there.
Just go downtown: With the St. Charles Downtown Partnership recently being recognized for its efforts in an Illinois Main Street statewide competition, it should remind all of us that we live in an area in which residents, city fathers and downtown organizations have worked endlessly to assure our downtowns retain their history and remain vital and vibrant.
The downtown areas of St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia have each presented interesting challenges to volunteer organizations and elected officials - but the end result has been community events and gathering places we can all be proud of, to go along with an interesting selection of businesses and services.
We have to do our part now in patronizing the businesses and enjoying the downtown festivals and activities during these tough economic times.
I'll take that window: Along the lines of making our downtowns interesting, let's not forget the work of the chambers of commerce and the city's economic development directors.
The city's economic development department is behind the "Win that Geneva Window" program that 24 downtown businesses are involved in, with their items showcased in the windows at Viking Office Supply, Farmers Insurance/William Barclay agent and at Geneva Jakes (in Dodson Place).
"I like the idea of people coming in the store and trying to figure out how much the items cost in the window displays," said Great Harvest Bread Co. owner Matt Thobe, explaining the premise behind the program.
Liz Fahey, owner of Geneva Jakes, said contest participants will view the items in the showcase window displays and sign up to enter the contest by visiting the individual stores to calculate item prices. They then submit their overall price of the window contents. Those who have the correct price will have their names put in for the Dec. 15 drawing.
End to the noise: Yes, the campaign season noise winds down in the next 48 hours. It's been interesting at times, enlightening at times and, in the age of the Internet, downright ridiculous at times. But in the end, it is the same as it has always been. Go to the booths Tuesday and have your say. It's a lot more powerful than some of the nonsense passed along in mass e-mails during a political season.
dheun@sbcglobal.net